Meet Sila Boz, Senior Program Officer for the Matching Grant program at EMM. Sila has worked in refugee resettlement since 2014, and for the past several years, has focused on employment support services for newcomers.
Welcome back to “EMM at Work.” Through this series of short videos featuring EMM headquarters staff, we share how we pursue our mission daily. We want you to know who we are, what we do, and how you can join or support us in this vital work.
When refugees and other newcomers arrive in the U.S., they are eager to put down roots and provide for their families. Those who enter the U.S. as refugees, holders of Special Immigrant Visas (SIVs), as well as certain other legal statuses, are immediately authorized and expected to work.
However, if they have limited skills in English, must rely on public transportation to get around, and their credentials or experience are not recognized, finding suitable work can be difficult. Support for newcomers seeking employment is thus a crucial part of refugee resettlement.
Many resettlement agencies, including EMM, have staff who specialize in programs designed to help refugees and other eligible newcomers find jobs that will meet their immediate needs and enable them, over time, to achieve the goal of economic self-sufficiency. Sila Boz leads the team of Matching Grant specialists at EMM.
In this video, Sila identifies the unique challenges that newcomers face and highlights the assets and strengths they bring to the workplace. Explaining how the Matching Grant program works and is funded, she describes specific ways employers and community partners have collaborated with EMM’s affiliates, benefiting communities as well as clients and their families.
Take a moment to learn more from Sila about the importance of sustainable employment for newcomers’ integration and well-being and for the communities that they now call home. Then consider: what do you know about opportunities to work and grow in your own field or community? How could you use your knowledge and connections to open doors for our newest neighbors and all who live and work with them to thrive? If you have ideas to share, we invite you to reach out to us at emm@episcopalchurch.org .
