Job seekers of all backgrounds — including refugees, immigrants and disabled students — were all encouraged to attend the Job Resource Fair to get a head start on getting hired.
The Grossmont Career Center hosted its 5th Annual Refugee Job and Apprenticeship Fair April 14 in the main quad. It featured nearly 20 booths of organizations offering unique services.
Renee Nasori, one of the fair’s coordinators, expressed her gratitude for being part of an event that could potentially change lives.
“We have amazing employers willing to meet with our talented students, so we couldn’t do this work alone,” Nasori said.
Job placement specialist Sonia Yaddgo also thanked the employers and all who made the event possible.
The fair featured music, and each vendor explained their organization’s cause via a microphone. Two food trucks were available to accommodate hungry attendees. In addition to county resources for the general public, such as In-Home Supportive Services and job offerings from the County of San Diego, vendors also offered specialized services for immigrants, individuals with developmental disabilities, and trauma survivors.
Led by Outreach Coordinator Susan Josephson and Faid Jaafar, Volunteers in Medicine San Diego showcased information on free health screenings for women and medical services for those with low income. Located in El Cajon, the organization is the only free clinic in East County, and it provides translation for non-English speakers. Adults can visit vim-sandiego.org for more information.
For anyone who has a disability, Therapeutic Recreation Services offered by The City of San Diego Parks and Recreation Department, provides recreation programs for people of any age with any developmental disabilities.
Its spring newsletter, which was available for pickup at the fair, featured many social and creative events for people with disabilities. Most events are free to attend after registration.
TRS also provides Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialists to help participants improve social skills during recreation events, so those with developmental disabilities can learn and also have fun.
Police were present at the fair, but not for surveillance. The San Diego Police Department was one of the featured vendors, with Officer Christopher Senior tending the booth. Flyers for training camps were available to give candidates a sense of the Academy’s demands, and QR codes provided more information on potential jobs. Additional flyers provided information about the CADET program and the department’s volunteering opportunities. Many of these resources can be found on the city’s website.
Survivors of Torture International, the only accredited torture treatment center in San Diego and Imperial counties, was also at the event. Its booth offered free mental health services to those who have experienced trauma in forcible removal from their home countries in search of a safe place to live.
The community healing center aims to support survivors as they overcome residual psychological struggles in their day-to-day life after fleeing from home. It offers psychiatric and medical support services, psychological evaluations and social support, and can also assist the client in legal asylum cases. If you are looking for support, you can find eligibility requirements at the Survivors of Torture International website.
A County of San Diego representative thanked Nasori and participating vendors for providing vital services to attendees, adding that they were pleased the fair brought together the broader community, immigrants and refugees.
