Hear from CEO & Co-Founder of Glow Up Careers, Yvonne Kelly, as she's interviewed in a three-part series by our own VP of Behavioral Science & Impact, Greta Bradman, on how leaders can create impact, change, and unlock potential working with refugees.
Yvonne Kelly has been busy building a successful career around unlocking potential in refugees, demonstrating the level of interest and belief being shown by the business community in hiring from this courageous cohort of people. Learn more about Yvonne and Glow Up Careers in her first interview with us.
Previously, Yvonne shared some of the broad areas of support that help refugees get a foot into the working world and deeply and successfully support their onward journey. Two refugees she has worked with, Grace and Yaser, have given their permission for Yvonne to share a little of their journey with us.
Grace, from Uganda
Grace is a former child soldier and Refugee from Uganda. She was captured on a trip to her grandmother's by the Lord’s Resistance Army led by Joseph Kony.
Grace was forced to marry his second in command. She was 12 years old. After a number of years, Grace escaped with two other child brides and their children. World Vision arranged for her to come to Australia as a refugee.
I was introduced to Grace when she was completing her degree in Social work. She didn’t know how to find a job in Sydney. With some career coaching and mentoring and an introduction to a recruiter, Glow Up was able to help Grace find employment with an NDIS provider.
Grace is now supporting young children to access funding and has also launched a Charity called Bi Do Ki Gen that supports former child soldiers in Uganda.
Yaser, from Iran
Yaser is originally from Iran. At 29, Yaser was a member of the Iranian Green Movement, demanding civil liberties and protesting what many believed was the fraudulent election of then-president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
Some of Yaser's friends and fellow activists in Iran had been arrested. One was shot dead by the militia. It was only a matter of time, Yaser believed, before the same happened to him. He fled to Jakarta by plane, hoping to make his way to Australia.
From Indonesia, he tried several times to catch a boat, only to be stopped by officials. Eventually, he made it onto an ill-fated passage where the boat he was on sank. Of about 250 people on board, just 47 survived. Yaser was rescued by a fisherman and then returned to detention in Jakarta.
It took him a few years to get asylum in Australia. Yaser and I met when he was completing his university degree. He completed the Glow Up Career Coaching and through Career Seekers, Yaser was offered a permanent position in sales.
Yaser has been sharing his story to inspire others. He found the help of a coach and mentor invaluable. Having others support his journey and give him confidence has been wonderful.
Yaser recently flew his siblings and their families from Iran to Europe so they could be together for a holiday. His dream is to relocate his family here.
Reflecting on these stories and thinking about employment holistically
From these insights, it brings home what refugees have gone through prior to coming to their host country, and how long the journey even to get there can take.
This highlights the importance of thinking about employment support holistically, in order to help with the transition around expectations in the working world in a host country. Supporting refugees into the working world involves a structured, ongoing network of support.
The Refugee Council of Australia offers insights into this, but I wanted to also ask Yvonne to outline some of the fundamental components that have enabled Grace and Yaser to succeed.
Fundamental components to support the careers of refugees
- Getting career coaching support through Glow Up as to how the recruitment process works in Australia
- Being introduced to local connections
- Starting a job in a supportive and inclusive environment
- Their drive, determination, and happy disposition despite their past, and ability to seek support and understanding to help enable this where needed
- A mutual understanding that starting out in the working world is a new beginning; not an endpoint. Career pathways are essential to this.
“The role of leaders in creating inclusive and supportive environments is key. Having conversations about growth within career paths and supporting Grace and Yaser’s broader mission has enabled them to keep growing career wise, and to grow into a state of personal empowerment that can further help establish a virtuous cycle of unlocking potential, and add to value creation for the individual and their family, for the business, and for society."
Yvonne Kelly, CEO & Co-Founder, Glow Up Careers
Yvonne Kelly on creating value for individuals, businesses, and society
Value creation for the individual
Employment is so key to supporting refugees. It gives them an opportunity to be self-sufficient in Australia and feel like they are contributing and assimilating into Australian culture.
It gives them a sense of purpose and belonging. It also supports many broader families as often they send money back to their country to support members of their family left behind. If they are working, they are also leading by example for their children and other community members that it is possible for them to pursue their career dreams.
Value creation for the business
“For employers, [employing refugees in the right roles at the right time with the right support] creates an inclusive environment and feeling of belonging. It creates a learning opportunity to educate others in the business, that refugees are people like you and me.
They just happened to have to flee their countries through no fault of their own. It demystifies and normalizes what they think a refugee may be. Many employees haven’t had an opportunity to meet a refugee. We have also found that it gives a voice to those already in the business that have come from refugee backgrounds.
Through the advocacy we are currently doing in educating businesses and employees about refugees, we have had numerous people approach us to say that they or their families were also refugees but they have never shared their stories with colleagues. It makes them proud of their achievements and they are very motivated to help others. It also brings a Diversity of thought to projects and initiatives.
Employing refugees also helps organizations to be more truly diverse. It can help work towards ESG goals as well as the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Value creation for society
Employing refugees in a short time frame from when they arrive, means that the host society gets to see the value of all of their amazing international experiences and new ideas.
It motivates other minority groups to find work, acting as positive examples by sharing their stories of resilience and job success. It also means they don’t need to go on social welfare and they can afford housing.
Then once they are working, they are contributing more broadly by paying taxes and getting involved in their local communities. There is also the opportunity to educate society in general on how we move forward with treating refugees with respect and seeing them as an inspiration. We can all learn a lot from their drive and determination.
In our final snapshot of unlocking potential in refugees at work with Yvonne Kelly, we will explore how you can help move the dial, and start your journey towards responsibly and successfully hiring refugees into meaningful employment within your business.
These snapshots are in service of helping move our mindset around what is possible in the world of work right now, with the right support and guidance.
Don’t forget; Yvonne and Glow Up Careers are there for you if you want to know more about engaging refugees in the working world at your business.
And if you know of or run a support service for refugees in Australia or the USA please get in touch!
We’d love to hear from you and provide insights into why, what, and how you do what you do to help.
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