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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2025 Changes to the Naturalization Civics Test: What Service Providers Need to Know
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…
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Newcomer service providers in the U.S. face challenges in meeting the diverse needs of ORR-eligible populations, including when serving non-refugee groups such as Cuban and Haitian entrants (CHEs). These newcomers have different eligibility criteria compared to refugees. Service providers frequently report unmet client needs and service gaps, leading to confusion and frustration as they strive…
- Edith Tapia
This blog by Switchboard’s partner, Refugee Housing Solutions, introduces the Housing Hub & Directory, a new online platform designed to support housing initiatives for newcomers across the U.S. This resource aims to connect resettlement agencies and other providers and individuals supporting ORR-eligible populations with vital housing information and services. The blog emphasizes the crucial role…
- Switchboard
The Importance of Institutional Knowledge Refugee resettlement organizations navigate a rapidly changing landscape shaped by humanitarian crises, shifting policies, and evolving client needs. While this creates dynamic work, it can lead to burnout and turnover, which challenges operational consistency and clarity. According to research conducted by Panopto and McKinsey, employees spend approximately 20% of their…
- Switchboard
This blog post is part of a series dedicated to supporting newcomer populations with specific industry aspirations. Check out Switchboard’s blog post on Supporting Job Seekers with Backgrounds in Aviation to learn how service providers can recertify foreign-trained professionals as pilots or in adjacent aviation careers. The Appeal of Engineering in the U.S. Engineering jobs…
- Switchboard
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,…
- Switchboard
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…
- Switchboard