I just read an evaluation study by Lifetrack Resources (St. Paul, MN) that looks at the services they provided to Karen refugees who moved to Worthington, MN for a better paying entry-level job. The study suggests that Lifetrack provided both sustainable employment outcomes and additional services that helped newcomers get established in the small community of Worthington, even though Worthington is 185 miles from Lifetrack's office in St. Paul.
Most interesting to me is the section of the report that discusses the supports provided by the main employer, JBS. JBS is the largest employer in Worthington with about 2,300 employees. Roughly 80 employees of Karen origin were placed there through Lifetrack Resources over a 3 year period from 2007 to 2010. Lifetrack set up a Memorandum of Agreement with the company so that temporary housing is provided at a hotel and then $500 is available toward a longer hotel stay, first month's rent, or a deposit on an apartment. This investment demonstrates the company's interest in retaining qualified and reliable workers.
Read the full report here. Does anyone else have partnerships set up like this with employers who are outside of your traditional servive area?
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