Switchboard provides tools, learning opportunities, research, and technical assistance covering a range of topics related to the newcomer experience.
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This info guide provides strategies to encourage newcomer youth and families to participate in programs and services. These strategies can be applied in both mandatory programs (e.g., school attendance, foster care requirements) and voluntary programs (e.g., after-school activities, recreational programs). This guide is especially relevant to support youth participating in the Unaccompanied Refugee Minor (URM)…
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Very strong evidence suggests that culturally adapted and family-centered substance use programs can be effective in immigrant and minority adolescents. Incorporating some level of cultural adaptation into a substance use program (even just translating materials) is associated with more positive outcomes in minority adolescents than maintaining the original format of a program. Programs that either…
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Hosted on June 18, 2025 the training was delivered by Jasmine Griffin, MA, LPC, Switchboard Training Officer and Ashley LeBlanc, MSW, LCSW, Technical Advisor for Mental Health and Psychosocial Support at the IRC. Resettlement service providers may encounter clients who exhibit suicidal ideation and/or have attempted suicide. This webinar is designed to equip service…
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This blog is for state-level actors and service providers, particularly those navigating transitions in the administration of refugee services. It explores strategies for managing change, preserving service continuity, and building organizational readiness, drawing on Switchboard’s recent conversations with several states who have successfully worked through challenging transitions. State Refugee Programs and Change Management As with…
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Replay coming soon!
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This guide reviews the basics of family violence within refugee and newcomer families, including core concepts for survivor-centered service provision.
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This trauma-informed blog post provides practical strategies for service providers supporting forcibly displaced clients through program disruptions, emphasizing safety, transparency, collaboration, and respect for clients’ varied backgrounds and experiences. It outlines specific approaches for managing transitions—from preparing clients in advance to ensuring continuity of care—while acknowledging the emotional toll on both clients and staff. This…
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This template provides a professional and customizable format for service providers referring clients to external organizations or programs. It emphasizes the importance of securing client consent and a signed Release of Information (ROI) form before proceeding. The letter includes sections to personalize details about the client’s situation, the nature of services being requested, and contact…
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Hosted on May 15th, 2025 the training was delivered by Rob Callus, Training Officer for Community Integration, Switchboard and Teddy Spelman, Program Officer of Tutoring & Instruction, IRC. Refugee and newcomer students are more likely to be bullied and may not understand how to effectively manage these situations, which could lead to further feelings of…
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Hosted on May 14, 2025 the training was delivered by Caroline Dilts, LICSW; Rochelle Frounfelker, ScD; and, Farhad Sharifi, MSW. Conducting research with newcomer populations presents unique challenges for both researchers and service providers—particularly when addressing the risk of harm such as suicide, intimate partner violence (IPV), and mental health crises, especially during stressful events…
