Partner Focus: Empowering Communities with City of Refuge

In today’s digital landscape, collaboration between community organizations can bridge gaps and promote opportunity. Our partnership with City of Refuge is a perfect example. We’re working together to transform lives through digital skills training and increased access to technology. Specifically, Inspiredu is working to support City of Refuge through their innovative EmployED Workshop Series.  

 Transformative assistance  

City of Refuge, located on the west side of Atlanta, serves as a beacon of hope, transformation, and opportunity for trauma victims and their children. On any given night, they house 200 women and children for anywhere from six months to two years and help them get back on their feet. 

“We help residents take the next step, whether it’s to obtain a driver’s license or establish a career,” shares Jeannie Ross, Director of Workforce Development.  

In the process, Ross and her team realized that digital skills training is increasingly essential in today’s world. “If you don't have digital skilling taking place, there are literally whole communities left behind,” explains Johari Saud, founder of Infrastructure Partners and leader of the Workforce Innovation Hub at City of Refuge. “It’s not just the responsibility of technologists; it’s on the entire community to address this.” 

With Saud’s help, City of Refuge began offering a program focused on career development training that included AI literacy skills, but they soon learned that it wasn't enough. Individuals left the class with a desire to practice what they’d learned, which was something they couldn’t offer on a large enough scale.  

The perfect partnership 

That’s when Saud reached out to Inspiredu CEO Richard Hicks to see if Inspiredu could provide devices for their workshops. Today, the EmployED Workshop Series delivers a complete support system. Participants undergo four days of training that includes AI literacy, LinkedIn presence development, resume building, and professional interview preparation. With our support, they also receive their own computer to use both during training and then at home to apply for jobs and continue their learning journey.  

“The partnership with Inspiredu made this come to life,” Saud shares. “We’ve timed the program so participants receive their training, get their device, and then come back for a twice-a-month job fair where they can apply what they’ve learned. That’s the power of community partnership.” 

Since the partnership began in February 2024, the program has trained over 100 individuals, and 70% found employment as a result. 

A bridge to employment 

At the City of Refuge bi-monthly job fairs, prospective employers often conduct on-the-spot interviews. Jeannie Ross sees our partnership as critical to the applicants’ success.  

“We realized people were coming to our job fairs unprepared,” Ross explains. “Having their own computer means they can continue to practice on their own to gain the confidence they need to attend the events, and ultimately find success.” 

Program graduate Ronnie Swain already sees the benefits. “As a longtime customer service professional, I’m familiar with computers. But there’s so much more to learn. In particular, the LinkedIn session was a game changer for me. It gave me access to job opportunities I wouldn’t have found on other platforms.” 

What’s more, Swain emphasized that the free device has a ripple effect at home. “With four people in the house, it’s been essential for work, school, and learning opportunities.” 

Building stronger communities together 

The City of Refuge EmployED Workshop Series shows how community collaboration multiplies impact. “In Atlanta, there are so many nonprofits and workforce entities,” Ross says. “When we partner together, we can do so much more than we can in our silos.” 

Saud adds that the key to their overall success is the shared goal to serve individuals and families holistically: “Inspiredu has a great mission. They don’t just serve the individual—they serve the family. They show how technology can support children, grandchildren, and the entire household.” 

A vision for the future 

By combining digital literacy, career training, and access to technology in the workshops, City of Refuge and Inspiredu create lasting change that moves people forward. In fact, Ronnie Swain is currently in another class at City of Refuge for cloud immersion technology. “I’m currently looking for a different job or maybe even career path,” he shares. “I definitely want to keep learning, and these programs are crucial.” 

As technology changes, Saud sees a partnership between City of Refuge and Inspiredu as one with staying power. “We can continue to build stronger communities together and empower people in their careers. I can’t wait to see what 2025 has to offer.”