WS' Central Region Refugee Support team responsible for operations in Salt Lake and Tooele Counties and administers Department of Workforce Services (DWS) employment and supportive services to assist refugee customers overcome barriers associated with resettlement and cultural assimilation. Enable refugee customers to access State benefits within one (1) week of entry to Utah and decrease the number of errors.
Assist newly resettled refugees with applications for DWS supportive services and connection with English as a Second Language (ESL) classes, training, and employment services.
Improve relations and communication with community partners, while delivering supportive services to refugee customers.
Provide a neutral and safe environment for refugees applying for DWS services.
Strategically place employment counselors and eligibility workers in community locations.
Provide one point of contact for community partners and refugee customers.
Central Region developed a process by which refugees could apply for benefits, meet with an employment counselor, and have benefits, meet with an employment counselor, and have benefits available within one (1) week of entry to Utah. The refugee team itself represents eight (8) different ethnicities and fifteen (15) different languages including: Somali, Swahili, Sudanese, Arabic, Farci, Kirundi, Chadian, Kiswahili, Kinyarwanda and Bosnian.
DWS Central Region Refugee Support Team is located at Metro Employment
Center, 720 South 200 East in Salt Lake City.