In this issue of The CORE Connection, CORE is introducing the new CORE Resettlement Navigator website for refugees and the new Reception and Placement Animated Video as well as introducing the new Resources for Refugees section of the CORE website. CO providers, case worker staff, partner organizations, Resettlement Agencies, and others, may want to access and use these resources as they work with refugees.
CORE Launches Resettlement Navigator Website for Refugees
Media coverage and humanitarian reports show that a large percentage of urban refugees access the internet on their phones, a trend that continues to grow. For many refugees, a connected device serves as a lifeline and as a critical tool for self-empowerment.
In response to this trend, CORE is launching a new website – The CORE Resettlement Navigator. The aim of this website is to provide refugees who have been accepted into the United States Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) with clear and vital U.S. resettlement and Cultural Orientation (CO) information. The engaging and interactive material is intended to help refugees at all points along the resettlement journey from pre-departure to post-arrival.
CONTENT
To accommodate varying levels of education and digital literacy among refugee populations, the CORE Resettlement Navigator website offers a wealth of refugee-facing content in a variety of multi-media formats, such as videos, podcasts, and fact sheets (e.g.; see the Employment resource page here). A website visitor can choose their own media adventure to watch, listen, and/or read pertinent USRAP and CO information.
The content is currently available in Arabic and English. Additional languages and resources will be added in the near future and will be announced via this newsletter.
DESIGN
COREnav.org had a particular design challenge – to present complex USRAP and CO information in a simple and compelling way in multiple languages and in multiple media formats. Utilizing a mobile-first approach, the website maximizes visual iconography as well as a phone- and scroll-friendly layout. The design of the website creatively addresses communication with on-the-go refugees of varying digital and literacy skills. CORE encourages you to view and share the website on your mobile device.
INFORMATION HUB FOR PROVIDERS
COREnav.org provides a one-stop-shop for staff at RSCs and RAs to access all refugee-facing resources on the For Providers page.
We envision many scenarios where RSC and RA staff will use these resources:
– Caseworkers handing out fact sheets to refugee clients.
– CO providers augmenting their CO lessons by encouraging refugee applicants to view videos on COREnav.org outside of class.
– In waiting rooms, showing videos and providing fact sheets as well as promoting the COREnav.org website for refugee applicants to peruse while waiting.
It is our hope that the CORE Resettlement Navigator website will help you improve the resettlement experience for refugees.
We always value your opinion and would love to receive your feedback about CORENav.org. E-mail your questions and comments to coresourceexchange@rescue.org.
New Reception & Placement Animated Video Now Available
For refugees, the resettlement process is often a bewildering maze of interviews, forms, and hectic offices. Refugees’ ability to understand and navigate this process may be a crucial factor in reducing resettlement stress and preparing for monumental changes in their lives.
To aid resettlement staff wanting to help refugees deepen their knowledge of the resettlement process, CORE has created two animated videos that offer a basic overview of the United States Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) and the Reception and Placement (R&P) period. The USRAP Overview, released in December 2017, is now followed by the R&P Overview. Viewed together, refugees at any stage of the resettlement journey can better grasp what steps are coming next, what services are or will be available to them, and what may be required of them during the process.
The videos are an integral part of the new CORE Resettlement Navigator website, but can also be viewed on the CORE website here. Resettlement staff are encouraged to share the videos with refugees as needed and are invited to embed the videos on their own websites.
