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The Refugee Act established quarterly consultations (QCs) as a required and simple communication channel between state refugee coordinators and local resettlement agencies as part of the foundation for the refugee resettlement program. Over time, these consultations have evolved into dynamic gatherings that shape resettlement strategies—fostering collaboration and problem-solving, and envisioning a brighter future for refugees […]
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In response to requests from the resettlement network, Switchboard developed this resource list to enhance service providers’ knowledge of the key topics related to coping with hate, including cultural awareness; racism, hate crimes, and discrimination; islamophobia; and antisemitism. Client-facing resources are also included. The external resources contained in this blog post represent the views and opinions […]
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Refugee and newcomer families are often confronted with the daunting challenge of integrating into a new society while seeking gainful employment. This can be especially challenging for newcomers who are caregivers to young children. Service providers should familiarize themselves with high-quality child care resources to help caregivers integrate into their new communities and, crucially, enter […]
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Supporting a community demands a robust support structure. Leaders of ethnic community-based organizations (ECBOs) particularly understand this. As defined by the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), an ECBO is a nonprofit primarily formed by present or past refugees to champion refugee progress. Having a community-led ECBO board can go a long way in meeting a […]
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After the U.S. military withdrawal from Afghanistan, more than 5,000 Afghan newcomers were welcomed to Houston, Texas. For Rupani Foundation, an ethnic community-based organization (ECBO) in Houston, the evacuation posed many challenges but also presented an opportunity to engage with the families we serve in a more meaningful way. This blog post shares some of […]
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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 […]
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Welcome to the Switchboard Podcast. Switchboard is a one-stop resource hub for refugee service providers in the United States, funded by the Office of Refugee Resettlement. We provide resources, training, communities of practice, and programmatic assistance for programs funded by the ORR. This episode features a conversation with Nao Kabashima, co-founder and Executive Director of […]
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Hosted on July 27, 2023, the training was delivered by Dr. Mary Bunn, PhD, LCSW; Ramsha Sohail, MPhil; and, Dr. Karin Wachter, PhD, MEd. A rapid community assessment (RCA) is an approach for understanding the needs and problems within a given community in a short period of time. RCAs help collect community insights and views […]
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Hosted on July 18, 2023 the training was delivered by Rob Callus, Training Officer; Switchboard. In resettlement services, multilingual community members often serve as interpreters and translators. However, community members working in these roles sometimes lack the necessary skills and training. Paid certification programs can often be out of reach, leaving refugee service providers with […]
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Hosted on Thursday, June 2nd, 2023 the training was delivered by Dr. Mary Bunn, PhD, LCSW; Farhad Sharifi, MSW; Bhuwan Gautam, MPH; and Lila K. Chamlagai, MPH. Community advisory boards (CABs) consist of community members who share common history, symbols, identity, language, and culture. They can empower newcomer community members to voice their concerns and […]
