Techfugees, in partnership with Techfugees France, has launched a pilot fellowship program in Paris to support a dozen refugees in their insertion into the French labor market and the French tech startup scene.
The women come on the programme with a rich and diverse background: a few with tech skills (programming, UX UI …), some with entrepreneurial ambitions, and the majority with a strong desire to be empowered with the tools that will lead them to sustainable employment within the digital sector.
👉 Learn more about the launch of the program on #TFBlog
Every Monday from February to July 2018, Techfugees and the awesome French Tech community support the fellows through 3 different types of activities:
- training to acquire new knowledges and skills: who are the actors and what are the rights and duties in the French labor market? How do I write my resume and adapt it to professional social networks? How do I manage my image on social networks? How do I use collaborative work tools? How do I manage a project? How do I succeed in interviews?
- mentoring to gather professional advice to define goals, build long-term relationships, manage change, communicate, develop leadership and prepare for the after-programme.
- networking to meet potential recruiters in an informal setting and develop contacts.
🗓 To participate in the next networking event check our events page!
Each session happens in a key place of the local tech ecosystem as a way to open the doors of Paris’ tech scene and help our fellows navigate it and feel home.
Thanks to local sponsors and partners of the programme, our fellows are able to participate to events like Startup Safari, the Lab Postal, policy-makers roundtables and even cultural events thanks to the Fondation BNP Paribas.
This program is specifically designed for refugee women, because while their status gives them the right to work, they are generally far removed from “classical” initiatives that are more attractive to men. Unable to have their degrees and qualifications recognized in France, they are left with few options but to accept low skilled jobs, with little or no qualification requirements, though they worked as an engineers, doctors, teachers or architects in their country of origin (Syria, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Palestine, Democratic Republic of Congo…).
Once they overpower the barriers – particularly cultural ones – and secure a job that makes use of their skills, the impact is beneficial to their families, especially their children. As for the Parisian tech ecosystem, it is still not open enough to diversity.
🌍 To follow the #TF4Women fellowship program, go to Facebook, Twitter and Instagram !
Thank you to our Sponsors & Partenaires
👉 See all the Sponsors & Partners of Techfugees
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