[Case Study] How Startup Refugees & Jobful Are Transforming Refugee Employment: A Data-Driven Approach to Inclusive Hiring

Summary

Since integrating Jobful, Startup Refugees has significantly improved its job-matching and training facilitation for refugees and migrants. Facing challenges with a fragmented digital system and inefficient job-matching processes, the organization sought a centralized, data-driven, and user-friendly solution to provide job matching for refugees, asylum seekers and immigrants.

Jobful’s gamified and customizable Talent Community Software provided the necessary infrastructure to streamline employment opportunities, enhance user engagement, and ensure inclusivity. The results have been promising, with increased job seeker participation, employer engagement, and successful job placements. Jobful has proven to be a transformational tool in Startup Refugees’ mission to create equal and meaningful professional opportunities for migrants and refugees.

The Challenge: A Need for an Inclusive, Data-Driven Platform

“Before using Jobful, we had our own digital platform that we used to support our customer work and act as a customer database; however we faced several challenges and had a need for a centralized digital platform where refugees and migrants could more easily create professional profiles and connect with employers. We had a lack of streamlined job-matching processes, leading to inefficiencies in connecting job seekers with the right opportunities and some difficulty in organizing and promoting training opportunities. The need for a data-driven approach to track employment and training outcomes effectively lead us to Jobful.”

The Solution: A Gamified & Customizable Talent Community

“We learned about Jobful from an event hosted by the UNHCR in Geneva in 2023 where we met representatives from Jobs4Ukraine and learned about the system they were using which turned out to be Jobful. At the same time we were going through options in Finland and met with many organizations to get an understanding of the different ways we could best organize our job matching system. In the end we chose Jobful over other platforms because:

• It offered a gamified and customizable Talent Community Software that aligns with our mission.
• It provided a seamless way to integrate sourcing channels, applicant tracking systems, and a career website, making it easier for job seekers and employers to connect.
• The platform was adaptable to our needs, ensuring inclusivity and accessibility for our target audience.”

The Experience: A Collaborative & Supportive Partnership

“The integration of Jobful into our operations was relatively smooth, thanks to the ongoing support and collaboration provided by the Jobful team. Jobful has maintained continuous communication with us, ensuring the platform evolves according to user feedback and our requirements. Our biggest fear was that once the platform is in use the communication between us and Jobful would go down to the bare minimum and we would not get the support we need but are very happy our fear was uncalled for. Their customer support has been exceptional, allowing us to address any concerns and optimize the platform’s use. We are not ready yet but are very happy with the direction we are going to!”

The Outcome: Increased Engagement & Impactful Job Placements

“Since implementing Jobful, we have observed significant improvements: A growing number of job seekers have created profiles on the platform, companies actively use the platform with the support of our network coordinators to post job opportunities, an increasing number of successful job placements and training participants, positive feedback from job seekers and our own staff members who find the platform easy to use and effective in matching opportunities. And when there have been issues they have been solved quickly. Eventually we hope it will lead to even greater trust and engagement within our community, as they now have a reliable tool for job search and professional growth.”

Additional feedback: Why Jobful Stands Out

“The most valuable features of Jobful include its data-driven job matching, training facilitation, and the ability to track employment outcomes effectively. We highly recommend Jobful to other organizations looking to provide digital employment solutions, as it has significantly improved our efficiency and impact. The platform aligns with our vision of creating an inclusive society where refugees and migrants have fast and equal access to meaningful professional opportunities.”

“Jobful has been an incredible partner in supporting our mission. Their platform has transformed the way we connect job seekers with opportunities, making the process seamless and data-driven. We feel heard and understood through this collaboration.” Aicha Manai, CEO Startup Refugees

About Startup Refugees

Startup Refugees is a social innovation initiative that supports asylum seekers, refugees, and other migrants in finding employment, developing professional skills, and starting businesses in Finland. With a network of over 5000 members—including companies, public and private sector organizations, and individuals—they strive for an inclusive society where all migrants have equal access to meaningful professional opportunities.

About Jobful

Jobful is a talent community platform that’s not just about hiring; it’s about making a difference. Our customizable and gamified SaaS solution empowers companies to build diverse talent pipelines, create more inclusive hiring processes, and contribute to a more equitable workforce.

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