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Volunteers needed to help refugees find jobs.

Posted at 10:47 PM, Apr 05, 2016
and last updated 2016-04-06 00:47:57-04
 If you are a professional or retired professional, then there's a volunteer opportunity for you. And it could change a refugee's life forever.
 
Keith York knows what it's like to look for a job, he's been there before, but he can't imagine what it's like for a refugee.
 
"For a refugee to come here in a new country and completely different culture and have to figure out how to get a job, I can't imagine how fearful that is, " explained Keith York who works as a business consultant.
 
Keith is just one volunteer working with Global Talent Idaho. A non-profit that helps skilled refugees ready to find a job. Some of them may have a college degree but many of them are not using their education. 
 
"Without this organization you have a lot of brain waste right here in our community," Said Gina Finley of Global Talent Idaho 
 
Once a quarter the non-profits holds a career summit that puts volunteers like Keith one on one with refugees. Doing  mock job interviews, the volunteers gives them feedback on how they can improve. They even have time set aside for networking. Malak has been through the program, she now has a job working for Global Talent Idaho using the I.T skill she got in Iraq.
 
"When I arrived I feel like it is the dream land I want to be in but I didn't  know it would be hard to find a job and start your life here again," Said Malak Al Fatal who now works for Global Talent Idaho as a data management specialist.
 
Organizers say they will be holding another workshop on April 22nd. Around 20 refugees and 10 volunteers are interested . But the non-profit is looking for more volunteers so they can hold panel interviews. For Keith, it's not only a way for him to help his community but to see the talent 1st hand. 
 
"To get to know some of the people that are coming here and get to see the depth of talent and depth of skills they have it's just staggering," Said York. 
 
The non-profit says they hoping to have a total of 40 volunteers for the upcoming career summit. The Global Talent Idaho Career Summit is on April 22, 2016, from 1:00 to 5:00 at The College of Western Idaho in Boise in the Mallard Building. 9100 W. Black Eagle. To register or volunteer click here.