Hey everyone, it’s Marissa again!
In our reflection session we had the chance to meet a refugee from Africa and hear his story. Prior to his visit we reviewed the problems that arise from focusing on single stories and sole viewpoints. We watched Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s speech about telling stories and stereotyping. Speaking with the refugee who was brought to Durham by the State Department to be saved from persecution offered another narrative on why Durham needs economic and workforce development. Although I have spent a few weeks at my site and have met with many Durham youth, this story was enlightening to hear. He told us about his adjustment period in coming to the United States and how he needed assistance in order to find a job. For the refugee, even walking into a grocery store was difficult since he did not know the process of selecting goods and checking out. There are systems in place and organizations in the Durham area that assist refugees when they arrive. These organizations educate and support them until they are self-sufficient. Similarly, there are Durham residents that do not have the foundation of information that is needed to get a job. Some people who are seeking employment have not grown up in households with employed adults. There are people that are unaware that they must interview, submit resumes, and maintain a level of professionalism. Schools don’t exactly teach these skills, and due to large income disparity between households in Durham, it is difficult to pinpoint the most deficient skills.
The refugee’s perspective as someone seeking employment in the Durham area is pertinent to the work I am doing at the Office of Economic and Workforce Development. When I was helping to organize a pre-employment training for our Summer YouthWork Internship Program, I should have realized that not all students have fundamental workforce skills. By the closing of the training program, it was evident that not all of the youth obtained the skills we intended to teach. There were too many missing pieces of information, which prevented the youth from comprehending the whole picture. These skills that are required for the workforce need to be addressed through other means and over a longer period of time. Our office is communicating with Durham Public Schools to see how the school curriculum could incorporate skill building.
Another reason the refugee's perspective was important was because it outlined the transition from living in one country and going into another. The cultural differences, society norms and way of life are unique. This has encouraged me to think about the experiences I may have when I arrive in England, and how I will have to acclimate to a the British lifestyle.
In our reflection session we had the chance to meet a refugee from Africa and hear his story. Prior to his visit we reviewed the problems that arise from focusing on single stories and sole viewpoints. We watched Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s speech about telling stories and stereotyping. Speaking with the refugee who was brought to Durham by the State Department to be saved from persecution offered another narrative on why Durham needs economic and workforce development. Although I have spent a few weeks at my site and have met with many Durham youth, this story was enlightening to hear. He told us about his adjustment period in coming to the United States and how he needed assistance in order to find a job. For the refugee, even walking into a grocery store was difficult since he did not know the process of selecting goods and checking out. There are systems in place and organizations in the Durham area that assist refugees when they arrive. These organizations educate and support them until they are self-sufficient. Similarly, there are Durham residents that do not have the foundation of information that is needed to get a job. Some people who are seeking employment have not grown up in households with employed adults. There are people that are unaware that they must interview, submit resumes, and maintain a level of professionalism. Schools don’t exactly teach these skills, and due to large income disparity between households in Durham, it is difficult to pinpoint the most deficient skills.
The refugee’s perspective as someone seeking employment in the Durham area is pertinent to the work I am doing at the Office of Economic and Workforce Development. When I was helping to organize a pre-employment training for our Summer YouthWork Internship Program, I should have realized that not all students have fundamental workforce skills. By the closing of the training program, it was evident that not all of the youth obtained the skills we intended to teach. There were too many missing pieces of information, which prevented the youth from comprehending the whole picture. These skills that are required for the workforce need to be addressed through other means and over a longer period of time. Our office is communicating with Durham Public Schools to see how the school curriculum could incorporate skill building.
Another reason the refugee's perspective was important was because it outlined the transition from living in one country and going into another. The cultural differences, society norms and way of life are unique. This has encouraged me to think about the experiences I may have when I arrive in England, and how I will have to acclimate to a the British lifestyle.