TOPIC:
SUBTOPIC:
PUBLISHED BY:
As funding streams tighten and resettlement agencies operate with fewer staff, building strong community partnerships is critical. Newcomers’ needs are complex, requiring holistic, coordinated responses that no single organization can handle alone. Yet for many providers, developing effective collaborative networks can feel challenging. Through Switchboard’s nationwide mapping and referral efforts, we have seen firsthand how […]
PUBLISHED BY:
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is expected to make policy changes that will affect many of the refugees we serve. This information is critical for clients to understand, and we encourage you to share it widely so affected individuals can seek legal assistance when needed. For more resources on supporting clients during this time, […]
PUBLISHED BY:
Are you working with newcomers and curious about evidence-based practices to support your clients, but you have limited time? Did you know that generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) can help you begin the research needed to help identify evidence-based interventions more efficiently. This blog walks you through how to use generative AI responsibly to support research […]
TOPIC:
SUBTOPIC:
PUBLISHED BY:
Resettlement service providers carry an extraordinary responsibility in supporting refugees and newcomers through trauma, uncertainty, and major life transitions. While the work is demanding in any context, today’s shifting environment adds another layer of complexity as policies and public conversations around immigration continue to evolve. Amid these challenges, providers remain steadfast in their commitment to […]
TOPIC:
SUBTOPIC:
PUBLISHED BY:
Collecting high-quality data is essential in refugee service work, whether for client needs assessments, program evaluations, or organizational learning. But sometimes even well-intentioned surveys can unintentionally create stress, reduce trust, or compromise the accuracy of the data collected. Switchboard’s Trauma-Informed Survey Toolkit (TIST) was developed to help service providers design surveys that are safe, respectful, […]
PUBLISHED BY:
Are you a newcomer service provider navigating staff transitions, shifting roles, or gaps in institutional knowledge? This blog post is for you! This post describes practical strategies for capturing knowledge, and sustaining teams during seasons of change and provides hopeful guidance for meeting the moment with resilience. Recognizing What’s Lost and What Can Be […]
PUBLISHED BY:
Across the United States, food insecurity is rising, and many low-income families, including refugees, asylees, and other Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR)-eligible populations, are finding it harder to keep nutritious food on the table. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, in 2023, nearly 47 million people, including 7.2 million children, lived in households that […]
PUBLISHED BY:
On September 18, 2025, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) published a Federal Register Notice announcing implementation of the 2025 Naturalization Civics Test. Starting on October 20, 2025, the test will consist of 20 questions chosen from a pool of 128 rather than 10 questions from a pool of 100 in the 2008 version. Passing […]
TOPIC:
SUBTOPIC:
PUBLISHED BY:
The U.S. refugee resettlement system is evolving rapidly. Shifting policies and new technologies are reshaping how services are delivered, often in ways that directly impact both refugees and the service providers who support them. Yet despite their central role, the voices of service providers are rarely captured systematically. Without their perspective, policymakers and program leaders […]
PUBLISHED BY:
About Confluence Tech conferences are often accused of chasing the next big thing: flashy tools, buzzwords, and speculative breakthroughs. Confluence 2025 took a different path. Switchboard gathered more than 100 refugee service providers, technologists, government partners, and researchers this past June at Civic Hall in New York City for two days of hands-on conversations about […]
