A Community-Based Participatory Initiative to Promote the Social and Economic Well-Being of Refugees With Disabilities in Illinois

Of the record high 122.6 million people forcibly displaced worldwide, about 43.4 million are refugees, and an estimated 15% to 33% have at least one type of disability. Due to structural racism and ableism, many refugees with disabilities find it difficult to access vocational rehabilitation/employment resources, assistive technologies, and educational opportunities, including English as a second language classes. Although these services are not typically considered health care, they are critically important for the overall well-being of refugees with disabilities. To address these challenges, a U.S.-based research team and two project advisory boards developed a multilingual program that employed a community-based participatory approach. The primary goal of the program was to support disabled refugees with limited English proficiency by helping them navigate systems and gain access to vital services. Centering on human rights and driven by multisector partnerships, Partners of Refugees in Illinois Disability Employment (PRIDE), a federally funded program, aimed to: (1) increase resource awareness among refugees with disabilities through a linguistically appropriate, rights-based employment-training program and (2) build the capacity of service providers to support refugee clients with disabilities through customized online trainings on disability awareness and related resources. This article examines barriers and facilitators encountered by 50 refugees with disabilities who participated in PRIDE as they pursued short- and long-term life goals, including gaining access to health-, disability-, and workforce-related resources. Findings are based on data gathered through interviews, person-centered career planning sessions, and pre- and post-knowledge surveys. These findings can inform policy and programmatic changes to better support refugees with disabilities.