We have curated a multimedia library of content developed both by Switchboard and by former ORR-funded TA providers. You can browse the library by resource type, view a full list of uploads, or use the search area to access content by topic, author, year, and more.
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Promising Practice: COVID-19 Automated Call System
Date: November 20, 2020
Topic(s): Adult Education, Case Management, Community Engagement, Health
Subtopic(s): COVID-19
The International Institute of Metropolitan St. Louis (IISTL) in Missouri, MN recognized a need to provide state and local COVID-19 information to their clients in eight common languages that were not already available. They repurposed their automated call system to share pre-recorded messages with clients in their primary language and engaged both local and state …
Promising Practice: Unaccompanied Refugee Minors (URMs) Graduation Recognition Program
Date: November 20, 2020
Topic(s): Children/Youth and Family Services, Community Engagement
Subtopic(s): Child Wellbeing, Early Childhood Education, Youth Education, Youth Wellbeing
Lutheran Community Services Northwest (LCSNW) in Seattle, WA created an annual graduation recognition program for Unaccompanied Refugee Minors (URMs) graduating from high school or college. The program includes a formal gala; free professional photo portraits; an acknowledgement of foster families and others who provided support; and provides an opportunity for former URMs, who often return, …
Unaccompanied Refugee Minors (URMs) Graduation Recognition Program Read More »
Archived Webinar: “I Was Already Burned Out, and Now This…” Strategies for Staff and Supervisors to Mitigate Burnout, Vicarious Trauma, and Other Occupational Hazards
Date: November 18, 2020
Topic(s): Case Management, Mental Health and Wellness, Organizational Development
Hosted on November 18, 2020, this training was delivered by Adeyinka Akinsulure-Smith, Ph.D., ABPP, Licensed Psychologist & Professor, The City College of New York Bellevue Program for Survivors of Torture; and Kristen Guskovict, LCSW, Founder, Humanitarian Empathy and Refugee Trauma (Heart) of Aid Work. For many months now, U.S. refugee service providers and the clients …
Guide: Preventing Occupational Hazards by Promoting Organizational Resilience
Date: November 17, 2020
Topic(s): Mental Health and Wellness, Organizational Development
Subtopic(s): Self-care
Burnout, secondary traumatic stress, vicarious trauma, and compassion fatigue are all considered occupational hazards. These effects can result directly from working in certain professions, such as refugee service provision. The internal culture and environment of an organization can increase a staff person’s vulnerability to these occupational hazards, or these can enhance organizational resilience. This guide …
Preventing Occupational Hazards by Promoting Organizational Resilience Read More »
Video: Navigating Chromebook Usage
Date: October 8, 2020
Topic(s): Adult Education
This video series includes 11 short videos in seven languages, covering topics such as how to navigate Chromebook settings, use the keyboard and trackpad, how to conduct Google searches, use Gmail, find Chromebook apps, changing the computer language, and more.
Guide: Integrating Digital Citizenship into Refugee and Immigrant Youth Programs
Date: October 1, 2020
Topic(s): Children/Youth and Family Services
Subtopic(s): Child Wellbeing, Youth Education, Youth Wellbeing
This guide is designed to help staff integrate digital citizenship education into existing programs, with a focus on digital safety, security, and rights and responsibilities. It describes suggestions for identifying risk and protective factors among refugee youth participants; determining your digital citizenship objectives and core messages; designing activities within your program context that align with …
Integrating Digital Citizenship into Refugee and Immigrant Youth Programs Read More »
Archived Webinar: Introducing the Switchboard Evidence Database
Date: September 18, 2020
Topic(s): Monitoring and Evaluation
Subtopic(s): Evaluation and Research
Hosted on September 18, 2020, this webinar was facilitated by Miriam Potocky, Senior Research Associate at the International Rescue Committee and Professor of Social Work at Florida International University. Refugee resettlement program staff and administrators need evidence on the interventions and program strategies shown to help their clients thrive in their new lives. We invite …
Guide: What is the evidence for strengths-based and trauma-informed approaches?
Date: September 15, 2020
Topic(s): Case Management, Children/Youth and Family Services, Health, Mental Health and Wellness
Strengths-based and trauma-informed approaches are widely endorsed in refugee resettlement programs. The purpose of this summary is to assess the state of the evidence regarding the effectiveness of these approaches with refugee populations. Specifically, the following questions are addressed: What are the impacts of strengths-based and trauma-informed approaches with refugees? What is the strength of …
What is the evidence for strengths-based and trauma-informed approaches? Read More »
Archived Webinar: Cultural Competence in Refugee Service Settings: What Does the Research Tell Us?
Date: September 10, 2020
Topic(s): Case Management, Health, Mental Health and Wellness
Hosted on September 10, 2020, this webinar was facilitated by Ling San Lau, Senior Program Officer, Program on Forced Migration and Health at Columbia University, Mailman School of Public Health. Webinar panelists included Isabelle Darling, Clinical Lead Mental Health Consultant at the National Partnership for Community Training; Meheria Habibi, Senior Program Officer at the International …
Cultural Competence in Refugee Service Settings: What Does the Research Tell Us? Read More »
Guide: Cultural Competence in Refugee Service Settings: Guidance for Service Providers Based on a Scoping Review of the Literature
Date: September 8, 2020
Topic(s): Case Management, Health, Mental Health and Wellness
Refugees have unique strengths and needs related to their cultural backgrounds and experiences of forced displacement and resettlement. Refugee service providers must demonstrate cultural competence to effectively serve clients, but this is often complicated by unclear definitions and a lack of practical guidance. This guide highlights key culturally competent approaches in refugee service settings, based …