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.

Your search for Guides yielded 211 result(s).

Guide: Promoting Supportive Mentoring for Refugee Youth

Author(s): Switchboard
Date: October 3, 2023
Topic(s): Child, Youth, and Family Services
Subtopic(s): Youth Mentorship
This guide, developed by Switchboard, discusses various processes required to develop successful mentorship programs to support newcomer youth. You will learn to determine factors that contribute to strong matches between community-based mentors and mentees, identify strategies for effective mentor engagement to ensure consistent support of newcomer youth, and apply practical skills in mentoring relationships.

Guide: Leveraging College and University Housing for Newcomer Welcoming

Author(s): International Rescue Committee (IRC), Refugee Housing Solutions
Date: August 31, 2023
Topic(s): Community Engagement, Community Sponsor/Supporter, Cultural Awareness, Housing
Subtopic(s): Welcoming Communities
In the face of the U.S. housing crisis, resettlement practitioners must embrace creative solutions to housing newcomers. One such solution involves partnering with institutions of higher education to meet newcomer temporary or long-term housing needs. This resource, created by Refugee Housing Solutions and the International Rescue Committee, 

Guide: Community Sponsorship Manual

Author(s): Refugee Welcome Collective
Date: August 29, 2023
Topic(s): Community Sponsor/Supporter
This Community Sponsorship Manual, created by Refugee Welcome Collective, provides knowledge and advice for community sponsors embarking on the co-sponsorship experience. Paired with knowledge from fellow group members, community, and newcomers, this manual is a guide to approaching sponsorship skillfully and thoughtfully.

Guide: Using Temporary Housing for Refugee Resettlement

Author(s): International Rescue Committee (IRC), Refugee Housing Solutions
Date: August 28, 2023
Topic(s): Housing
The dynamics of the U.S. rental housing market have made identifying permanent housing options for newcomers difficult, resulting in longer stays in temporary housing. This resource outlines best practices for identifying, developing, and using temporary housing in resettlement. This resource, created by Refugee Housing Solutions and the International Rescue Committee, 

Guide: Understanding Individual Development Accounts

Author(s): Switchboard
Date: August 9, 2023
Topic(s): Financial Capabilities
Asset building and self-sufficiency are important goals for newly resettled refugees in the United States. Individual Development Accounts (IDAs) can play a vital role in developing financial literacy and independence through matching funds and building assets. This resource, created by Switchboard, will assist service providers in understanding IDAs, their benefits, and provide additional resources. 

Guide: Rohingya Backgrounder

Author(s): Cultural Orientation Resource Exchange (CORE)
Date: July 20, 2023
Topic(s): Cultural Awareness
Subtopic(s): Country Guides
This backgrounder contains historical, political, and cultural information intended to cultivate a general understanding of Rohingya arriving in the U.S. through the United States Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP). The Cultural Orientation Resource Exchange (CORE) produced this backgrounder to aid U.S. Resettlement Agencies (RAs) and their local affiliates to provide culturally appropriate Cultural Orientation (CO) and other services …

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Guide: Creating High-Quality Case Management Documentation

Author(s): Switchboard
Date: July 19, 2023
Topic(s): Case Management
Subtopic(s): Case Documentation
This guide, created by Switchboard, will teach you how to create high-quality case management documentation. You will learn how to: recognize the importance of documentation within the case management cycle; describe and create different elements of a case file, including case notes, service plans, and critical incident reports; and utilize new techniques to improve the …

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Guide: The Central American Minors (CAM) Program

Author(s): Immigration Legal Resource Center, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)
Date: July 17, 2023
Topic(s): Immigration Legal Needs, Youth
The Central American Minors (CAM) Refugee and Parole Program was established in 2014. The hybrid program allows certain young people from El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras to safely immigrate to the United States to reunite with a parent or legal guardian who resides in the United States. This advisory gives an overview of the CAM …

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Guide: Community Needs Assessments with Newcomers

Author(s): Switchboard
Date: June 12, 2023
Topic(s): Case Management, Community Engagement
To do their work effectively, refugee service providers must seek to understand the strengths, needs, cultural norms, preferences, and dynamics of diverse newcomer communities. One way to help gather this essential information is community needs assessments. In this evidence-based guide, you will discover what community needs assessments are and how you can use them to …

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Guide: Assisting Newcomers with Navigating the U.S. Health Care System

Author(s): Switchboard
Date: May 23, 2023
Topic(s): Health
Subtopic(s): Healthcare
This resource, created by Switchboard, provides guidance to service providers assisting newcomers with navigating the U.S. health care system.