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Led by: Kevin Davis, Sr. Program Officer, Workforce Development IRC PE Guest speaker: Maria Sigalas, Sr. Program Officer, Financial Capabilities IRC PE Episode overview: Finances are a primary concern for many newcomer families. However, newcomer women are often underrepresented in many economic empowerment and financial inclusion programs offered by refugee service providers. What are […]
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In this blog post, Stefanie Vasquez, Program Manager at World Education Services, shares insights from her conversation with Paula DaSilva-Michelin, EdD, an internationally educated immigrant from Brazil who understands firsthand the barriers newcomers face when trying to re-enter their professions in the United States. As the Director of Programs at the Center for Immigrant Education […]
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Switchboard’s latest self-paced eLearning course, Understanding Identities in Refugee Service Provision, is an innovative course that explores self-reflection and cultural humility in refugee and newcomer services to foster an ongoing commitment to learning about diverse identities and cultures. To give you a taste of what’s in store, we’ve invited Madina Masumi and Maya Wahrman to […]
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This online self-directed course is designed for anyone working in refugee service provision, including staff who directly serve newcomers and their supervisors. The course is useful in improving your work with refugee and newcomer clients. This course encourages all service providers, regardless of experience, to reflect on how their identity shapes their service provision and […]
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Pre- and post-migration stressors such as trauma, loss, and cultural adjustment may put refugees and other newcomers at a heightened risk for substance use disorders. Additionally, newcomers frequently face challenges accessing health care, further increasing their vulnerability to substance use disorders and their effects. To best support clients, service providers should understand substance use and […]
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M&E planning never takes place in a vacuum. Service providers often find themselves navigating the competing demands of multiple grants or funders; integrating new M&E requirements into preexisting programs; and trying to collect additional data for learning and program improvement. Developing an M&E plan in this situation can feel like you have many puzzle pieces […]
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The Karen Organization of San Diego (KOSD) has created a new directory of ethnic community-based organizations (ECBOs) across the United States, organized by state. KOSD developed this directory to improve access to services and strengthen support networks for refugee and immigrant communities throughout the country. This resource is designed to support both newcomers and the […]
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In the world of immigration legal services, the importance of nurturing the next generation of attorneys cannot be overstated. In this blog post, we discuss one powerful way to do this: well-structured internship programs. Switchboard partner VECINA had the pleasure of speaking with Ashley Sanchez, the supervising attorney for Migration and Refugee Services at Catholic […]
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This template is for managing low-risk situations such as clients reporting difficult or overwhelming emotions, a history of substance use, chronic health conditions, or other unsafe situations that are unlikely to result in significant harm to clients or communities. This safety plan template is appropriate for clients who are low risk but may still benefit […]
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Newcomers face unique risks and vulnerabilities due to their experiences of forced displacement, exposure to potentially traumatic experiences, and the complex stressors of resettlement. Safety planning can be a necessary or helpful intervention to maintain newcomers’ overall safety and wellness. This short guide provides an overview of safety plans and the safety planning process to […]
