Incentive Program

Mentor teams may help refugee families to achieve the goals of the incentive program but should NOT feel obligated to do so. It is the responsibility of the refugee family to be motivated to meet the requirements and efforts to do so should be initiated and driven by them.

Purpose: To motivate refugee families to meet the program objectives.

Procedure: Refugee families in the Co-Sponsorship Program of DRM and LFS receive $750 in rent and deposit assistance from DRM when a family is matched with a mentor team. The family can receive up to $300 in additional rent assistance at the conclusion of their 6 month mentoring period based on assessment by DRM.

In the fifth month of the mentoring relationship, DRM will evaluate the progress of the refugee family in the following areas: employment, finance and budgeting, English, and life skills.

Employment: Can earn up to $100

• Main Goal: PA (Principle Applicant) or spouse has a full-time job
  • Full-time job: $100
  • Part-time job or job readiness: $75
  • Actively seeking a job: $50
  • Not interested in a job or training: $0

Finance and Budgeting: Can earn up to $75

• The goal is that the family would be economically stable and know how to use their money.
  • Having a working budget and sticking to it.
  • Understanding applicable assistance programs (TANF, MG, Food Assistance, etc.) and common financial knowledge (credit cards, loans, paying bills, savings vs. checking, etc.)
  • Having and using a bank account to save money
• They will be given all, half, or none of the $75 based upon these actions and knowledge.

English: Can earn up to $75

• English ability is evaluated at the linkage visit and fifth month, focusing primarily on the PA.
• They will be given all, half, or none of the $75 based upon:
  • Their efforts to learn English (faithfully attending classes at Emily Griffith, showing effort when the mentor team assists them with English, etc.)
  • Improvement in their English language ability

Life Skills: Can earn up to $50

• The goal is that the family will gain practical, social, and cultural life skills/aptitude.
  • Career development (job training, learning new skills, etc.)
  • Health (how to get to the hospital, when to stay home from school or work, etc.)
  • Male/female relationships (understanding domestic violence, gender equality, etc.)
  • Culture (the list is endless)
  • School systems (interacting with teachers, grades, importance of attendance, etc.)
  • Transportation (RTD, traffic laws, etc.)
• They will be given all, half, or none of the $50 based upon knowing of many of these topics.