Submitted by crinadmin on
Approximately 75,000 refugees will be resettled to the United States in fiscal year 2009 (October 2008 - September 2009). Many young people come to the U.S. unprepared for the challenges ahead. Many have never seen the inside of a formal school. The vast majority have not had the opportunity to learn practical skills while they were displaced that will enable them to get a job. They have difficulties staying in school or finding a job—the latter is expected for those over 18 More than 3,200 refugees from 38 countries were resettled to Arizona in FY 2008.3 The Women’s Refugee Commission traveled to Phoenix, Arizona in August 2009 to learn about young people’s experience resettling to the U.S. In particular, the delegation looked at what educational and skills training programmes young people had access to while they were displaced that helped with their transition to the U.S.—and what additional services would have been helpful. The aim was to learn what more could be done during displacement to better prepare refugee youth for life in the U.S.
who need to contribute to their families. Since the majority of refugees are in long-term situations that last an average of 17 years, the international community must ensure that time spent in displacement is not wasted but rather is used as an opportunity to prepare young people for their futures—whether they are resettled to the U.S., remain in their country of asylum or return home to rebuild their communities.