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For providers to deliver the best possible services to newcomers, they must be able to measure the success of past and ongoing projects—with a basis in concrete, rigorous data. This blog post, written by Switchboard’s Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) team, will introduce you to some best practices for measuring success: developing a theory of change, […]
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This blog post explores five practical resources you can use to help newcomers access affordable internet. The blog covers a range of solutions, from leveraging community resources to navigating offers from internet service providers. For newcomers to the U.S., having affordable internet is crucial—for everything from job searches to educational opportunities, from staying connected with […]
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The primary goal of all projects serving newcomers is to impact their lives positively. To achieve this goal, projects must provide services shown to have positive changes. Integrating evidence-based practices early in a project’s cycle can help increase the measurable impacts of programming. This blog post explains the importance of evidence-based projects in the resettlement […]
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Some newcomer populations who identify with Islam adhere to Sharia-compliant finance principles. These principles prohibit interest (riba), late fees, undue speculation, and investments made in certain industries, including tobacco, pork, and alcohol. Sharia-compliant finance emphasizes transparency, ethical investments, and fee-based loans as an alternative to products that carry interest. Unfortunately, bad actors frequently exploit specific […]
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In the past few months, Switchboard has received several technical assistance requests from newcomer services staff concerning the same topic: how to talk to community members or potential stakeholders who may oppose the resettlement program and/or immigration in general. If you are looking for ideas about how to navigate these conversations—and make the case that […]
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Communicating program data to stakeholders in your community is an important skill that can help to both highlight your program’s success and build impactful partnerships. Going into this process, it is important to understand the concept of a stakeholder as well as which stakeholders are most relevant to your project. Identifying Stakeholders A stakeholder is […]
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This blog post explores the importance of helping newcomers familiarize themselves with well-established technologies in the U.S. while also empowering them to participate in and benefit from emerging technologies. Below, we highlight four newcomers who have actively used tools such as voice-controlled technology, GPT chat bots, e-commerce platforms, and gamified instruction. By examining these examples […]
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By leaning on protective factors, schools can help refugee students navigate traumatic stressors and recognize their unique strengths. In this blog, we will highlight five key protective factors school settings can deploy to support refugee students’ academic achievement and well-being. 1. Supportive Connections with Adults and Peers Positive relationships with both adults and peers are […]
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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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This blog post describes a training and technical assistance (TTA) experience with the International Rescue Committee’s (IRC) Sacramento office, in which the Emerging Technology team at Switchboard collaborated with service providers, a local high school, and Afghan newcomer youth. Using design thinking and the co-creative process, they filmed a 360 immersive video to support the […]
