Switchboard Blog
Switchboard’s blog posts offer a wide range of insights on the newcomer experience, including practical tips for navigating the resettlement process, resource lists tailored to community needs, case studies about relevant programs, engaging stories of successful integration, and more.
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Newcomer Taxes: Frequently Asked Questions
This blog post equips service providers with ready-to-use language for responding to newcomers’ common questions about U.S. taxes. Topics covered include filing requirements, income reporting, refunds, payment plans, and how immigration status intersects with tax obligations. You can use these responses as a starting point for client conversations and refer newcomers to tax professionals for…
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For newcomer families to succeed in the U.S., it is critical to look beyond economic self-sufficiency to other elements of family wellbeing. In October 2021, the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) issued new Family Self-Sufficiency Plan requirements for those receiving employment-related Refugee Support Services (RSS). This new guidance requires, a “whole-family approach” to addressing barriers…
- Jaime Costigan
As employment staff across the resettlement network know, clients with professional backgrounds bring to their job searchin-demand talent, perspective, and commitment, but face unique barriers to attaining quality, professional-level employment. Clients are often ‘starting over’ in a complex workforce that does not always recognize their credentials or transferrable skills. This “brain waste” is not a…
- Emily Hackerson
With Women’s Health Month in May and Men’s Health Month in June, now is a great time to share parenthood resources from the National Resource Center for Refugees, Immigrants, and Migrants (NRC-RIM). Debunking myths—including those related to fertility, pregnancy, and parenthood—and encouraging vaccinations and booster shots are key to protecting RIM communities from severe illness…
- NRC-RIM
Are you working to design a new project or refine the design of an existing program? Switchboard’s Resource Library hosts a variety of project design resources to help guide you through the process. Strong project design starts with sound logic. Theories of change and logical frameworks (logframes) can both be considered types of logic models. A…
- Switchboard
Monitoring and evaluation (M&E) is key to strong program design and delivery, both so service providers can track and improve their work and so funders can receive needed reports. But due to capacity issues, financial and time constraints, or the absence of clear processes, there are many reasons why M&E may sometimes be sidelined, infrequently…
- Farah El Hassan
Photo Credit: IRC/KRyan Ramadan Mubarak! Muslims observing the Holy Month—beginning the evening of April 1 and ending the evening of May 1—are eager to spend their nights breaking fast, reciting the Quran, praying nightly in congregation (for “taraweeh” and “qiyam al lail”), and connecting to their spirituality. Another facet of this special time for the…
- NRC-RIM