NEW Research: Best Practices for Designing Cultural Orientation Programs

Resettled refugees learning English during a cultural orientation class. IRC/EHockstein

CORE conducted a literature review mapping project to identify current research and evidence on Cultural Orientation practices. Based on 30 articles, guides, framework documents, and studies from 2010 to 2021, CORE has identified key recommendations to guide practitioners in providing effective Cultural Orientation programming.  

Top Findings: 

  1. Cultural Orientation programming should be iterative and part of bundled services rather than a stand-alone form of programming. 
  1. Social capital, such as community members and volunteers, can encourage better community integration while reinforcing Cultural Orientation messaging. 
  1. Utilizing digital learning platforms to disseminate Cultural Orientation messaging gives participants control of their learning process and improves engagement. 
  1. Given the diversity of refugee populations, Cultural Orientation programming that uses demographic-specific approaches results in better engagement than one-size-fits-all models.  

Visit CORE’s new Research and Evidence section to learn more about these recommendations and resources for applying them, including Resources for Community Partners and Sponsors and applying a Whole-Office Approach to Cultural Orientation