Work & Welcome

Work & Welcome is an employment pathways program that provides paid employment placements at partner host organisations - such as schools, businesses, and universities - to refugees and people seeking asylum. 93% of participants find further employment.

Over the course of the placement, the employed refugee or person seeking asylum will acquire the necessary skills, qualifications and experiences to gain a foothold in the Australian workforce. Host organisations have the enriching experience of welcoming a forcibly displaced person into their midst, learning their stories, and informing their internal culture of the resilience and humanity of forcibly displaced peoples across the world.

House of Welcome identifies candidates and finds placements based on their strengths, career goals, and the needs of partner organisations.

“It was a great experience. I learned so many things and it made me a very rich future employee.

My placement at Loreto Normanhurst went above and beyond my expectations. I felt supported by the amazing workforce and the whole community.

The generosity of the staff through the Workplace Giving program meant I could earn a wage, put food on the table and look after myself financially. I am grateful to the whole community for the opportunity.”

Miri
Work & Welcome participant
Loreto Normanhurst

The program involves candidate evaluation, selection and screening, individualised cultural support throughout the duration of the paid placement (minimum 10 weeks), and professional development opportunities that allow candidates to increase their knowledge, skills, and confidence in the Australian workplace. As a result, participants can establish significant connections and advance their careers.

How it works:

1. A series of funding options allows host organisations to raise the funds for the placement in their workplace.
   - Voluntary contributions are made by staff each pay cycle through workplace giving.
   - Lump sum contributions are made by host organisations ahead of the placement.
   - Fundraising events by the host organisation raise the placement funding.

2. Once sufficient funds have been raised, the school or organisation will provide HoW with a job description for the role identified.

3. House of Welcome will put forward suitable candidates matched to the job description.

4. The successful candidate is employed by HoW and hosted at your school or organisation for minimum 10 weeks and supported throughout.

By creating structured, short-term, paid job placements, Work & Welcome addresses major barriers to finding work and assist refugees and people seeking asylum as they prepare for long term employment success.

The most common barriers are:

• Limited English proficiency

• Lack of Australian work experience

• Lack of knowledge of Australian workplace culture and systems

• Difficulties with recognition of skills, experience and qualifications

• Lack of employment services to support employment transition.

“The Work & Welcome program has brought insight and joy to our community. It has opened the hearts of our staff to want to be and do more for others, and it has helped many people seeking asylum and refugees gain valuable work experience”.

Gillian Daley
Director of Identity and MIC Cricket
St Patrick’s College Strathfield