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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Affordable Housing 101 for Newcomer Service Providers: Understanding Affordable Housing Programs in the U.S.
Affordable housing programs in the United States can be complex, especially for staff who support newcomers navigating these systems for the first time. This blog
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This is the first post in a two-part series that was informed by conversations with Senior Trial Attorney Liza Zamd from the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division’s Immigrant and Employee Rights Section. It covers three common misconceptions held by both employers and service providers regarding work authorization, and shares additional useful resources.
- Daniel Wilkinson
We recently published a blog post on Virtual Job Readiness Resources for Clients With Online Access. But how are agencies continuing job readiness training when participants don’t have access to technology or lack digital literacy skills? This post includes job readiness resources for supporting clients without online access and/or digital skills, informed by strategies refugee service providers have begun implementing nationwide.
- Carrie Thiele
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused profound disruption across the globe, including in the U.S., which in late March became the country with the highest number of confirmed cases. The crisis is exacerbating existing economic and social inequality for many refugee and immigrant populations and their communities.
- Eugenia Gusev
For many providers continuing to serve non-English-speaking clients during the COVID-19 pandemic, language access is a significant challenge. Videoconferencing technology, although far from perfect, can help us provide services without losing all of the human-to-human contact that typically facilitates communication. Below are a few tips for getting started with video remote interpreting (VRI). Choosing the […]
- Tamber Hilton
As we continue practicing social distancing amid COVID-19, you may be wondering how to stay in touch with your clients and continue job readiness training. While you may not be able to resume your job readiness classes in person for some time, there are many online resources you can share to keep your clients engaged and focused on their career paths. This blog post provides suggestions tailored towards clients who have computers or smartphones, internet access, and higher levels of digital literacy.
- Carrie Thiele
The need to create teams of employees who can work together effectively across locations and distances is a growing reality for organizations around the world. It presents a challenge, but it also presents an opportunity. With the right tools, approaches, and habits, individuals and teams working remotely can be even more productive than teams who […]
- Mary Jilek