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.
FEATURED BLOG
Why Trauma-Informed Surveys Matter—and How to Create Them
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,…
Refine Search
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
This blog post explores how Ethnic Community-Based Organizations (ECBOs) can expand their impact by choosing between 501(c)(3) status and fiscal sponsorship. Here, we’ll define both options, discuss scenarios for choosing each path, and examine their benefits and challenges. Featuring insights from leaders of New Chance Inc.—Ukraine Relief Program, United Stateless, and Slavic Refugee and Immigrant…
- Karen Organization of San Diego
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…
- Switchboard
The Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) revised its State Plan Template for Grants to States and Replacement Designees in 2024, impacting the ways that communities approach refugee resettlement and the leadership structure of the mandated quarterly consultation process. Key changes include streamlined administrative processes, standardized health and unaccompanied refugee minor sections, and expanded community engagement…
- Lillie Hinkle