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Welcoming a youth into one’s home can feel overwhelming, and caregivers may be unsure where to start. This checklist is designed for service providers helping licensed foster parents (and caregivers in the licensing process) to welcome youth in the Unaccompanied Refugee Minor (URM) Program into their home. Providers can give caregivers this checklist to prepare […]
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Offers foundational knowledge about who URMs are, their journey to the US, the available programs, and how to support their integration. Intended for anyone who supports URMs, from case managers to educators. Especially helpful for those new to this population. After completing, you will: describe the URM program; identify unique experiences/challenges faced by URMs; recognize […]
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This tip sheet provides strategies to encourage newcomer youth and families to participate in programs and services. It is a companion to the Info Guide: Strategies to Increase Refugee and Newcomer Youth and Family Participation in Programs and Services and offers quick, actionable tips for real-world application. These strategies can be applied in both mandatory […]
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This 10-minute microlearning video introduces the Unaccompanied Refugee Minor (URM) Program, which operates in 15 U.S. states to support some of the most vulnerable youth arriving without parents or legal guardians. The video explains who URMs are, how they enter the U.S. through two main pathways (overseas resettlement as “M4” refugee minors or identification within […]
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Hosted on December 18, 2024, the training was delivered by Claire Hopkins, Training Officer at Switchboard. Service providers and foster parents may face challenges or feel unprepared when assisting URMs dealing with substance use. This webinar will explore the complexities of substance use among URMs and equip providers and caregivers with effective strategies. It will […]
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Recruiting foster parents for unaccompanied refugee minors (URMs) can be a daunting task, especially when it comes to finding homes for teenagers. While many potential foster parents express a desire to foster, common apprehensions about welcoming teens into their homes may deter them from pursuing licensure. Hesitancy to foster teenagers is often due to a […]
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Hosted on September 24, 2024, the training was delivered by Dr. Zaid Baha, Medical Director for Genesee Health Systems; Farhad Sharifi, MSW, social worker and cultural expert in the Family Strengthening Intervention for Refugees project at the Research Program on Children and Adversity (RPCA) at Boston College; Said Hasib Arwal, Research Assistant and Cultural Adviser; […]
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Hosted on September 11th, 2024 the training was delivered by Claire Hopkins (she/her), Switchboard’s Training Officer for Child and Family Services and Jenna Christie-Tabron (she/her), LMSW, MFT, Switchboard’s Senior Training Officer. Throughout their resettlement journey, unaccompanied refugee minors (URMs) often face events and traumatic experiences that may negatively impact their ability to form and maintain […]
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Hosted on August 20, 2024, the training was delivered by Claire Hopkins (she, her), Switchboard’s Training Officer for Child and Family Services. URM foster care serving agencies often face challenges recruiting, training, licensing, and retaining foster parents for unaccompanied refugee minors (URMs). Misconceptions about refugees, the resettlement process, and the foster care system coupled with […]
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Catholic Charities Archdiocese of Miami (CCADM) has an Educational Specialist dedicated to helping unaccompanied refugee minor (URM) youth successfully pursue secondary and post-secondary education and employment. CCADM found that URM youth face unique challenges that prevent them from obtaining a high school diploma or engaging in post-secondary education and training opportunities. This position collaborates with […]
