This webinar is presented by Switchboard, a one-stop shop for refugee service providers in the United States. Hosted on August 21, 2023 the training was delivered by Troy Bush Di-Donato; Senior Community Engagement Officer at Episcopal Health Foundation (EHF) and Neelofar Ali; Director of Programs at the Rupani Foundation
As a community-based organization (CBO) that serves Afghan newcomer families, the Rupani Foundation knows it’s essential to involve community members in the design and implementation of support services. Adopting a formal process of community engagement with Afghan mothers enabled this CBO to identify specific challenges and design culturally competent interventions that resonated more successfully with this newcomer population. Community engagement emphasizes collaboration, active participation, and shared decision-making between community members and CBOs. It recognizes the importance of building trust, fostering relationships, and involving the community in all stages of program development, implementation, and evaluation.
This webinar will share a best-practice model of community engagement and describe how one refugee service organization adopted the model to best serve Afghan newcomer communities in Houston, Texas.
By the end of this webinar, you will be able to:
-
- Describe the key elements needed to implement a community engagement model
- Name actionable strategies for implementing a formalized community engagement program
- Identify community assets and partners as stakeholders in community engagement
- Identify community members who may influence the community adoption of program services
