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Proudly Made By Refugees

Our adult job training program is open to adults ages 18 and up. Participants work in our kitchen for up to 350 hours and receive a stipend, plus performance-based bonuses. Our training model focuses on contextualizing learning within a busy kitchen. In the kitchen trainees make and package granola and other product Beautiful Day carries. Additionally, we design ESL lessons that are taught in a weekly workshop and integrated into our production process.

More Program Details

In the kitchen participants gain valuable work experience, critical job readiness skills, exposure to the American work culture, a place to grow in confidence and self-esteem, a chance to make friends, and an opportunity to improve their English and math skills.

Our participants graduate from our training program with a portfolio that includes a certificate of completion, job readiness evaluation, resume, and professional references. Our goal is for graduates to enter employment. In 2022, over 70% of our trainees found permanent jobs after completing our program, which attests to the success of this model.

Case Management Support

We have a team of staff, volunteers, and mentors working together to provide wraparound support services for our adult participants. Our case manager plays a crucial role in coordinating these services by working with each participant to create a service plan that includes short and long-term goals and the steps needed to reach them. Whenever possible, our case manager helps our adults to access job placement services after they graduate from our program. This may be through Dorcas International Institute or, more informally, through connections that we have established ourselves with outside employers.

Our Trainees

Our adult participants tend to be older adults who face significant employment challenges such as low levels of English proficiency, lack of native language literacy, job skills that are not transferable to the US workplace, difficulties related to gender and/or age, and emotional issues due to trauma.

Our participants are refugees and asylum seekers who are legally permitted to live and work in Rhode Island, are fully documented, and are eligible for US citizenship five years after arrival.

View Their Stories

Our Referral Partners

Our participants are referred to us by other refugee service organizations with whom we partner. These include The Diocese of Providence, Refugee Dream Center, Women’s Refugee Care and Dorcas International Institute of Rhode Island (DIIRI) . We also receive referrals from former participants and through word of mouth.

Interview And Intake Process

Once referred, a prospective trainee meets with the Director of Training to assess their eligibility. If needed, we schedule the meeting with an interpreter. We have a standard set of screening questions that we use to get to know the applicant and to help them to learn more about our program. If we feel it’s a good fit, then we proceed to onboarding them. At this meeting, we go over what to expect on the first day of work and how they need to prepare. Topics covered include working out transportation to our facility and dressing appropriately for working in the kitchen.

To make a referral or if you have any questions, please contact:

Maliss Men Coletta
Director of Training
Phone: 401-699-8105
Email: maliss@beautifuldayri.org