Background Documents

BACKGROUND DOCUMENTS
TENT ALLIANCE JULY 27, 2016
TENT FOUNDATION ACTIVITIES OVERVIEW

In 2015, the founder and CEO of yogurt company Chobani, Hamdi Ulukaya, pledged the majority of
his wealth to end displacement everywhere and uplift the lives of refugees, helping them realize
their full potential. The Tent Foundation was established to fulfil that commitment by championing
new approaches in solving humanitarian crises.

The Tent Foundation is hacking the greatest humanitarian challenge of our time. Tent believes
we have an opportunity to unleash the power of ingenuity and compassion to crack the code that
will end displacement for 60 million people worldwide. This means becoming an active part of the
solution by encouraging and investing in the capacity of the global community especially the
private sector to innovate together for humanitarian aid. We are hacking the
refugee challenge through:

Catalyzing innovation;
Scaling and funding proven solutions;
Promoting policies and partnerships;
Convening diverse and often-siloed players key of which is the private sector; and
Advocating for action.

Why hack humanitarian aid? The refugee crisis is not only unprecedented in scale, it is a
humanitarian challenge that is dynamic and ever-evolving, with wide-ranging implications for
refugees, host communities and the global community. It can no longer be solved by just
governments, multilateral agencies and goodwill; more can and should be done to make our
systems for dealing with refugees more efficient, effective and secure for all involved. We need a
system that can innovate and respond as quickly and as nimbly as the refugee challenge evolves.

Tent is helping revolutionize corporate philanthropy. The private sector is uniquely positioned
to mobilize its ingenuity, technology, dynamism and resources to make a measurable and
sustainable impact on the lives of displaced people everywhere. In partnership with humanitarian
organizations and governments across the world, the private sector can lead the charge to fund,
facilitate and actuate the change that saves lives.

Tent is working to achieve these goals through the following activities:

TENT CHALLENGE

Tent is awarding up to twenty $50,000 rapid impact grants to organizations or qualified individuals
addressing the following areas:

1. Immediate relief operations for refugee or internally displaced people;
2. Innovations in relief work with future potential to be taken to greater scale;
3. Efforts to improve livelihoods for refugees, the displaced and their surrounding
communities;
4. Original analysis or research that will shape more effective policies related to forced
displacement;
5. Creative efforts to foster an improved public understanding of refugees.

Tent is soliciting applications through its website, from hackathons, and from recommendations
from those working in the field, in policy, or the business sector. Projects that are deemed
successful will be considered for future funding to be brought to scale.

TENT ALLIANCE

The private sector is uniquely capable of taking risks that the public sector cannot. Businesses
can help end the refugee crisis by mobilizing their innovations, ingenuity, entrepreneurial spirit,
networks and resources.

Launched in Davos at the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum, the Tent Alliance is a
platform to leverage the dynamism and ingenuity of corporations to support one another, and
the public sector, to ultimately put an end to the refugee crisis. Tent Alliance partners commit to
supporting one or more of the following:

Direct Giving or Provision of Goods or Services. Companies may make direct donations to
refugee relief organizations or provide support through in kind goods or services.
Generating Employment Opportunities. Companies may either hire refugees or provide

refugees with skills and language training or employment assistance.
Shaping Supply Chains. Companies may source products and services from vendors that
employ refugees or support refugee relief organizations.

Companies representing a wide range of industries health care, professional services, travel
and tourism, information technology, logistics, education and consumer goods
have joined the Tent Alliance. For updated information about the Alliance and its partners,
please go to tentalliance.org/partners.

The remaining part of 2016 will be dedicated to operationalizing the Alliance through convenings
and a digital platform for information sharing, as well as finding complementary organizations or
partnerships to enhance the global coalition around refugees.

RESEARCH & ADVOCACY

Tent seeks to fund research to fill in the enormous information that exists with regard to the plight
of refugees in order to positively change government policies and public opinions to foster more
welcoming and enabling communities.

Future projects for 2016 include:
1. A polling survey of refugees in 3 countries, which will seek to gather information on the
backgrounds of refugees, what pushed them to leave their home countries, how they
perceive their host countries and communities, with the aim of providing a much needed
voice to refugees worldwide.

2. A series of short papers focused on best practices in hiring refugees, transferring
educational and vocational credentials, and general integration of refugees into host
communities.
THETENTALLIANCE
PRIVATESECTORPARTNERCONTRIBUTIONS
AIRBNB
DirectGivingorProvisionofGoodsorServices
JoinedJanuary19,2016
NGOPartners:InternationalRescueCommittee,MercyCorps
Region:EuropeandCentralAsia
Industry:Travel&Hospitality
Providestravelcreditsforfreeaccommodationforrefugeereliefworkersserving
withMercyCorps,theInternationalRescueCommitteeandothernonprofit
organizationsworkingwithrefugeesinGreece,SerbiaandtheformerYugoslav
republicofMacedonia.
LaunchedadonationspageontheirplatformtoencouragetheAirbnb
communitytoprovidefinancialcontributionstoUNHCR(TheUNAgencyfor
Refugees)withaninitialmatchingcommitmentofUS$200,000intravelcredits
forreliefworkeraccommodations.
AKERMAN
JoinedApril24,2016
NGOPartners:n/a
Region:NorthAmerica,LatinAmerica&theCaribbean
Industry:ProfessionalServices
Providesprobonorepresentationofchildrenfacingremovalproceedingsafter
seekingasylumintheUnitedStates,andisworkingtoexpandlegalprotections
forthethousandsofimmigrantchildrenwhohavefledwarfare,gangviolence,
humantrafficking,orabuseandneglectintheirhomecountries.
BECTON,DICKINSONANDCOMPANY
JoinedFebruary10,2016
NGOPartners:DirectRelief
Region:MiddleEast&NorthAfrica
Industry:Healthcare
WorkingcloselywithDirectRelief,aleadingnonprofitorganization,toprovide
financialsupportandinkinddonations($100,000incashandinkinddonations
ofinsulininjectiondevices)fordistributiontocountriesservingrefugee
populations.
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EngagingwiththeUSgovernmenttoadvocateforothercollaborativeinitiatives
forhumanitariansupportforSyrianrefugeestohelpcontrolnoncommunicable
diseases(NCDs)suchasdiabetesamongrefugeepopulations.Refugeesare
particularlyvulnerabletohealthproblemsassociatedwithNCDsduetotheir
limitedaccesstohealthservices.
BOSTONCONSULTINGGROUP
JoinedApril29,2016
NGOPartners:WFP,NorwegianRefugeeCouncil
Region:EasternEuropeandCentralAsia,MiddleEast&NorthAfrica,WesternEurope
Collaboratingwithitsglobalsocialimpactpartner,theWorldFoodProgramme
(WFP),BCGisworkingwith3,000familiesinJordanandLebanontotestthe
effectivenessofdifferentassistancemodalitiestosupportSyrianrefugees.The
projectisanimportantstepforwardforWFPandthebroaderhumanitarian
communitytooptimizethedesignofrefugeeassistance,asmorethan500,000
refugeescurrentlybenefitfromWFPassistanceineachcountry.
Asapproximately1millionrefugeesarrivedinGermanyin2015,BCG'sGermany
andAustriaofficesbeganservingseveralorganizations,includingBCG'sglobal
socialimpactpartnerSavetheChildren,aswellasCAREGermany,
DeuschlandstiftungIntegration,andlocalGermanorganizationssuchasEVAto
helprespondtothechallengeofprovidingforandintegratingtherefugees.
BCGsJOBLINGEprogram,aBCGfoundedandmanagednonprofitthatworks
withdisadvantagedyouthinGermanytoprovidejobtraining,placement,and
support,isalsorespondingtotherefugeecrisisbyexpandingtosupportrefugee
youth,providingtrainingandmatchingthemwithemploymentopportunities.
Thenewprogrammingisbeingadaptedtomeettherefugees'needs,with
currentpilotsinfiveGermancitiesandmoreofthe18JOBLINGElocationsto
follow.
WorkingwiththeNorwegianRefugeeCouncil(NRC)thelocalsocialimpact
partnerofBCG'sOsloofficeandaleadinghumanitarianorganizationwithover
5,000humanitarianworkersacrossmorethan25countriesBCGdeployed
consultantstosupportamajororganizationalrestructuringofbothNRC's
headquartersandcountryofficesaswellastoidentifyandaddresskey
challengesrelatedtodonorrequirements.Theresultsofthelattereffort
uncoveredcriticalinsightsapplicableacrosstheentirehumanitariansector.
CHOBANI
GeneratingEmploymentOpportunities
NGOPartners:n/a
Region:NorthAmerica
Industry:ConsumerGoods
Employs600legallyresettledrefugeesinitsoperationsinIdahoandNewYork.
Chobanifounderpledgedmajorityofhispersonalwealthtotacklerefugeecrisis.
CISCO
JoinedMay12,2016
NGOPartners:MercyCorps,NetHope,
Region:MiddleEast&NorthAfrica,EuropeandCentralAsia
Industry:Technology
Since2015,Ciscohasmatched$837,000inemployeeandfoundationdonations
andprovided$100,000ingrantseachtoNetHopeandMercyCorps
Deployed2RefugeesFirstResponseCentreunitstoprovidehealthcareinabox
thatwillenableaccesstotheinternet,remotetranslationservices,andmedical
careforrefugees.Committed$1milliontodeploy10moreunits.
Committed$1milliontodevelopanadditional10InstalledMerakibasedWifi
hotspotsin19sitesacrossGreece,reachingapproximately270,000refugees.
CorporateAffairsprovided$876KworthofCiscoequipmenttoNetHopeand
CiscoTacOpsforEMEAdeployments.
CIVICHALL
JoinedMarch31,2016
NGOPartners:n/a
Region:NorthAmerica
CivicHallrecognizestheuniqueimportanceofcivicallymindedtechnologyin
designingsolutionsfordisplacedrefugeesinthemoderndaytosupport
overstretchedinstitutionsanddisconnectedNGOsastheyworktogetherto
relievetherefugeecrisis.CivicHallisdedicatedtousingtechnologyasa
toolforgoodinordertoassistwherepossible.
ThefollowingareexamplesoforganizationsthatCivicHallsupports:
ColumbiaUniversitySIPAstudentledenterprisesandNYCenterpriseswho
arecreatinguniquesolutionstothemanystrugglestherefugeecommunity
experiences.
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ManalKahisEatOffbeatemploysrefugeesfromNepal,IraqandAfghanistan
aschefs,withaSeamlesslikefooddeliverymodel,providingemployment
andbusinesstrainingfordisplacedpeoples.
RhizeandRazomforUkrainebothworkintheinternationaldevelopment
worldtoimprovethelivesofmarginalizedpeople.
The2016PublicPolicyChallengeGrantwinnersNaTakallamarealsohosted
atCivicHall.NaTakallam(wespeakinArabic)hostsanonlineplatform
whereinstudentslearningArabicarepairedwithdisplacedSyrianswho
provideArabicpracticeopportunities.
Nansenusescivictechnologytocreateadataplatformforrefugeestofind
legalaid,housingassistanceandothercommunityserviceswhereverthey
are.
Switxboardidentifiesresourcesformarginalizedcommunitiesand
democratizesknowledgeinordertomatchinformationwiththe
communitiesthatneedthem.
COTOPAXI
JoinedApril24,2016
NGOPartners:N/A
Region:NorthAmerica
CotopaxiandtheUtahRefugeeServicesOfficehavecometogethertolauncha
skillsbasedvolunteerprogramcalledtheRefugeeCodingProjectfocusedon
buildingcomputersciencecapacityinUtah.
Cotopaxiiscommittedtoempoweringpeopletoliftthemselvesoutofpoverty
bycreatingsustainableincomeopportunities.Teachingcomputerscience
createsapathwaytojobs,addressingoneofthefundamentalneedsofa
communityofmorethan60,000refugeesintheStateofUtah.
DALBERGGROUP
JoinedMay18,2016
NGOPartners:DirectRelief
Commitmenttoresearch,analysis,andthoughtleadershipthatpushes
innovationandcollaborationamongpublic,private,andsocialsectoractors
seekingtomanagetherefugeecrisis.
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SupportothersintheTentallianceandbeyondwithstrategicadvisoryservices
aimedatdevelopingrespectful,effective,andefficientsolutionstotherefugee
crisis.
CURIOSITYSTREAM
JoinedMarch31,2016
NGOPartners:n/a
Region:TBD
Industry:TBD
TBD
Committedtoexploringhowtobestcontributein2016.
DELOITTE
JoinedApril28,2016
NGOPartners:n/a
Region:WesternEurope
Deloittememberfirmprofessionalscollaboratewithhumanitarianorganizations,
combiningtheirdiverseskillsandexpertisetococreateandimplement
solutions.
ManyDeloittememberfirmsaretakinglocalactiontosupportrefugees,
reflectinglocalcontextandneeds.Thesupportrangesfromfundraising,
volunteeringandprovidinginternshipstorefugees,toprobonoandclient
serviceworktomakeapositiveimpactforrefugeesandtheirfamilies.
HENRYSCHEIN
NGOPartners:WorldVision
Industry:HealthCare
Donated$350,000worthofhealthcareproductstoWorldVisionforcareof
refugees.Thisdonationwillserve525,000peopleoverthenextthreeyears.
IAC/INTERACTIVECORP
JoinedApril1,2016
IBM
March22,2016
NGOPartners:N/A
Industry:Technology
Deployingmobilesolutions(IBMAppsforSocialGood)tocapturepersonaland
healthinfoandemploymentstatusofmigrantsandrefugees.
IBMvolunteersaresupportinglanguagelearningandothertechnologyefforts
amongstrefugees.
IKEAFOUNDATION
NGOPartners:UNHCR
Region:EuropeandCentralAsia;MiddleEast&NorthAfrica
IKEAsvisionisthatchildrenandfamilies,whoareaffectedbyoratriskformanmade
andnaturaldisasters,returntoasenseofnormalcyandhopeintheirtemporaryhomes
andthriveinresilientcommunities.
TheimpactIKEAaimsfor:
Thehumanitariansectormeets21stcenturychallengesandopportunities
Communitiesthrivethankstointerventionsintegratedwithandcontributingto
longtermdevelopmentgoals;
Peopleindisplacementtransitiontoselfreliance.
INDIEGOGO
JoinedMay12,2016
NGOPartners:n/a
Region:n/a
Industry:FinancialServices
Indiegogoisanopenplatformthatenablesanyonetopursuethechangethey
wishtoseeintheworld.Wehavebeenhonoredovertimetosupporthundreds
ofthousandsofpeopletorunimpactfulcampaigns.Todayweseeabout15M
visitorstothesiteeachmonthwithcampaignownersandcontributorsinmore
than200countriesandterritoriesaroundtheworld.Hundredsofthese
fundraisershavesupportedreliefforrefugees.
Keyinitiativesalongtheselinesinclude:
LaunchofGenerosityWelaunchedGenerosity(www.Generosity.com
initiallycalledIndiegogoLife)asadedicatedsiteforsocialimpact
fundraising.Thesiteiseasytouseasitrequiresonlyafewclickstocreate
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andlaunchafundraiser.TherearenorequiredplatformfeesforGenerosity
fundraisers.Instead,whensomeonedonatestoafundraiseronGenerosity,
theyareencouragedtoleaveagiftforthesitetocoveritsoperatingcosts,
butareneverrequiredtodosoandcanalwaysoptout.
SyrianRefugeecollectionpageFundraisersonIndiegogoandGenerosity
haveraisedmillionsforrefugeereliefefforts.Thesefundraiserssupporta
rangeofreliefefforts,fromcharitableorganizationsofferinghealthaidon
thegroundtojobdevelopmentforthosewhohavenewhomestoliving
expensesforindividualswhohavebeendisplaced.Youcanseesomeofthe
mostactiveofthesefundraisersontheSyrianRefugeecollectionpagehere.
ExamplefundraisersBloggerHumansofNewYorksLetsGiveTheGiftofa
FreshStart($760,000from18,600donations),OperationRefugeeChild
($202,000from3,400donations)andthreecouplescomingtogethertoraise
fundstoHelpaSyrianrefugeeFamilyStartaNewLifeinCanada($24,000
from150donations).
JOHNSON&JOHNSON
NGOPartners:SavetheChildren
Donated$1.75milliontoSavetheChildrentoaddressbothimmediate
humanitarianneeds(suchasaccesstofood,cleanwater,safeshelter,hygiene
resources,andwinterclothing)andsustainablelongtermrecoveryofimpacted
communities(resiliencebuildingactivitiessuchaseducationalprogramming,
mentalhealthsupport,andcommunitybuilding).
KIRKLAND&ELLISLLP
JoinedMarch14,2016
NGOPartners:HumanRightsWatch,WomensRefugeeCommission,JesuitRefugee
Service
Region:LatinAmerica&theCaribbean;MIddleEast&NorthAfrica;EuropeandCentral
Asia;NorthAmerica
Providesprobonorepresentationofmen,womenandchildrenfacingremoval
proceedingsafterseekingasylumintheUnitedStates.
LaunchedtheLGBTAsylumProjectinpartnershipwithImmigrationEquality,to
coordinateexperienceandresourcesfirmwidetotakeonlesbian,gay,bisexual,
transgenderandHIVpositiverefugeeclientsfromBenin,Ecuador,Mexico,
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Grenada,Ghana,Colombia,Jamaica,Panama,Peru,Egypt,Dominica,Russiaand
Mauritaniawithsuccessfuloutcomesonallcompletedcasestodate.
ProvidesprobonorepresentationofHumanRightsWatch,theWomens
RefugeeCommission,JesuitRefugeeServiceandGeorgetownUniversityLaw
CentersHumanRightsInstituteinitsfilingofFreedomofInformationAct
requestsregardingthetreatmentofchildimmigrants.
ProvidesresourcestoandprobonorepresentationoftheTentFoundation,
whichseekstoimprovethelivesandlivelihoodsofthe60milliondisplaced
acrosstheworld.
PartnerswithKIND(KidsinNeedofDefense)torepresentunaccompanied
minorsfacingdeportationwithoutrepresentationofcounsel.
Providesongoingprobonosupporttoavarietyofothernonprofitorganizations
engagedinrefugeeandimmigrantreliefservices.][Kirklandisreviewing]
KIVAMICROFUNDS
JoinedMarch29,2016
NGOPartners:n/a
Region:LatinAmerica&theCaribbean,MiddleEast&NorthAfrica,SubSaharanAfrica,
EuropeandCentralAsia
Since2014,Kivasglobalcommunityoflendershascrowdfunded$720,600in
loanstorefugeesand$1,917,550inloanstointernallydisplacedpeoples.
Providing0%interestandrisktolerantcapitaltoourglobalnetworkofField
Partners,helpingthemreachandextendfinancialservicestothosemostatrisk
andinneed,includingrefugees.
ServingdisplacedpeoplesaroundtheworldthroughKivaloans,including
Palestinian,Syrian,andIraqirefugeesinLebanon,CongoleseandBurundian
refugeesinWesternRwanda,andindividualsseekingasyluminEcuadorfrom
unstableregionsinColombiaaffectedbynarcotraffickingandguerrillawarfare.
Kivaloansalsoserveinternallydisplacedpeoples,suchasIDPsinAzerbaijanand
individualswhohavebeenforcedtorelocateduetotheongoingviolencein
countrieslikeColombiaandtheDemocraticRepublicofCongo.
EnablingcompaniestomatchloanstorefugeesonKiva.Forevery$25lentby
oneofKivasgloballenders,a$25corporatematchhelpsrefugeeborrowers
acceleratethepaceofcrowdfundingonKivaandcontributesdirectlytotheir
financialsupport.
LINKEDIN
NGOPartners:n/a
Industry:Technology
LaunchedapilotprograminSwedencalledWelcomeTalentthatmatcheslocal
employmentopportunitieswithqualifiedrefugees.
MASTERCARD
NGOPartners:WorldFoodProgramme
LaunchedanelectronicpaymentsysteminLebanonandJordanenablingover1
millionrefugeestomeettheirfoodneedsandsupportthelocaleconomyin
collaborationwiththeWorldFoodProgramme.
OLIVERWYMAN
JoinedApril13,2016
NGOPartners:n/a
Designingaspeciallydesignedrecruitmentprocesstoidentifyqualified
applicationsfromrefugeesarrivinginEurope,withtheaimtorecruitrefugees
whomeettheCompanysexistingtalentneeds,aswellasprovidesomewith
workexperiencetoenhancetheiremployabilityinEurope.
Providingprobonoconsultingsupporttogovernmentsandcharities
particularlyfocusedonrefugeeemploymentinitiatives.
Encouragingitsemployeestosupportlocalinitiativesintheirsparetime(e.g.,
supportingskillstraining,fundraisinginitiatives,workshops,etc.).
PEARSON
NGOPartners:SavetheChildren
Industry:Education
PearsonandSavetheChildrenlaunchedthethreeyearEveryChildLearning
partnershipinMarch2015toimprovethedeliveryofqualityeducationfor
childreninconflictaffectedsettings.Tomeetimmediateneeds,500,000was
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donatedtofundtwoSavetheChildreneducationcentresinAmman,tosupport
1,400Syrianrefugeeandhostcommunitychildren(fivetothirteenyearsold).
Investinganadditional1milliontoworkwithSavetheChildrenandother
partnersinresearchinganddevelopingsolutionsfordeliveringeducationin
emergencies,withanambitiontoadapt,scaleanddelivereducationforchildren
inotheremergencysituations
ROYALDSM
DirectGivingorProvisionofGoodsandServices
JoinedMarch21,2016
NGOPartners:WorldFoodProgramme
Region:MiddleEast&NorthAfrica;SubSaharanAfrica;SouthAsia
Industry:HealthCare
RoyalDSMpartneredwiththeWorldFoodProgramme(WFP)tocombathidden
hungerandmalnutritioninthedevelopingworld.RoyalDSMprovidesWFPwith
technicalandscientificexpertiseinthefieldofhighnutrientproductsand
financialassistance.Thepartnershipfocusesondevelopingnewandnutritious
products,suchasmicronutrientpowdersandfortifiedrice,thathelpWFPnot
justdelivermorefood,butalsoprovidethenutrientsnecessarytofighthunger
andpreventmicronutrientdeficienciesinvulnerablecommunities.
TheRoyalDSMWFPpartnershiphasimprovedthenutritionalcontentofthe
foodWFPisprovidingtoover25millionbeneficiaries.
SALESFORCE
JoinedMarch20,2016
NGOPartners:n/a
Region:Global
Industry:Technology
Salesforceoffersdonatedanddiscountedtechnologiestononprofitsincluding
manyinvolvedintherefugeecrisis.Allnonprofitsreceived10freesubscriptions
andthensteepdiscountsonadditionaltechnologysolutions.
SUMITOMOCHEMICAL
JoinedMarch22,2016
NGOPartners:UNFoundation
Region:SubSaharanAfrica
Industry:HealthCare
Pledgedtoprovideonemillionbednetsin2016torefugeesandinternally
displacedpersonsinmalariaendemiccountriesinpartnershipwiththeUN
Foundation'sNothingButNetsinitiative.
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SUPERCELLDirectGivingorProvisionofGoodsorServices
JoinedMay12,2016
TWILIO
JoinedMay11,2016
NGOPartners:RefugeesonRails
Region:MiddleEast&NorthAfrica,WesternEurope
Industry:Technology
HostedacodingworkshopwiththeCityofBerlin,Germany,onemonthago
wherethecompanyworkedwiththenonprofitorganizationRefugeesonRails.
Provideditstechnologyatnocosttoseveralprobonocustomers,including
UrbanRefugeesinMalaysiaandAnkaraRefugeeinTurkey.
IntroducedoneofitscustomerstotheUnitedStatesDepartmentofStateto
explorewhethertheirEnglishlanguageprogramcanbeusedaspartoftheU.S.
governmentsrefugeeintegrationefforts.
UNITEDWORLDCOLLEGES
NGOPartners:BlueRoseCompass
Industry:Education
LaunchedapilotprojectwiththenonprofitorganizationBlueRoseCompass
(BRC)toprovideuptotenscholarshipsin2016forrefugeesfromSyriaandother
priorityconflictregionstoattendUnitedWorldColleges(UWC).Thisprogram
willbeexpandedinsubsequentyears,providingrefugeesfromtheMiddleEast
andotherpartsoftheworldwithauniqueopportunitytoaccessUWCs
worldclasstransformationaleducationprograms.
WorkingwithBRCtoestablishaconsortiumofdonorsandsupporterstoprovide
alifechangingeducationforupto100suchrefugeesonanannualbasis.
UPS
NGOPartners:UNHCR,WorldFoodProgramme
Region:MiddleEast&NorthAfrica,SubSaharanAfrica
Industry:Logistics
Developedahandheldtool(UPSReliefLink)thattracksandmeasuresthe
distributionofreliefsuppliestorefugeesincamps.Thetoolhasbeenpilotedin
aseveralcampsinAfricaandisbeingexpandedtootherlocations.
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ProvidedcriticalreliefshipmentstorefugeesincollaborationwithUNHCR,the
WorldFoodProgramme,andarangeofotherUNagenciesand
nongovernmentalorganizations.
WESTERNUNION
NGOPartners:SavetheChildren,MercyCorps,InternationalFederationofRedCross
Region:EuropeandCentralAsia,MiddleEast&NorthAfrica
Deliveringameaningfulinkindcontributionthroughdiscountedpricingon
moneytransfersbenefittingtherefugeecommunityincertaincountries.
EngagingWesternUnionemployeesinhandsonvolunteereffortsthatinclude
collectingdonations,handingoutsupplies,andevenbabysittingthechildrenof
refugeessotheparentscouldattendclasses.
ProvidingfundingthroughtheWUFoundationtoNGOsincludingSavethe
Children,MercyCorps,andtheInternationalFederationofRedCross(IFRC)and
numerouslocalorganizationsprovidinghumanitarianrelief,educational
opportunities,emergencymedicalcare,shelterandintegrationsupport.
EnablingcustomersthroughtheMyWUcustomerloyaltyprogramtoredeem
theirloyaltypointstosupporttherefugeecrisisbothinFranceandGermany.
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FACT SHEET: White House Launches a Call to Action for Private

Sector Engagement on the Global Refugee Crisis
whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2016/06/30/fact-sheet-white-house-launches-call-action-private-sector-engagement-0
Today the White House is announcing a Call to Action for the U.S. private sector to stand with the Administration and
make new, measurable and significant commitments that will have a durable impact on refugees residing in
countries on the frontlines of the global refugee crisis and in countries of resettlement, like the United States. The
fifteen founding companies, all of whom have taken significant action to-date to assist the refugee crisis, have
committed to standing with refugees, including: Accenture, Airbnb, Chobani, Coursera, Goldman Sachs, Google,
HP, IBM, JPMorgan Chase & Co., LinkedIn, Microsoft, Mastercard, UPS, TripAdvisor, and Western Union.
There are more than 65 million displaced people in the world today, the highest number on record since the UN
Refugee Agency (UNHCR) began collecting statistics. More than 21 million of these people have crossed
international borders in search of safety and are registered as refugees. The despair that drives these people to flee
their homes is heartbreaking, but their resilience is awe-inspiring. Refugees are a valuable, untapped resource and,
if given the opportunity, can thrive and contribute wherever they reside.
In addition to contributing billions of dollars to meet the immediate humanitarian need of displaced people and
planning to welcome 85,000 refugees this year, the United States is rallying other countries to step up their efforts.
On September 20, President Obama will host the Leaders Summit on Refugees at the UN for countries that have
made new and significant commitments to increase support for UN humanitarian appeals; create greater
opportunities for legal resettlement; and enact policies that allow refugees to be self-reliant.
A crisis of this scale, however, requires more than government action. For this reason, in the months leading up to
the Leaders Summit, President Obama is challenging the U.S. private sector to draw on its unique expertise,
resources and entrepreneurial spirit to help refugees regain control over their lives and integrate into their new
communities. The Administration will convene a cross-section of private sector leaders with new pledges in
response to the Call to Action at a high-level meeting that will take place alongside the Leaders Summit.
Call to Action Impact Areas :
While there are innumerable ways in which the private sector can stand with refugees, the Call to Action is
principally focused on generating new commitments in three impact areas that align with the Leaders Summits
goals:
Education Facilitating refugee children and young adults education by ensuring that refugee students can
access schools of all levels and creating quality long-distance learning platforms and programs.
Employment Increasing employment opportunities for refugees, supporting refugee entrepreneurship, and
assisting refugees reentry into the workforce.
Enablement Increasing humanitarian financing, strengthening infrastructure and access to resources
needed for refugees to become self-reliant, and supporting countries taking new steps to welcome refugees
or allow them to work and attend school.
Partnership for Refugees: Catalyzing Durable Solutions
To facilitate private sector commitments in response to the Call to Action, the White House is announcing the
Partnership for Refugees, an initiative established through collaboration between the State Department and USA for
UNHCR, with significant support from Accenture Federal Services. The Partnership for Refugees will provide
guidance to private sector organizations that wish to take action and help ensure that their pledges are sustainable
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and responsive to refugees needs. Federal agencies supporting this initiative include the U.S. Agency for
International Development, the Department of Homeland Security, the Small Business Administration, and the
Department of Commerce.
More specifically, from now until September, the Partnership will:
Produce resources containing data and best practices to guide private sector action.
Draw on knowledge of refugees needs to offer feedback on specific proposals.
Connect interested private sector actors with non-governmental organizations (NGOs), UN agencies, and
government officials working in the impact areas.
Develop criteria for assessing and measuring the impact of pledges made in response to the Call to Action.
Background on the Leaders Summit on Refugees
On September 20, President Obama will host the Leaders Summit on Refugees in the wake of the UN General
Assembly. The Summit will bring together leaders of member states who are prepared to make new and significant
pledges in 2016 to help address refugees most urgent needs. To participate in the Summit, major refugee-hosting
member states will enact new policies to improve refugees access to employment and education so as to enable
them to become more self-reliant. Other states will provide additional funding to UN humanitarian appeals and
agencies, above and beyond what they gave in 2015; and welcome additional refugees to their countries, beyond
what they had previously planned.
Building on these individual pledges, the Summit is expected to achieve three overarching goals:
Generate a 30 percent increase in financing for global humanitarian appeals, from $10 billion in 2015 to $13
billion this year.
Double the number of resettlement slots and alternative legal pathways for admission that are available to
refugees, and increase the number of countries accepting significant numbers of refugees.
Increase the number of refugees worldwide in school by one million, and the number of refugees granted the
legal right to work by one million.
Founding Private Sector Participants in the Call to Action
While the Call to Action aims to strengthen private sector support for refugees, especially in the three impact areas
described above, it builds on a long track-record of U.S. private sector leadership in response to the global refugee
crisis. Fifteen of these companies that are already leading examples in this space, are joining the President today.
These companies put forth summaries of their work to date to assist refugees as follows:
ACCENTURE
Accenture Federal Services will provide strategic consulting and digital services, as well as program
management support to the Partnership for Refugees, working with the private sector and NGOs to help
address the ongoing and enduring plight of refugees. Accenture will leverage the full expertise of its global
experience, having worked closely with UNHCR to develop the Biometric Identification Management System,
enrolling more than 230,000 refugees improving the protection and support for 33.9 million displaced persons;
teaming with Upwardly Global to launch an online employment training program to help skilled refugees and
immigrants launch professional careers in the United States; and leveraging digital innovation to create the
Accenture Refugee Talent Huba digital platform and partnership between leading corporations, the Dutch
government, NGOs and educational institutions to accelerate integration, education and employment of
refugees in the Netherlands.
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AIRBNB
Airbnb is partnering with leading international relief organizations including UNHCR (The UN Refugee
Agency), the International Rescue Committee, and Mercy Corps in responding to the global refugee crisis.
Support includes the donation of travel credits to relief organizations, which allow their humanitarian workers
to book accommodations on the front-lines where they are responding to some of the most urgent refugee
needs.
Airbnb has encouraged its community to join in supporting this important cause by donating financial
resources through a dedicated landing page on their website. This summer, we are working with UNHCR to
develop a renewed global call to action during the Olympics in Rio.
Additionally, Airbnb has signed on as a pledge partner with The Tent Alliance to encourage and catalyze other
private sector engagement as this humanitarian crisis evolves.
Airbnb is working with a range of partners domestically and around the world to continue to assess how to
support this global response.
CHOBANI
Chobani is a natural food company headquartered in Norwich, NY, with a mission to make better food for
more people. Diversity and inclusiveness have been at the heart of the company since day one. In its early
days in Upstate New York, Chobani worked with local refugee centers to support those who had come in
search of safety and opportunity. It is a practice that has continued ever since, and today roughly 30 percent
of its manufacturing workforce are resettled refugees. In addition to translating into more than 11 languages,
the company works to provide English language training and other educational opportunities. Although most
of Chobanis employees grew up in communities near its plants in Idaho and New York, the company is
proud to welcome people from all over the world to join its mission to make delicious, nutritious and natural
food thats accessible to all.
In 2015, Chobanis founder and CEO Hamdi Ulukaya signed the Giving Pledge, committing the majority of his
personal wealth towards ending the global refugee crisis. That same year he founded Tent, an organization
that seeks to improve the lives and livelihoods of the 65 million people who have been forcibly displaced
around the globe. Tent does this by funding direct assistance, investing in innovation, promoting policies and
partnerships to help the displaced realize their full potential, and organizing private sector leaders to make a
meaningful difference in addressing the crisis.
COURSERA
Coursera, the largest open online education provider, and the U.S. Department of State have partnered to
create Coursera for Refugees, enabling an unlimited number of non-profits that work with refugees to apply
for at least one year of group financial aid. Partner non-profits will be able to support refugees in quickly
building career skills and gaining recognizable certificates through access to the 1,000+ Coursera courses
offered by schools like Stanford University, University of Pennsylvania, University of Edinburgh, and IE
Business School. Coursera for Refugees also includes organizational support services for partner non-profits,
such as learner engagement data, private communication forms, and dedicated Coursera technical support.
GOLDMAN SACHS
Goldman Sachs Gives has contributed over $4.5 million, representing one of the earliest and largest
corporate investments in response to the Middle East refugee crisis, through public-private partnerships
between the firm and the United Nations High Commissioner on Refugees (UNHCR), and other nonprofit
organizations including Concern Worldwide, Relief International and German Red Cross.
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The response by Goldman Sachs has focused on three core areas: the immediate humanitarian crisis in the
Mediterranean region; regional stabilization in camps; and resettlement for the 20,000 Syrian refugees in the
United Kingdom.
The grant to UNHCR supported thousands of families with survivor packs, emergency food packs, secure
accommodation for extremely vulnerable children and temporary medical facilities, as well as secondary
support focused on ongoing needs in and around the refugee camps. Through Relief International and
Concern Worldwide, Goldman Sachs Gives provided educational support (including 40 classrooms, 3 new
interactive learning libraries and 3 new playgrounds) for 26,000 children in the two main refugee camps in
Jordan and in Turkey, and provided 3,000 winterization kits to refugees in and around Kobani, Syria.
To address longer-term resettlement of refugees, Goldman Sachs will work to address English language and
employability skills, two significant areas of need, with the intent to develop a mechanism to fill gaps across
the current integration framework.
GOOGLE
Starting last September, Google has been supporting refugees by funding innovative solutions to
connectivity, access to information and education. In the past 9 months, Google.org has given more than
$13M plus employee expertise to support nonprofits developing those solutions. Those efforts include helping
to develop RefugeeInfo.eu to provide access to vital information, deploying low cost wifi and charging kits in
refugee camps and transit routes, helping to build Translation Cards to facilitate translations between aid
workers and refugees and launching Project Reconnect to equip non-profits with managed Chromebooks to
facilitate access to educational resources and training. Googles combined efforts will help more than 1 million
refugees get access to information and education this year.
HP
HP believes everyone, everywhere should have access to a quality education. This includes refugees and
displaced communities. Technology can be a key enabler to reaching this goal by providing unstandardized
ways of learning. HP has funded and provided technology to 57 Community Technology Access (CTA)
centers in refugee camps in 26 countries. UNHCRs CTA program provides access to computers, computer
literacy, and connectivity, to UNHCRs persons of concern including refugees and internally displaced
persons. The CTA program launched an online learning platform, UNHCR Exchange, which provides
refugees with vocational, business and IT skills training to improve their livelihoods. HP LIFE, free online
business and IT skills training in 7 languages, is on the UNHCR Exchange.
HP is working with the Global Alliance Institute and Girl Scouts of Nations Capital to support the Girls Truth
Seekers Education Project which will connect Girl Scouts in the greater Washington area with young Syrian
refugee girls currently living in the countries bordering Syria. Through this initiative, the Syrian girls will attend
virtual, online classes to learn English, and the Girl Scouts will earn the Truth Seeker badge. As well as
donating practical tools including HP Probook and Notebook laptops, HP LIFE will also be offered as part of
the training at its refugee learning centers, enabling female refugees to continue their education preparing
them for the technology world and bringing them hope for a brighter future.
IBM
IBM has been actively partnering with regional and international NGOs and launching IBM volunteer
initiatives, in an integrated fashion, to provide a substantive and effective response to the critical and longterm needs of refugees and migrants arriving in Europe.
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IBM Impact Grants of mobile and cloud capabilities are supporting European NGOs as they collect medical
data, track refugee health, and analyze data for trends and insights. Mobile apps designed for Italian NGOs
INTERSOS and Mdecins Sans Frontires are enabling better health interventions based on data and
analytics. In Turkey, IBM is helping two NGOs which are UNHCR implementing partners and which provide
services to more than 60,000 refugees monthly. IBM provided consulting on data strategy to improve
services, and design and implementation of a web-based custom data management solution. To Singa
France, an NGO that supports cohesion between refugees and local communities, IBM delivered data
management consulting and support toward a solution to match refugees with local hosts, accelerating
access to accommodation, cultural and economic opportunities and wider social integration. For the
Deutsche Rote Kreuz (German Red Cross), IBM developed a solution, based on Sahana and hosted in IBM
Softlayer, to help them manage and improve numerous sources of conflicting refugee information at the
reception centre in Mannheim, which has a capacity of 6,000 refugees and migrants. Leveraging IBMs
capabilities in security, IBM granted to UK NGO Stop The Traffik five licenses of i2 analyst software and
training, as well as Softlayer hosting for analysis of trafficking data. Refugees and migrants are uniquely
susceptible to exploitation. Using the software, staff will be able to analyze data submitted by citizens around
the world who suspect that human trafficking is taking place in their area
IBMers also engage in skills-based volunteerism and mentoring programs for refugees, leading to better
employability and social integration. In Austria, Belgium, Denmark, and Sweden, mentoring and skills training
initiatives are supporting children with language and cultural learning, and helping to bring skilled refugees
into the job market. In Belgium, more than twenty workshops in various topics are delivered per year.
Volunteers in Sweden worked for three months with the Red Cross at the Swedish border in the height of
winter, supporting refugees in various ways. Volunteers are innovating in Denmark, by developing an app to
match mentors with mentees; and in Austria, by joining a Social Hackathon on Migration organized for late
June to work on apps and games related to education and refugees, using IBM Bluemix as the cloud
development platform. Finally, IBM has launched internship opportunities for refugees in Finland, Germany,
and Sweden with some interns already having completed the program. IBM Sweden is a founding partner
of an AmCham Sweden collaboration to integrate immigrant-owned enterprises into procurement processes
of larger Swedish companies.
JPMORGAN CHASE & CO.
JPMorgan Chase and its employees donated $1.7 million to non-governmental organizations serving refugee
children and families across Europe and the Middle East, providing them with necessary medical treatment,
food, clean water and other critical support services. Over 150 employees also created more than 500
hygiene kits that were distributed to refugees through the International Medical Corps. Finally, the Family
Action Toy Appeal campaign, with support from JPMorgan Chase, provided over 5,000 children toys to
refugees during the holidays.
Integration Efforts: JPMorgan Chase provided nearly $680,000 to help adult refugees integrate into the
German labor market through career guidance services, internship placements and job training in key
business sectors. J.P. Morgan has also developed a partnership with Bertelsmann Foundation to pilot and
scale plans that help cities integrate refuges into their labor markets. As a result, about a dozen cities will
develop strategies for integrating refugees into the labor market. J.P. Morgan will also partner with JobLinge
in Germany to provide office space and volunteer support for refugee language classes.
LINKEDIN
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In February 2016, LinkedIn launched its first pilot initiative in Sweden, Welcome Talent, to help address the
refugee crisis. Using the LinkedIn platform, the company created a microsite that is an entry point to connect
newly settled refugees with employers who have committed to hiring them. The site has information,
resources and case studies to help refugees create optimal profiles. To date, more than 1,000 jobs have been
posted from potential employers. This is a multi-sector initiative working with the Swedish government, NGO
community, universities and the private sector. LinkedIn is also one of the founding partners of the Tent
Foundation private sector alliance that has formed to address the refugee crisis. LinkedIn is currently
exploring other markets to expand this work.
MASTERCARD
By leveraging technologies and products such as MasterCard Aid Network and Prepaid, MasterCard
collaborates with partners to provide essential services to refugees at a critical time in their lives. To date,
MasterCard Aid and Prepaid cards have been deployed in humanitarian responses across Africa, Asia and
Europe in countries such as Turkey, Kenya, Yemen, Nepal, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Niger, the Philippines, and
Greece.
For example, MasterCard worked with Mercy Corps to distribute prepaid debit cards to eligible refugees
traveling through Serbia. Approximately $75,000 was distributed to nearly 400 families and individuals, who
spent the assistance on transportation, food, medications and lodging. Many recipients also used their
prepaid MasterCard to withdraw cash at automated teller machines. Based on the success in Serbia, Mercy
Corps has launched a complementary program in Greece. Run on the islands of Lesvos and Leros, and on
the mainland, the program will provide nearly 3,000 refugees with cash support.
MICROSOFT
Microsoft Philanthropies is leveraging the company's technology, cash donations, and employee volunteers to
support nonprofits who are driving Syrian refugee crisis relief efforts. In the past six months, Microsoft has
donated more than $20 million in cash, grants and software to over a dozen nonprofit organizations, including
NetHope, Mercy Corps and the International Rescue Committee. This has ensured its nonprofit partners have
the capacity to provide millions of refugees with vital access to food, water, shelter, medical aid and
legal/trauma counseling, as well as services that will help them to rebuild their lives, including education,
employment training, and connectivity.
Currently, through its nonprofit partnerships, Microsoft is supporting refugee education efforts in Turkey,
Lebanon, Greece and Jordan. For instance, in Germany, Microsoft has made its YouthSpark Schlaumause
(Arabic to German language training) program available to 3,000 elementary schools, serving approximately
30,000 refugee children. In the coming months, Microsoft will commit more resources to this initiative to
double Schlaumause's impact. At the Zaatari Refugee Camp in Jordan, Microsoft has supported the
establishment of The Norwegian Refugee Council's technology lab, which teaches adult refugees computer
skills, improving their future employability. Through its support for NetHope, Microsoft has helped bring
connectivity services to Syrian refugees in Jordan, Turkey and Lebanon. With connectivity, refugees have
been able to access information and resources, and connect to family. Going forward, Microsoft aims to work
across the industry to help provide much-needed infrastructure, as well as longer-term aid. In the coming
months, Microsoft will deepen its commitment and expand its ability to prepare for and respond to
humanitarian and natural disasters.
TRIPADVISOR
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TripAdvisor has a culture of giving and giving back, its part of the brand ethos. TripAdvisor was moved to
action with the tragic refugee crisis impacting so many millions who are on a journey trying to find safe haven.
As a brand TripAdvisor helps travelers, and these refugees are travelers of a different kind that truly need
help.
In the fall of last year, the refugee crisis reached a peak and TripAdvisor knew it needed to do what it could to
support on-the-ground humanitarian relief. Within a matter of days, TripAdvisor took three steps:
Launched partnerships with two leading global humanitarian organizations, The International Rescue
Committee (IRC) and Mercy Corps, donating $250,000 between the two.
Appealed to the community of millions of travelers around the world to donate to IRC and Mercy Corps
with a goal to match, dollar for dollar, community donations up to $375,000 from its Charitable
Foundation
Launched an appeal on the TripAdvisor website in almost 30 languages to reach as many community
members as possible.
TripAdvisor engaged employees in two ways:
Doubled employees donations to a 2:1 match to IRC and Mercy Corps via an internal gift matching program
through Dec 31, 2015. This means each employees donation had triple the impact.
Introduced a new Volunteer Time Off (VTO) policy to allow those TripAdvisor employees to use their time and
skills and take up to five days of paid leave to volunteer at any nonprofit organization tackling the refugee
crisis
Within 48 hours, the community exceeded expectations andthe TripAdvisor Charitable Foundation was able
to donate over $1 million. Through the campaign, the combined contributions to Mercy Corps and IRC's
emergency humanitarian efforts have totaled over $1.4 million, which exceeded the match goal.
UPS
The current national security and humanitarian crisis the world faces ranks among the most pressing global
challenges of our time. In response, UPS has guided its actions by the principle: Those who can, when they
can, should do what they can. To that end, UPS has strengthened cooperation with law enforcement and
deployed advanced technology to provide greater safety and security for people, customers and countries
from those who seek to harm us and our global economy.
UPS also believes everyone should help to address the humanitarian needs of the 60 million people 1/3 of
whom are children fleeing war, disease, famine, oppression and religious intolerance. Despite the heavy toll
of such unanticipated migration on social welfare systems and national economies, to stand idle and not
provide aid in the face of such human suffering is unconscionable. UPS believes that we collectively need to
do more.
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UPS sees that the preservation of life and individual dignity is essential to modern democracy. We cannot
ensure peace in our world, economic growth or a better future for all, unless we all try to offer a courageous
and compassionate alternative to terror. Thats why UPS has deployed its logistical resources and volunteers
to address the ongoing migrant crisis in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. UPS is providing financial, inkind and volunteer support in partnership with UNHCR, the World Food Programme, Refugees International,
ShelterBox USA and The Salvation Army. Company and employee-volunteers have brought dozens of ocean
containers filled with supplies to critical relief points, like Erbil, Iraq, where UPS delivered 23,400 winter
clothing kits for children, as well as food, tents, water sanitation devices, and health kits. Working closely with
its partners, UPS brought mobile warehouses and sleeping mats to Gaziantep, Turkey, and 11,750 kilos of
shelter supplies to Lebanon. UPSs expertise in disaster relief logistics has also been mobilized in southern
Turkey, as part of the World Food Programmes Logistics Emergency Team. In Germany and Belgium, UPS
volunteers have delivered vital supplies like blankets and toiletries, and distributed much needed food to
refugees.
WESTERN UNION
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Western Union (WU) has a long history of supporting issues related to migration, refugees, and humanitarian
crisis. In 2013, WU drew early attention to the needs of young Syrian refugees through a multi-year consumer
fundraising campaign to benefit UNICEF. In 2015, the company expanded its efforts to support humanitarian
relief for refugees throughout the Middle East & Europe, taking a 360 approach by engaging a variety of
assets and audiences, including its core operations, corporate voice, marketing and customer engagement
programs, employee volunteerism, business partnerships, corporate giving, and support from the WU
Foundation. WU designed a three-pronged approach, designed to address short-, medium- and long-term
needs that were identified through hands-on field research. Taking a 360 approach, WU has also engaged
its business partners, employees and customers in the campaign.
Products: WU products have enabled NGO staff from Oxfam, IRC and others to send humanitarian
payments from their desktops directly to programs in the field including to refugees and fieldworkers.
WU has also offered zero-fee and reduced fee promotions to support the refugee community. WU is
working to launch a new Western Union MasterCard prepaid card that will enable refugees and asylum
seekers to receive funds from governments or NGOs on a reloadable prepaid card. The card will be
piloted in Europe, where an estimated half of refugees live in urban areas
Giving: In 2015, Western Union and the Western Union Foundation provided more than $600,000 in
philanthropic contributions to numerous charitable organizations serving refugee populations
throughout the Middle East and Europe, including longtime partners Save the Children, Mercy Corps,
and the Red Cross. The Western Union Company also contributed ten US cents per transaction for all
consumer-to-consumer transactions originated within the European Union, giving more than
USD$400,000. In 2016, the Western Union Foundation has committed to giving more than $500,000 in
humanitarian assistance, raising additional funds from business partners and employees to deliver
critical support
Employees: WU has matched employee contributions 2:1, and WU employees in Europe have
participated in hands-on volunteer efforts, collecting donations, handing out supplies, even babysitting
the children of refugees so the parents could attend classes. Employees are working with NGOs to
teach a full year of Italian and German to roughly 1,000 new refugees a camp-full. They have
worked with Caritas to create two homes for unaccompanied refugee children, and to provide
language skills and education
Customers: WU has made it easy for customers to make a difference through the MyWU customer
loyalty program, which enabled WU customers to redeem their loyalty points to support the refugee
crisis both in France and Germany, with WU matching their donations. WU actively promoted points
donation via SMS and email, and used social media to provide transparent updates on progress and
encourage others to join in. Earlier this year, WU donated more than 10,000 thanks to the generosity
of loyalty members.
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Join Airbnb in supporting relief organizations on the front lines

of the refugee crisis
blog.airbnb.com/airbnb-refugee-response/
We have been moved by your messages from around the world regarding the migrant and refugee crisis happening
in Africa, the Middle East and Europe. This is obviously an incredibly complex and heartbreaking situation, and
weve been working hard over the past few weeks to determine how we as a community can best achieve our
vision of Belonging Anywhere in such trying times.
Our approach
At Airbnb, we take very seriously the trust that our community puts in our ability to powerfully and responsibly
activate our resources. Weve been working with our NGO partners to best understand how Airbnb can provide
unique support to best meet their needs and then think carefully and creatively about how to responsibly educate
and empower our community of hosts, guests and employees to help in the most impactful ways.
Activating to help
Providing free, welcoming and warm housing to relief workers is an area we can provide fast and meaningful
assistance that no other company or community can give. So were providing travel credit to relief workers at Mercy
Corps and International Rescue Committee (IRC) so they can have a place to truly call home while working in
Greece, Serbia and Macedonia. Our NGO partners have told us that this is amongst the most helpful and immediate
things we can do.
We have also launched a donations page, where we invite you to join us in providing financial contributions to
UNHCR (The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees), who is leading the global response to this crisis
and will use the funding for the most urgent needs which includes providing shelter, water, food and medical
services. We will support your generosity by matching your contributions with additional travel coupons (with an
initial match of up to $200,000 US total) for relief worker accommodations.
Next steps
As many of you know, in the past we have deployed our disaster relief tool, which is designed to provide temporary
housing for those in need of short-term housing after they have been dislocated as a result of a natural disaster like
a fire or storm. After extensive consultations with UNHCR and other disaster response partners, we understand that
our platform is not designed in a way that adequately meets the needs of refugees thousands of miles from home
who need long-term housing and professional support services and are legally restricted from various activities.
Despite these limitations, we will continue to explore with our NGO partners ways that we as a community can help
support the efforts of these vulnerable communities to Belong Anywhere.
Photo credit: UNHCR
Written by AirbnbOctober 3, 2015 News, Public Policy
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World Refugee Day: June 20, 2016

blog.airbnb.com/world-refugee-day-june-20-2016/
Today is World Refugee Day a day to bring awareness to the ongoing refugee crisis that has touched countless
lives across the world. This year, we would like to take a moment to highlight our partners that work tirelessly around
the globe to support those in need of assistance. Below you can learn more about their critical work we hope that
you will consider supporting their efforts by visiting their websites to learn more about their efforts, engaging them on
social media or contributing to their missions:
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is leading the global response to this crisis,
protecting refugees, and providing lifesaving assistance and supportive services such as shelter, food, water and
medical care to refugees in Europe. UNHCR is also providing assistance and protection in countries that refugees
travel through along their journey to Europe. In 2015, Airbnb began a partnership with the UNHCR. We are proud to
support the agency in their mission to work to ensure that everybody has the right to seek asylum and find safe
refuge, having fled violence, persecution, war or disaster at home.
As global forced displacement has reached an all-time high at more than 65 million, UNHCR is asking people
everywhere to stand together #WithRefugees by signing a petition to show that all refugees deserve to live in safety.
Visit WithRefugees.org to join the effort.
@Refugees
Tent Foundation
The Tent Foundation has built a 30-member strong coalition of leading companiesknown as the Tent Alliancethat
are dedicating their resources, energy, and ingenuity to help bring an end to the global refugee crisis. As a founding
partner of the Tent Alliance (2016), Airbnb is committed to working with other businesses, refugee relief
organizations, governments, and academics to amplify business-led initiatives to end human displacement
everywhere.
@TentFoundation
International Rescue Committee (IRC)
Since 2015, Airbnb has partnered with the International Rescue Committee (IRC) to aid them in their mission to
respond to the worlds worst humanitarian crises, helping to restore health, safety, education, economic well-being,
and power to people devastated by conflict and disaster. IRC is currently on the ground supporting the refugee
crisis in multiple locations including Serbia and Greece.
@theIRC
Mercy Corps
Mercy Corps is a leading global organization powered by the belief that a better world is possible. Since 2015,
Airbnb has partnered with Mercy Corps to support their mission to put bold solutions into actionhelping people
triumph over adversity and build stronger communities from within. Now, and for the future. Mercy Corps is currently
responding to the crisis in a number of countries, including Syria and Turkey.
@mercycorps
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Global Alliance for Humanitarian Innovation (GAHI)

Airbnb recently joined the Global Alliance for Humanitarian Innovation (GAHI) as an initiating member. The ambition
of the GAHI is to achieve higher impact and efficiency through innovation in humanitarian action. Innovation
enables the humanitarian system to do more, for more people, at a lower cost. By focusing on addressing
challenges no single actor would be capable of addressing on their own, GAHI limits duplication and ensures
multiplication of impact.
@GAHInnovation
At Airbnb, we are proud to partner with nonprofit organizations, other private sector companies, and public sector
entities responding to the global refugee crisis. Through our disaster response and relief program, we donate travel
credits and other resources to our partners in support of their critical work.
We know many members of our global community are working to support these efforts, and we hope those that may
be interested in learning more will follow and engage with our partners on Twitter using the #WorldRefugeeDay
hashtag.
Photo Credit: Karine Aigner for Mercy Corps

Written by AirbnbJune 20, 2016 News
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Akerman
Akerman has a rich tradition of public service and corporate citizenship that
stems from a deep commitment to serve as allies and advocates in our
communities. The firms pro bono efforts focus on representing juveniles
and at-risk youth who need a voice in court, and the firm has pledged to
increase its capacity to make an impact on the lives of children.
As part of that effort, our lawyers have taken on the pro bono representation
of children facing removing proceedings after seeking asylum in the United
States, and are working to expand protections for the thousands of
immigrant children who have fled warfare, gang violence, human trafficking,
or abuse and neglect in their home countries.
William A. Van Nortwick, Jr.

Partner-In-Charge of Pro Bono Initiatives
904.798.3700
william.vannortwick@akerman.com
Whitney M. Untiedt
Director of Pro Bono Initiatives
305.374.5600
whitney.untiedt@akerman.com
Akerman LLP | 650+ lawyers | 24 locations | akerman.com

2016 Akerman LLP. All rights reserved.

Background
1. In February 2016, the governments of Jordan, Turkey and Lebanon committed to providing a total of
one million additional work permits for refugees, and donors around the world have committed
significant funding to see it through. In September, President Obama will host a Refugee Summit
alongside the UN General Assembly, in which it is expected additional commitments on employment
will be made.

2. Jordan has suffered high unemployment for a number of years, with a pre-crisis level of 11-12% and
an estimated 33% of young people out of work.1 The refugee crisis therefore amplifies problems in
labor market participation, even as data suggests that refugees are primarily competing with
migrant labor (rather than Jordanians) for jobs.2 Refugee households value employment and the
ability to provide for their own needs, yet only 2% were able to access a work permit in 2015.3

3. The Jordanian government, in partnership with the international community, has been investing
heavily to address this problem for a number of years. With investments in vocational training,
expansion of microfinance, establishment of Special Economic Zones (SEZs), a focus on SME
development and scale up of municipal infrastructure projects there has been a steady focus on
increasing employment and self-employment opportunities for the poor.

4. However, current efforts are unlikely to meet the demands presented by the refugee crisis and the
urgent need for employment opportunity. Municipal infrastructure (public works) projects create
large-scale employment opportunities rapidly, but that these efforts often only offer short term
benefit to refugees in terms of income, and no benefit in terms of skill use or upgrading.4 Vocational
training programs are another common tool used in employment generation in fragile settings,
including with refugees, but evidence suggests that they are slow, expensive and not scalable.5
Jordan is investing in Special Economic Zones (SEZs), which will provide concessions and incentives
for private sector investment in manufacturing. These are expected to create employment
opportunities for refugee and the Jordanian population, but will likely take a number of years for
these jobs to materialize.6

The Opportunity: A Need for New Thinking
5. Current approaches to employment generation are necessary but insufficient in responding to
the needs presented by the refugee population in the Syria region, and in Jordan specifically. In
order to be effective, employment solutions should:
a. Produce results in the short term and sustain through protracted displacement

Million Jobs Blue Ribbon Panel: Employment Solutions

for Refugees in Jordan
Information Brief
ILO
See, Stave and Hillesund, Impact of Syrian Refugees on the Jordanian Labour Market, pg 8, available at www.ilo.org
Ministry of Labor
4
Short-term public infrastructure projects are currently implemented in the region, but are typically focused on the provision of manual labor
and have encountered difficulties in allowing for refugee labor.
5
Current research including Christopher Blattman and Laura Ralstons June 2015 Generating employment in poor and fragile states: Evidence
from labor market and entrepreneurship programs highlights the potential high costs and difficulties in skill matching for increased income
with many vocational training approaches.
6
Reviews of previous experience with special economic or export zones, including the United Nations Conference on Trade and Developments
review of 100 export processing zones highlights issues with lasting economic effects and limited evidence of efforts to ensure good labor
standards.
2
3

Information Brief
b. Be able to quickly reach scale and move a substantial number of people into
employment in the next 2 years
c. Contribute to net employment creation for the displaced and host community
d. Meet decent work standards for wages and safety
e. Provide lessons to be replicable in other protracted displacement settings

6. The IRC is convening a Blue Ribbon Panel as part of its research and development process to
identify new solutions for employment creation. As an experienced humanitarian actor, we are
well-placed to help facilitate and convene an idea generation process that brings together the
best thinkers from the humanitarian, private and academic sectors.

7. The Panel draws together leading experts from the technology and financial sectors to help
explore the feasibility of solutions, such as:
a. Tech-enabled platforms for outsourcing, gig economy and micro works
b. Macro-insurance products to de-risk investment, addressing the gap of risk tolerant
capital
c. Capital support to small and medium enterprises
d. Micro-franchising

8. The July 27th meeting will focus on three broad streams: first, problem definition and an
analysis of the current context; second, a review and critique of existing solutions to identify
new opportunities; and finally, hypothesis testing on potential solutions to determine which
solution set to develop further.

9. In addition to the Blue Ribbon Panel, the IRC will engage with lead economists and regional
experts ahead of the panel to critique existing employment policies and investments and
following the panel to validate identified potential solutions.

Panel Results
10. The results of the panels work will be documented as a report of recommendations for
potential investment opportunities for regional and international funders and specific policy
reforms for host government that are required in order to enable the solutions to take root.

11. The report will be shared at a side event for President Obamas Refugee Summit, as well as with
donors and policy makers in Amman, DC, London, Berlin and Brussels with the intention of
taking forward a fundable set of solutions.

How we are engaging governments and other key stakeholders
12. We have engaged the UK government and Business Taskforce led by the Department for
Business, Innovation and Skills. We additionally will work closely with DfID and other key
European actors, including the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD).


Information Brief
13. We are also collaborating with the White House, other US government, and UN on the White
House Call to Action to the private sector, ahead of the Obama Refugee Summit.

14. We regularly work with the Government of Jordan and recently engaged with Her Majesty
Queen Rania to build awareness of the ongoing refugee crisis. We will continue to collaborate
with the relevant ministries to communicate progress and results of this process.

Logistics & Expectations
15. The panel will take place from 10am to noon EST on July 27th in New York. The location will be
confirmed shortly. If organizations are not able to propose an in-person participant, we will
arrange for them to call into parts of the panel. Ahead of the July meeting, participants will be
asked to read a short overview about the refugee crisis and evidence of what has been
implemented to date.

16. We are aiming at high level decision organizational decision makers so that recommendations
garnered from this work may be given the weight of their sign-off. Beyond the July meeting, we
expect to work directly with representatives of the companies that are nominated. Participants
should be able to provide insight into the companys business models and potential for
expansion to new markets.

17. Following the panel between the July meeting and September, the IRC team will follow up
company representatives nominated by panel attendees. Representatives will be asked to
spend between 4-8 hours with the IRC team either remotely or in their location supporting the
development of potential solution sets and recommendations.

18. Company representatives and senior leaders will be invited to side events either related to the
United Nations Generally Assembly or the White House Refugee Summit to share findings.

For additional information, please contact:
Lauren Gray
Director of Institutional Philanthropy & Partnerships
212-551-2754 or Lauren.Gray@rescue.org

Million Jobs Challenge: Generating

Employment in Protracted Crisis
Panel Invitation

Background about employment in crisis settings:
We are not alone in recognizing the importance of employment for crisis-affected people. In February 2016,
the governments of Jordan, Turkey and Lebanon committed to providing a total of one million additional
work permits for refugees, and donors around the world have committed significant funding to see it
through. President Obama will host a Refugee Summit alongside the UN General Assembly this September, in
which it is expected that there will be a commitment to provision of an additional one million work permits in
refuges-hosting countries. Yet despite these calls, nobody not the UN, not the World Bank, not NGOs, and
not refugee host countries know how to drive the creation of meaningful new employment
opportunities once these work permits have been created.

How IRC is breaking new ground on this issue:
The IRC is launching a process to generate and evaluate ideas about how we can create large increases in
net employment opportunities in host communities such as Jordan or Lebanon, who are hosting large
numbers of Syrian refugees. We will synthesize current evidence and proposed solutions, and generate
and iterate additional models that can build decent work opportunities with greater dignity and
opportunity for refugees and vulnerable host community members. We believe that there is a gap in
including private sector innovators in this discussion. We want to target ambitious new mechanisms
that could lead to large-scale new employment opportunities and provide greater opportunity for
displaced people and vulnerable members of host communities. We intend to share our findings from
this process around the UN General Assembly and Refugee Summit in September.

The process builds on IRCs efforts worldwide and current humanitarian approaches in the Syria response
region. We provide cash assistance to vulnerable people which they spend at local businesses, and we
support micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to address constraints to hiring and growth, and
help both employers and jobseekers find the right workforce match.

Panel to generate new ideas:
IRC will convene a panel of distinguished private sector leaders to generate ideas about new ways to
support these vulnerable communities in building employment and income. We are specifically
interested in re-thinking approaches that could involve the private sector in new ways - including techbased employment platforms, novel investment vehicles, or innovative insurance products to de-risk
investment in protracted crises. Panel activities include a July briefing at the IRC headquarters in New
York (or by video conference if unable to join in-person), August bi-lateral consultations between the IRC
research team and nominated individuals from your organizations, and a September review of
recommendations and findings at President Obama's Refugee Summit.

For additional information, please contact:
Lauren Gray, Director of Institutional Philanthropy & Partnerships
212-551-2754 or Lauren.Gray@rescue.org

From Harm to Home | Rescue.org
From Harm to Home | Rescue.org

Jesuit Refugee Service Global Education Initiative

In November 2015 Pope Francis gathered the leadership of Jesuit Refugee Service in Rome to
commend JRS on its 35th Anniversary and ask us to participate in the 2016 Year of Mercy by
undertaking a Global Education Initiative. Schools are places of freedom [keeping] alive the
flame of hope To give a child a seat at school is the finest gift you can give, he said. We agree and
we have undertaken the Global Education Initiative in order to make the Popes vision a reality.
What is the mission of JRS? Since Fr. Pedro Arrupe, S.J. founded JRS in 1980, we have offered life-
saving services to refugees and forcibly displaced people around the world. Each year, projects in 45
countries provide emergency relief, psycho-social assistance, advocacy, and multi-level educational
services to some 750,000 refugees in dire need, far from home and safety. Education has always been
the cornerstone of the organizations missionto accompany, serve and advocate.
Amid a world-wide surge of violent conflict and a catastrophic increase in the number of displaced
people, JRS is committed to double the number of people served in our educational projects to
250,000 by the year 2020.
Education is a life-saving intervention. In emergencies where most agencies provide basic
humanitarian assistance, JRS is on the ground organizing educational and recreational activities to heal
trauma, promote human dignity, and build skills. The JRS approach fosters positive change. The seat at
school envisioned by Pope Francis provides urgently needed security and normalcy to at-risk children
and youth. It nurtures both individual growth and long-term, durable solutions that draw communities
away from conflict and toward a shared, peaceable future. Education offers the displaced the means
to heal, learn, and thrive.
JRSs Global Education Initiative is an ambitious international awareness and fundraising campaign.
Our goal is to raise $35 million within five years to expand our educational programs to reach greater
numbers of refugees and forcibly displaced people. With new and innovative partnerships for our work
in camps and with urban refugees, we are dedicated to teaching children well a JRS hallmark.
Education occurs at pre-school, elementary, secondary, vocational, and tertiary levels in traditional
classrooms, and through extra-curricular activities, hands-on skills training, and online. We place
particular emphasis on training for girls, too few of whom have a seat in the class. As international
support for refugee programs declines, we also aim to increase public awareness in order to promote a
global response.
How will JRS achieve its goal? Through public and private partnerships, individual donors and
foundations, JRS/USA will make a substantial contribution to the $35 million goal set by JRS
International by 2020, and make the seat at a school, envisioned by Pope Francis a reality.
For further information, please contact Gail Griffith, Director, Global Education Initiative at
ggriffith@jesuits.org or 202-629-5943. Or visit the website: www.jrsusa.org

GLOBAL EDUCATION INITIATIVE

JESUIT REFUGEE SERVICE/USA
1016 16TH STREET, NW
WASHINGTON, DC 20036
SYRIAN REFUGEE CRISIS

Youth at the Crossroads
MARCH 2016 DRAFT
The challenge
Across the Middle East, millions of young people are struggling with what to do with their lives. Like so many
teenagers and young adults around the world, they have big questions about who they want to be, how they
want to live, and where they see their future. Their choices will fundamentally influence not only their own
futures but also that of the whole Middle East.
Among them are over a million Syrian refugee youth seeking safety in Lebanon, Jordan, Turkey and Iraq. 1
They have been a largely forgotten group even amid a massive aid operation; so overlooked that we cant
say with certainty how many Syrian refugees are between the ages of 12 and 19 or how much of the aid
budget is spent on them.
Torn from their homes by war, scarred by violence and loss, this generation risks a lifetime of alienation and
hopelessness. Many can expect to be refugees for a decade or more, living on the margins of their host
communities. Those that are able to go home following a peace settlement will return to communities turned
upside down. Those that dont will continue to wager their lives on deadly migration routes or live on the
edge of society, suffering discrimination, abuse and exploitation. They will be prey to violent extremism that
feeds on a sense of injustice, grievance and isolation.
Yet even in this bleak reality, these young people offer hope and possibility. Ambitious and hardworking,
young Syrians can be engines for growth and prosperity in the countries of their exile and a promise of
reconciliation and reconstruction when Syria finally has peace.
Around the world, Mercy Corps work helps people meet the urgent needs of today while building the
resilience needed for tomorrow. Nowhere is this more urgent than in the Syria crisis. Mercy Corps has been
working with Syrians since the start of the war. Weve reached nearly 7.5 million with aid since 2012,
gaining insight into their everyday lives and long-term dreams, building evidence for what works and what
doesnt.
We firmly believe a better world is possible for these million-plus young people. We can help Syrian
youth realize their promise and build stronger communities from within. We can do that in a way that
lifts up vulnerable local youth, too. But we must move now, deliver big and act smarter.
Accurate data for the refugee adolescent population in the region remain largely out of reach. Mercy Corps' definition of 'adolescence' - 10 to 19 years of
age - overlaps with the UN's definition of 'youth' - 15 to 24 years of age. UNICEF reports some 2.4 million refugees are children under 18 years of age and
about 823,000 are youth between 17 and 24 years of age.
MERCY CORPS
Syrian Adolescents
The path forward

First, see the big picture. We need to continue to map where young Syrians are living, how many there
are, and what their needs are. We need to understand all the complex power dynamics alive in the
communities where Syrian refugees live.
Second, make young people real partners in change. Too often, aid only pays lip service to the voices of
young people. As a global community, we must not only include them in meaningful dialogue about their
needs and aspirations, but also engage them as partners in implementing solutions. We need to model this
in our own programming and help young people advocate for change locally, nationally and with the
international community.
Third, deliver results in well-being, education and employment.
Wellbeing
Syrian youth face violence, discrimination, abuse, lack of education, poverty and exploitative labor. Any of
these shocks could derail them. Mercy Corps Advancing Adolescents initiative gives young people a path
toward a better future. We support youth to understand their stresses, work through problems in a nonviolent way, and make good decisions for the long term. Advancing Adolescents does this by working with
local grass-roots groups and the whole community building connections between Syrians and Jordanians,
Lebanese, Turks, Kurds, and Iraqis. This approach can be scaled and rolled out so that every young Syrian
alongside vulnerable youths in host communities can benefit. We aim to reach 400,000 Syrian and host
country adolescents over three years through Advancing Adolescents.
Education for All
Young Syrians are passionate about education. In addition to supporting the international push to get every
Syrian child and youth back into school, Mercy Corps believes that a fresh approach is needed. Investment
in non-formal and informal education can reach the hundreds of thousands of youth who have dropped out
of school and wont be going back. It can help bridge the disconnect between formal education systems and
the skills in demand on the labor market. It uses new technology to tailor education to the reality of young
peoples lives reaching them where they are in the language that is best for them. Mercy Corps is testing
and rolling out models for non-formal and informal education that can be scaled so that hundreds of
thousands of Syrians and other marginalized youth can benefit. We aim to reach 225,000 adolescent
Syrians through our own efforts, and one million in collaboration with partners and colleague organizations.
Safe, Fair, and Decent Jobs
Even the best non-formal education or job skills training program wont work if there are no jobs to be had.
Thats why Mercy Corps is calling on the international community and regional governments to set up
special Enterprise Funds, focused on expanding employment for refugee youth and other poor young
people. These funds will help new business start-ups and established companies expand through a tailored
mix of capital investment, analysis, and advice. Enterprise Funds are driven by the demands of the labor
market and focus on what works to create jobs. Matched with changes to make registering small businesses
accessible, ease work permissions for refugees, and create demand-driven workforce job training programs,
Enterprise Funds are a tested and powerful way to drive economic growth and social inclusion for refugee
youth and their host communities. We aim to promote the establishment of Enterprise Funds in each Syria
response country using our experience in social ventures. Working with partners, we can help identify and
MERCY CORPS
Syrian Adolescents:
vet viable ventures, offer technical assistance and business advisory services, and manage the transaction
and deal flow with investors.
The time is now. A young generation stands on the threshold of adulthood. Each day that passes degrades
our ability to help young Syrians and their local peers repair themselves before bitter experience hardens
into habit. We can help young people build constructive lives but this needs to happen fast and deliver at
scale.
A global challenge
Around two thirds of the worlds displaced population comes from just five countries and Mercy Corps
works in all of them: Syria, Iraq, Colombia, Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Our Syrian youth
initiative is the first step in a broader effort to put adolescents at the center of relief and development
programming, especially in the tough environments where Mercy Corps works and where the majority of the
world's extreme poor are increasingly concentrated. We are taking a similar youth-led, data-driven approach
in the countries listed above and others like Afghanistan, Nigeria, Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey. We are
testing, iterating, and learning scaling up the things that we know will work inside our own programs,
promoting their use by the wider community, and working with research partners to keep learning. We are
driven in this work by the vision that a better world is possible, and that youth will help to lead the way.
MERCY CORPS
Syrian Adolescents:
LinkedInsWelcomeTalentPilotinSweden
TheProject
LinkedInForGood(LIFG)|WelcomeTalentisaninitiativewithinLinkedInForGood,thesocial
impactgroupofLinkedIn.LIFGsmissionistoconnectunderservedcommunitiestoeconomic
opportunitybyprovidingthemwiththenetwork,skills,andopportunitiestheyneedtosucceed.
LinkedInforGoodleveragesLinkedInscoreassetsitsglobalplatformofover400M+members,
purposedrivenemployees,andproductportfoliotodriveimpactandthereforeourinitiativeto
connectrefugeestoemploymentopportunitiesisperfectlyalignedwithourteamsoverallgoals.
Microsite|InFebruary2016,LinkedInlauncheditsfirstpilotinitiativeinSweden,WelcomeTalent,
tohelpaddresstherefugeecrisis.UsingtheLinkedInplatform,wecreatedamicrositethatisan
entrypointtoconnectnewlysettledrefugeeswithemployerswhohavecommittedtohiringthem.
Thesitehasinformation,resourcesandcasestudiestohelprefugeescreateoptimalprofiles.To
date,morethan1,000jobshavebeenpostedfromcompaniesincludingSwedbank,Spotify,
EricssonandMicrosoft.
Trainings|TosupporttherefugeepopulationonhowtouseLinkedIn,wecreatedtraining
materialsinSwedish,ArabicandEnglish.Thesearesharedonourmicrositeanddistributed
throughouroutreacheffortsinSweden.
MetricsandSuccessStories|Wearecontinuingtomonitorthesuccessoftheprogramby
trackingthenumberofrefugeesreached,numberoftrainingscompleted,andthenumberof
impactedhiresthroughWelcomeTalentandLinkedIn.Wearealsoreceivingstoriesfromrefugees
whohavefoundjobsthroughourprogramonafrequentbasisandexploringwaystosharethese
inspirationalstoriesmorebroadly.
Press|Wearebeginningtoseeinterestinthisinitiativefromglobalmediaoutlets(Forbes,
Reuters)
Partners
SwedishMigrationBoard|WelcomeTalentisamultisectorinitiativewherewecollaboratedwith
theMigrationBoardinSweden,universitiesandtheprivatesectortoconnectrefugeesto
internships.TheMigrationBoardcontinuestobeourprimarypartnerinSwedenasweexplorehow
wecanscaleandmakeWTsustainableovertime.
TentFoundation|TentFoundationwasanearlychampionofourworkinSwedenandhasbeena
helpfulsoundingboardasweexplorewaysofscalingWTbeyondourinitialpilot.AfewwaysTent
hasbeenasupporterofWelcomeTalenttodate:
Relationships|Todevelopourrefugeestrategy,wehavehadtogatherresearch,conduct
informationalinterviews,andspeaktoexpertstodeterminethebestwaywecanutilize
LinkedInstechnologytoaddressthechallengesofresettledrefugees.Tenthasbeen
criticalinhelpingusidentifytherightpeopleingovernmentandtheNGOcommunity.
Partnerships|ThroughTentsstrongpartnershipswithotherprivatesectorandpublic
sectororganizations,wehaveexperiencedexternalvalidationtoourapproachandan
opportunitytoshareourexperiencewithotherprivatesectororganizationsviapublic
forums(i.e.WorldHumanitarianSummitTentSideEvent,BrookingsInstitute)
InternationalRescueCommittee|WearecurrentlyexploringapartnershipwithIRCtoscaleour
effortsinadditionalmarketsbeyondSweden.

Q&A
1. What is Lampedusa: Concerts for Refugees?
Renowned American recording artists are coming together for an 11-stop concert series this fall to raise
awareness about the unprecedented worldwide refugee crisis. In November 2015, Pope Francis
reminded Jesuit Refugee Service that to give a child a seat at school is the finest gift you can give, and
encouraged JRS to double the number of refugees educated by 2020. This goal is especially important
for refugees who spend an average of 17 years displaced and is the reason why JRS is committed to
educating children and young adults through programs from primary through tertiary school and
vocational training in more than 45 countries.
Under the umbrella of this Global Education Initiative, JRS is sponsoring Lampedusa: Concerts for
Refugees, designed to raise support for this critical cause. Funds raised by Lampedusa will support
educational programs for refugees around the world.
2. Who will be playing at the concerts?
Award-winning recording artists Emmylou Harris, Steve Earle, Patty Griffin, Buddy Miller, and The Milk
Carton Kids will lead the roster of performers. Special guests will be announced at a later date.
3. Which cities and venues will the concert tour visit?

October 6, 2016
Boulder Theater, Boulder, Colorado
October 8, 2016
Helzberg Hall, Kansas City, Missouri
October 9, 2016
Rococo Theater, Lincoln, Nebraska
October 11, 2016
Sheldon Concert Hall, St. Louis, Missouri
October 12, 2016
Pabst Theater, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
October 13, 2016
Vic Theater, Chicago, Illinois
October 14, 2016
Massey Hall, Toronto, Ontario
October 16, 2016
Berklee Performance Center, Boston, Massachussetts
October 18, 2016
Town Hall, New York City, New York
October 19, 2016
Merriam Theater, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
October 21, 2016
Lisner Auditorium, Washington, D.C.
4. Where can I buy tickets?
Tickets will be available for purchase later this summer in individual markets.
5. How will the funds be used to help refugees?
Lampedusa: Concerts for Refugees will raise funds for educational programs in support of refugee youth,
including unaccompanied/separated migrant children and families from Central America, as well as for
JRS education programs around the world.
6. Are there sponsorship opportunities for the concerts?
Promotional opportunities include media and pre-event advertising, editorial opportunities (including
artist interviews), on-site acknowledgment (outdoor banner, lobby signage, directional signage, onstage
mention), messaging opportunities (event program), hospitality (VIP receptions, luncheons, and postconcert meet and greet), and merchandising (T-shirts, specialty poster, CDs).
In addition, JRS invites all Jesuit high schools, colleges, universities, parishes, and others to become
partners in this effort by hosting a side event on/before/after the concert to raise awareness about
issues impacting refugees. Lampedusa school partners will receive tabling opportunities and on-site
acknowledgement at the concert in their city.
For more information on sponsorship opportunities, please contact Monica Baker by email
(monica@g2pc.com) or phone (301-651-6197).
7. What does Lampedusa mean?
Lampedusa: Concerts for Refugees is named for the Mediterranean island of Lampedusa, where Pope
Francis visited refugees during his first official trip as Pope. The Italian island off the coast of Sicily serves
as a waypoint to Europe in a refugees search for safety and security.
8. What is the Jesuit Refugee Service?
Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) is a part of a Roman Catholic congregation commonly known as Jesuits
and serves individuals and communities in a strict non-proselytizing fashion regardless of race, ethnic
origin or religious beliefs. The mission of JRS is to accompany, serve, and advocate for refugees and
forcibly displaced persons.
9. How does JRS help refugees?
Each year JRS projects provide emergency relief, psycho-social assistance, advocacy, and multi-level
educational services to some 725,000 refugees in more than 45 countries. In 2015, Pope Francis
commissioned JRS to address the growing global refugee crisis through the JRS Global Education
Initiative, which aims to expand both formal and informal education programs from primary school to
college, including vocational school and teacher training. Education has always been the cornerstone of
JRSs mission, as it is fundamental for the recovery and spiritual healing of those caught in emergency
situations, while also serving to prevent future conflict, sustain stability, and promote peace.
10. Why does JRS focus on education?
JRS accompanies, serves, and advocates for refugees and forcibly displaced persons around the world. In
many countries, state policies, lack of opportunity or language barriers exclude migrant and refugee
children from school. Only 36% of refugees go to secondary school and less than 1% have access to
tertiary education. Girls are especially disadvantaged in many countries. JRS serves refugees in the
greatest need, regardless of their location and religious affiliation.
11. How does the immigration debate in the U.S. impact JRS work?
The current political climate in the U.S. has instilled a fear of refugees based on the misguided notion
that they pose a threat to national and economic security, as well as the argument largely directed at
economic migrants that suggests theyre coming here to take our jobs. JRS is committed to capturing
peoples attention and their support for the plight of refugees and asylum seekers here at home and
around the world. Lampedusa: Concerts for Refugees tells the stories of people served by the
organization.
###
A Second Chance:
EDUCATION FOR SYRIAN REFUGEES IN LEBANON
JULY 2016
The biggest problem for

a Syrian child in Lebanon
is, no doubt, education.
MARIA CALIVIS
UNICEF REGIONAL DIRECTOR FOR THE

MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA
Cover: Syrian refugee children respond to their teacher inside a tent that has been turned into a makeshift school at a Syrian
refugee camp in Qab Elias, a village in the Bekaa valley, Lebanon. Associated Press (Jan. 27, 2016 photo), AP Images.
PROGRAM SUMMARY
A Second Chance: Education for Syrian Refugees in Lebanon

GOAL
HELP OUT OF SCHOOL SYRIAN REFUGEE CHILDREN RETURN AND

PERSIST IN THE FORMAL EDUCATION SYSTEM IN LEBANON.
Problem
Lebanon, with a population of around 4 million, is currently hosting as many

as 1.5 million refugees, including at least 400,000 out-of-school children.
There are many obstacles in Syrian children accessing education in
Lebanon, including a lack of awareness, language barriers, safety concerns,
and family engagement.
Program
This three-year, US $5 million program is designed to help prepare children

ages 6 to 14 to return and persist in the formal school system. With
additional funding, the program could be scaled to US $10 million.
The program will provide students who are currently not enrolled in school
with 12 weeks of basic numeracy and literacy (BLN) classes, helping
them transition to the formal schooling system, and 12 weeks of support
while the child is in school to help children cope academically and reduce
chances of their dropping out.
OVERVIEW
OF
MOUNT
LEBANON
BEIRUT
If additional funding
was raised,
the
program would
explore&
the
addition
of an early childhood
education
component
designed
to
prepare
children
The number of refugees in Mount Lebanon and Beirut has increased
less than
90,000
July
300,000 in February
2003 to
more thansystem.
ages 3 to 5 for from
on-time
entry
into in
the
formal
education
2015. NGOs are particularly concerned about the large number of
The proposed unregistered
program would
benefit refugee children in Beirut, Mount
refugees living in the area. Only 12 informal tented
in Beirut
accommodate
Lebanon
settlements
are set up to live.
Mount
Lebanon, and Bekaa
Valley
whereand
large
refugee
communities
for these refugees. Most of them rent their own housing.
These localities
also offer opportunities to partner with experienced
is comprised
range
of sloping
The western
half of the
Mount Lebanon
community based
organizations
already
providing
small-scale
education
foothills leading down to the sunny Mediterranean coast. To the east
support for Syrian
refugee
children.
stretches the vast agricultural regioin of Bekka Valley. The Mount
KEY STATS
COUNTRY: Lebanon
TOTAL COST: $5,000,000
DURATION: 3 academic years
CHILDREN IMPACTED: 3,600
TOTAL DIRECT BENEFICIARIES: 17,740
MEDITERRANEAN
SEA
NORTH
LEBANON
BEKKA
LEBANON
Lebanon region does not include Beirut.
Impact
Profile of the Speed School Fund

The Speed School Fund was created in late 2015 with the mission of ensuring children
denied an education by war, poverty, or discrimination get back to school. The Speed
School Fund seeks to bring 6 million children back to school by 2030.
Incubated by Legatum Foundation. Legatum also incubated the END Fund ($60 million,
77 million beneficiaries) and the Freedom Fund ($30 million, 6,000 beneficiaries).
The Funds flagship Ethiopia program results have been independently evaluated and
validated by the University of Sussex and Innovations for Poverty Action.

The Speed School Fund works with Geneva Global as its implementing partner.
A SECOND CHANCE: EDUCATION FOR SYRIAN REFUGEES IN LEBANON
JOUNIEH
BAALBEK
ZAHLE
MOUNT
LEBANON
SIDON
BEKKA VALLEY
Reason
to Fund
BYBLOS
BEIRUT
to half
Lebanon are
population
of Lebanons
home to
and
Beirut
Mount
This program will
help
3,600
students
prepare
enter
the formal
and host a majority of the countrys social, economic, political, and
education system
and
provideMost
education
support
improve
their
industrial
tradeto
and
activities are
of Lebanons
cultural
activities.
the engage
also concentrated
area.
successful reintegration.
It willinalso
over 14,000 refugee
family members and over 100 Lebanese educators.
There is currently
limited funding compared to the need and scale
At the end of 2015, Bekka Valley had 371,809 registered
of the problem.Syrian refugees.
Local organizations are
ready to partner and have the support of
Bekka is known for its fertile landscapes, making it one of Lebanons
Government ofmost
Lebanons
of Education.
importantMinistry
farming regions.
Located 30 kilometers east of Beirut,
is situated between Mount Lebanon to the west and the
Beyond gettingBekka
children
into the formal education system, the program
Anti-Lebanon Mountains to the east.
provides a holistic approach including parent and government school
engagement, training for teachers, and homework support to reduce
drop-out rates.
TRIPOLI
JEZZINE
NABATIYE
DAMASCUS
TYRE
SOUTH
LEBANON
ISRAEL
SYRIA
Legatum Center, MIT

1 Broadway, E70 - 12th Floor
Cambridge, MA 02142
United States
+1 617 452 5569
speedschool.org
Oracle / Domonique Neukomm
WHO WE ARE
Welcoming America
inspires people to build
a different kind of
communityone that
embraces immigrants and
fosters opportunity for all.
We are leading a movement
of inclusive communities
across the nation toward
becoming more prosperous
by making everyone who
lives there feel like they
belong.
WHAT WE DO
We CONNECT community, government, and nonprofit leaders,
providing resources and support both locally and nationally through our
Welcoming Network to help them transform communities into more
inclusive places. Those in our network may get more involved by joining Welcoming
Cities and Counties or Welcoming Economies Global Network. Through
Welcoming Global, we share best practices through knowledge exchanges to grow
the welcoming movement worldwide.
We BUILD on the great work happening in local communities by
providing tested approaches to creating inclusive, welcoming places for
immigrants and all residents. Our Welcoming Institute provides online
and in-person training, and our Welcoming Refugees initiative offers support
to enhance resettlement efforts and ensure the success of refugees in their new
communities, supported by the federal Office of Refugee Resettlement.
Today, one in eight Americans

lives in a Welcoming America
community.
Our goal is to CHANGE systems and cultures by helping communities

create policy, reinforce welcoming principles, and communicate
the socioeconomic benefits of inclusion. Our Welcoming Standard
guides communities on their path to welcoming, and each year during National
Welcoming Week, we help organize hundreds of local events to bring together
diverse residents in a spirit of unity and celebrate making communities welcoming
for everyone.
WELCOMING WORKS
ACCOMPLISHMENTS
The Welcome Dayton Plan has led to thriving business

districts and a socially and culturally vibrant city.
Since its launch in 2009, Welcoming America has

become a recognized national leader on immigrant
inclusion and welcome:
in Daytons immigrant
population from 2011-12
Welcoming Atlanta is implementing a comprehensive

agenda to support a growing immigrant community, in
partnership with civic and business leaders.
2.9
BILLION
in yearly business
revenue generated by
GA immigrant businesses
W hite House Welcoming Champions of Change

Nonprofit partner, White House Building Welcoming
Communities Campaign
Founder and Executive Director David Lubell named
World Economic Forum Young Global Leader and
selected to Chronicle of Philanthropys 40 Under 40
innovative nonprofit leaders
Welcoming Alabama/Hillary Andrews Pint Bottle Photography
40
% GROWTH
Intercultural Innovation Award, UN Alliance of

Civilizations and BMW Group
Nashvilles efforts to welcome a growing immigrant population

have helped create tangible economic gains across sectors.
80
of business and community

leaders believe immigrants have
helped Nashville reach a more
global audience
And today, smaller towns and cities in places from Nebraska

to New York also are developing policies and practices that
make their communities more welcoming places.
OUR APPROACH
As communities are reshaped by demographic change,
there must be an intentional effort to manage that
change. Just as fertile soil is needed for a seed to grow,
receptive communities are critical for immigrants to be
able to fully participate in the social, civic, and economic
fabric of their adopted hometowns. Welcoming America
helps communities move beyond divisiveness and
fragmentation to coordinated policies and programs
that help immigrants fully participate and access
opportunities so that all residentsincluding new
Americanscan thrive.
JOIN US
Get your community on the path to welcoming.

www.welcomingamerica.org
REFRAMING
REFUGEES
messaging toolkit
This toolkit was developed under the Fostering Community
Engagement and Welcoming Communities Project which is
supported by the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR/ACF/DHHS)
INTRODUCTION
The refugee experience is a unique

one, even among immigrants, and this
unique experience is both a strength
and a source of struggle.
Many Americans recognize that refugees are
able to come to this country legally to escape
persecution in their home countries, which
generates a level of sympathy that is not always
extended to other immigrants. Yet, this very
sympathy based on the challenges refugees face
can also form a barrier to a better understanding
of the strengths refugees bring and the positive
economic and cultural contributions refugees
make to our nation and its communities.
This toolkit has been developed with the input

of leaders in field, beginning with a conversation
about the opportunity to reframe refugees and a
rich discussion of the strengths, opportunities and
challenges of this effort. We have used all that
input, as well as the latest research on framing
of these issues, to inform this messaging toolkit.
Welcoming America thanks the Office of Refugee
Resettlement for their support of this document.
Welcoming America would also like to thank the
members of the Communications Learning Circle
for their vision and insights in creating this document, including Nelda Ault, Jen Barkan, Amanda
Bergson-Shilcock, Kara Fink, Cheryl Hamilton,
Deidre Harrison, Joy Jones, Sierra Kraft, Anne
Marie Kudlacz, Dan Trudeau, Sandra Vines, and
Shaina Ward. We are also grateful to Amanda
Cooper and Holly Minch of Lightbox Collaborative
for their extraordinary work in developing this tool,
as well as to the many practitioners, researchers, and funders whose research and practical
examples made this tool possible. Finally, Welcoming America recognizes all of the incredible
advocates and organizations working in communities across the U.S. to share the inspiring story of
refugee resettlement and immigration - a chorus of
voices that we hope will continue to grow stronger
through this tool. Communications is an evolving
and adaptive effort. We hope you will let us know
how these messages work in your community and
new ways in which you are able to foster greater
community support for refugees.
Recognizing this challenge, Welcoming America,

with the support of the Office of Refugee Resettlement, is working with organizations and communities across the nation to help Americans
deepen their understanding of refugees. Through
this effort, we seek to shift peoples perception of
refugees by defining them less by their struggles
and more by their triumphs.
These kinds of shifts are best accomplished
through what communicators call reframing. In
this toolkit, we explain this concept generally and
specifically as it applies to the work at hand. By
changing the frame, you can change the conversation, and by changing the conversation you get
to tell new stories that enable people to understand things in new ways.
This toolkit is intended as a communications resource for individuals working in organizations
that serve refugees and the broader community.
Such organizations have ample opportunity to do
this work well, because they have true and powerful stories to tell. With this toolkit, we aim to give
you the tools, tips and resources you need to tell
these stories to Reframe Refugees.
For the latest tools and resources, to share your

story, and to learn more about the Fostering Community Engagement and Welcoming Communities
Project, please visit www.welcomingrefugees.org.
PHOTO CREDIT: Nancy Farese and TIRRC
WELCOMING AMERICA
ABOUT MESSAGING
This message toolkit is designed to help people working with and on behalf of recent refugees to deliver
strong messages that will encourage community leaders and policy makers to take action to support
refugees in their area. But before we dive into the specifics of this work, it is always valuable to become
grounded in best practices.
As you incorporate the ideas from this toolkit and further develop stories and messages, remember the
key principles of meaningful messages:
Perception trumps reality. A persons opinion isnt based on realityits based

on his or her perception of reality. Listen to and accept your audiences perceived
reality, then craft your messages to resonate with it, and use these new messages
to reshape perception.
Emotion trumps logic. Logic supports our emotions and is used to justify our
decisions, but research indicates we usually apply logic only after weve made our
emotional decisions. Logic plays a part in decision-making, but emotion is always
the main ingredient. Emotions will get people passionate about your cause. Appeal
to your audiences emotions first and youll win them over.
Brevity trumps precision. You dont need to accurately describe every single
function of the organization in your messaging. And in a world where weve grown
increasingly accustomed to sound bites and 140-character tweets, you wont have
enough attention time to do so. Use the few moments of attention people give you
to convey what is essential about the work youre doing.
Values trump features. Above everything else, your work is founded on values.
Dont talk up programs and services that may not matter to your entire audience;
talk about the core values that animate your workvalues that your audiences share.
Vibrant language trumps jargon. Whenever possible, use clear and concise (and
emotional!) language to make sure your audience can understand and connect with
your message.
Actions trump magic words. Smart messaging expresses action; messaging

isnt magic and it cant paper over strategy or execution thats missing in action.
People can tell if your actions dont line up with your words. While its great to have
aspirations as an organization, your messaging should primarily express the work
you do now.
Your audience trumps you. Chances are, you (and your staff and board) are not
the audience you need to influence. You and your closest stakeholders are immersed in the work and already bought in. Your messaging is crafted to help you
reach people who are not yet engaged. It needs to resonate with their perspective
and answer for them, So what?
REFRAMING REFUGEES
I know the strength that

diversity has given my country
and I believe we must persuade
the world that refugees must not
be simply viewed as a burden.
They are the survivors.
The refugees I have met and
spent time with have profoundly
changed my life.
ANGELINA JOLIE, speaking at World Refugee Day
WELCOMING AMERICA
message toolkit elements

The following toolkit is designed to provide a variety of tools that will help you
develop and deliver winning messages.
We start by going deep on the goals of
the toolkit, and then explain The Power
of Reframing to establish why we are
using this particular approach.
No discussion of messaging is ever
complete without an assessment of
your Audience and some tips for how
to better understand them.
Then we share the Winning Message

Themes that stood up to broad audience testing and the experience of
your partners.
Next, we share some Examples and

Samples: sample press materials, a
letter to the editor and talking points
for taking on the hard questions.
Stories are our most powerful tools

in the effort to shift peoples thinking.
We share storytelling tools and how to
employ them. We have also included
some great ideas for stories from your
own work that reinforce the new frame
and tested messaging.
Finally, we share a selection of Tools

and Resources that will further support your efforts to gather and tell your
own stories in the new frame.
REFRAMING REFUGEES
REFRAMING REFUGEES:
Recognizing the Contributions of our New Neighbors

THE POWER OF REFRAMING
Welcoming America is, in many ways, an organization that is all about reframing. Its name, initiatives,
and all that it does seeks to expand Americans understanding of immigration, immigrants and how they
impact our communities and families.
If we play the word association game, and I say refugee what word comes into mind for many Americans? For too many, the word is camp. So much of what we currently know and understand about
refugees comes from the very beginning of their experience, and the extreme circumstances involved
with going from one tough situation to the next.
Wouldnt it be better if we could think more about how refugees lives change and their communities,
too once they are settled and stable? Wouldnt it be more accurate, and more positive, if people associated the word refugee with words like neighbor, worker, business owner, voter, parent, community
leader, person of faith, or any of our other many roles and identities in our communities?
When we ask people to think about refugees, too often an image like this comes to mind:
WELCOMING AMERICA
But what do refugee people and families really look like in our
communities? Many are working, going to school, and contributing to our communities in numerous ways.
The work of reframing refugees is to build the association between the people we know who have settled here and their actual lives here rather than some abstract, far away, unfamiliar
other. We can help people in our community make the same
associations we have. When we think of refugees we see the
actual faces of families we know. We think of their lives, yes their
struggle, but also the triumph in all that they have overcome, the
richness they have brought to our communities, and the contributions they have made in schools, faith organizations and to our
local economy and tax base.
STARTING A NEW CONVERSATION

While many of us want to begin
the process of educating community members by starting with the
how (for example, explaining the
resettlement process itself), we
suggest instead that you begin
the conversation by first connecting to the values and worldview
that will help your audience
understand and connect emotionally to the issue and to refugees
themselves.
From there, you can then go on to
address the facts and factors that
shape community resettlement.
By reframing the issue, and telling stories that connect real life
refugees and their neighbors based on what they have in common, we can start to see how welcoming and supporting refugees is just another way of building stronger communities for
everyone.
Reframing also has power to unsettle people who would try to
dehumanize and ostracize refugees. When people who dont
want to welcome refugees try to talk about how different, even
dangerous they are, and how they are a drain on society, the
best response is not to counter their facts but to reset the
frame, and tell stories of exactly how refugees add to our communities. You will find many examples of how to do this in the
Tough Questions Talking Points in the Examples and Samples
section.
While many of us want to begin the process of educating community members by starting with the how (for example, explaining the resettlement process itself), we suggest instead
that you begin the conversation by first connecting to the values
and worldview that will help your audience understand and connect emotionally to the issue and to refugees themselves. From
there, you can then go on to address the facts and factors that
shape community resettlement.
Throughout this toolkit, you will see examples of ways that you
can use communications products and opportunities to reframe
the refugee experience in your communities. By applying these
ideas into the language of your press releases and talking points,
and when choosing spokespeople and stories to tell, you can
start changing the narrative about who refugees are, and how
we are woven together into the rich tapestries of our schools,
workplaces, homes and lives.
REFRAMING REFUGEES
AUDIENCE
As the intended recipient of your message, and the people you
are ultimately trying to persuade, understanding your audience
and tailoring your messages for them is a key element of good
messaging. For the purposes of this toolkit, we have focused
on civic leaders and community members who could be targeted
as supporters, and who are part of what opinion researchers often call the moveable middle, or what Welcoming America often refers to as the unsure That means that they are people
who dont necessarily already share your opinions about how to
welcome refugees and make our communities stronger, but they
share enough common values and beliefs that they are open to
your message, and upon hearing the right stories, can be moved
toward being allies. These may include, but are not limited to:
Faith leaders
Local elected and unelected officials
(city managers, planning professionals, economic development)
Civic leaders organized around service
(Rotary Club, Lions Club, etc.)
Community leaders, educators, and
service providers organized around other issues
(business development, health, education, etc.)
We also recommend our toolkit focused on economic messaging, which is especially helpful for elected officials, the business
community, and other audiences who are interested in messages
that tap into values of prosperity and opportunity (see: Stronger
Together: Making the Case for Shared Prosperity Through Welcoming Immigrants In Our Communities.)
To do deeper work on audience focused messaging, we recommend using the Your Turn resources in the Stronger Together
toolkit. The survey on page 6 raises the important questions you
need to answer as you get to know an audience. Then, utilize that
knowledge to work through the message wheel on page 15 and
you will have a suite of audience focused messages that will help
you reach and move your target.
Without the
energy and
intellect and
innovation of
our immigrant
community,
Montgomery
County would,
quite simply,
be incomplete.
New Americans
are a critical
piece in building
a better future
for all County
residents.
IKE LEGGETT,
Montgomery County Executive
WELCOMING AMERICA
WINNING MESSAGE THEMES

The frames and language presented in this toolkit have been adapted and refined from a set of welltested immigration messages developed by political strategists that have been shown through research
and polling to be effective. For more on the process and original messaging, please see the Appendix.
FRAME:
Define America
FRAME:
America is a nation of values,

founded on an ideathat all men
and women are created equal. We
hold these truths to be self-evident,
that all people have rights no matter what they look like or where they
come from. So how we treat refugees reflects our commitment to the
values that define us as Americans.
Dignity of Work
Out of many cultures, our countrys

strength is grounded in our ability to
work together as fellow Americans.
From the man down the street who
cooks the food that you eat to the
woman who created an innovative
new business in your town, new immigrants and refugees realize the
value of working hard and doing
your part in exchange for the blessings of liberty.
We believe that families should

stick together, that we should look
out for each other, and that hard
work should be rewarded. You see,
its not just about what you look like
or where you were born that makes
you Americanits how you live your
life and what you do that defines you
here in this country.
As Americans, we all do our part to

contribute, and were all the better
for having hardworking refugees as
contributing members of our communities who are customers in our
stores, small business owners who
pay payroll taxes, and neighbors
who give to local churches and
charities.
Refugees that come here embody

these American values. They have
defied all odds to leave behind discrimination, threats and even violence. Bringing your family here to
build a better, safer life, is a quintessentially American thing to do.
We all come from diverse backgrounds and many different places;

we are united by a deep respect for
those who work hard for a living and
a shared commitment to the country we all call home. America works
best when we all do our part and
work together as one nation, indivisible and strong.
REFRAMING REFUGEES
FRAME:
There is a lot of great language in these vignettes, which we encourage you to use freely
in your own materials, writing and talking points.
This language has been tried and tested, and
can be used as a sort of template to write local
and organizational materials.
People Move
The same is true today as it has been

throughout history: People move to
make life better for themselves and
their families. Its hard to move to
pack up everything and go to a new
place takes couragebut you do it
in order to put food on the table, to
provide for your family or send your
kids to a decent school.
We also strongly recommend you use these

messages as a framework to tell stories in your
community. As you will see in the next section,
stories are our most powerful tool, and stories
that use these framing devices and messages
have extra power because they are stories that
use values and beliefs we know will move our
target audiences.
New Americans [feel free to localize this title for community work,
for example Uniting NC uses New
Tar Heels] who come as refugees
move here for the promise of freedom and opportunity in this country, and to escape persecution and
violence. People move in order to
improve life, and we believe that
moving to make a better life for your
family is one of the hardest things
and one of the most American
things a person can do.
For example, when talking about the experience of a family who has recently arrived, use
the People Move framework to decide what
details to share and what quotes to use. Pick
ideas that focus on the challenges and promises
of picking up and moving your family, which are
universal truths that many can relate to.
When sharing stories about refugees who have
been successful in business, refer to the ideas
and words used in the Dignity of Work frame
and messaging. Help people see the contributions refugees make to our economy, and how
very much that looks like the work they themselves aspire to.
One of the values we hold dear to

our hearts is a deeply rooted belief
in the freedom to be who you want
to be, say what you want to say, and
go where you want to go. America is
supposed to be the land of the free
and the home of the bravethats a
good thing so lets keep it that way.
And for communities that need encouragement to

be more welcoming to refugees, we can use stories to remind them that both seeking a better life
here and opening our doors and hearts to newcomers is the most American thing people can do.
WELCOMING AMERICA
THE FACTS ABOUT FACTS:
What Brain Science Tells Us About Communication

Those of us who want to make change
in the world often point to statistics to
inform our advocacy. When talking about
newcomers and refugees people who
are too often excluded from the picture
we may feel the need to legitimize our
ideas with facts. But facts alone rarely
change how people think and feel.
This means presenting facts to people

who dont already agree with you will
not change what they think. It can even
back fire, pushing them into a position of
deeper opposition.
This is not to say facts dont matter, but
rather to underscore facts only matter if
they are the right facts in the right context.
People have to be ready to hear your information and be primed to believe it in order
to actually process it so the information
sticks. The way we prepare fertile ground
for our information is through stories.
In reality, neuroscientists and psychologists have found just the opposite. A

wealth of research about what is often
called confirmation bias proves again
and again that we tend to process facts
differently we believe and remember
them selectively based on our previously held understanding of a subject,
especially topics that are emotionally or
politically charged.
And this is neither culturally determined

nor recent. As far as researchers can
tell, our human brains are hard wired
for stories and have been for millennia.
Stories are the key building block for
how we process, remember and share
information.
10
REFRAMING REFUGEES
11
WELCOMING AMERICA
STORIES
THE POWER OF STORIES
If I asked you to tell me a story that you heard from a favorite relative growing up,
could you? What if I asked you about the most recent statistic you heard about
the status of refugees in the U.S.?
Which question generates a faster answer? And how does each make you feel?
The bottom line is, in our effort to reframe peoples thinking about refugees, focusing on facts related
to all the needs refugees have in our communities will not get us very far. Likewise, when we talk about
their contributions solely in terms of facts we also miss an opportunity to build greater support. When
audiences associate refugees with struggle and strife, they need to hear storiesa lot of storiesthat
challenge their current assumptions in credible ways before they are ready to hear, believe and internalize what we know to be true about refugees.
The great news is that this need for stories plays directly to the strengths of your organizations. You
know the refugee individuals and families who have made a difference in their neighborhoods, churches,
schools and businesses. You can tell these stories again and again in meetings, videos, on social media
and traditional media to create the fertile ground we need to build welcoming communities with policies
and practices that make it possible for refugees to find acceptance and success in their new homes.
A word of caution: its important to make sure that refugees are comfortable having their stories shared.
While many will be eager to have their personal experience communicated to a broader audience, others may be reticent to do so or may not truly understand the purpose behind having their story told.
Sometimes story sharing has been designed to tug at the heart strings and may even feel exploitative.
The spirit of storytelling in these examples is to help empower refugees by fully communicating their
strengths and resiliency with the community.
12
REFRAMING REFUGEES
STORY COLLECTION
You know you need to incorporate strategic storytelling into your communications efforts, but how? The
first step is gathering the elements you need to tell great stories. Here are some questions to ask your
clients, constituents and community members.
Who is this story about? Who are the main characters? What is their contact information?
If this is a story about refugees, what were the circumstances that brought them to your community?
If this is a story about people who are supporting refugees, how did that support start?
What inspired it or what was the first action?
What has this person/group done to improve or change your community?
What problem are they trying to solve?
How is your community better as a result of this activity?
What would this person/groups neighbors, employers, teachers, etc. say about them
[get real quotes if possible]?
What is the situation today? Is the problem solved? Do they need help or action to get to the next step?
What can we all learn from this situation? What opportunities do we have to be like this person?
How does this story fit into one of the winning themes [Define America, Dignity of Work, People Move]?
You can organize these inputs into a database using a spreadsheet or other format. We created
an example using details from a story we heard in our webinars:
SOURCE
HERO
Laura de Rosier
Mary George
CONTEXT
Location?
UPSHOT
Mary George, a South Sudanese refugee, has contributed to our community by

teaching those working in schools about how to work with the Sudanese populations
TELLING DETAILS
Marys background? Motivations?
13
WELCOMING AMERICA
STORYTELLING
Now that you have captured the components of your story, it is time to put
them together into a compelling tale that will connect with audiences, and tell
it everywhere. The elements of any story are consistent regardless of medium or
outlet. Any good story includes:
Beginning:
Who is in your story? Tell us a little about them, and the tell us what kicks off the action. Dont necessarily
start with the first thing you know about a person. Think about where the story begins. For example, if you
are telling the story about a refugee who is now in medical school, the story could begin with the event or
moment she was inspired to take up that profession, rather than when she arrived in the U.S.
Middle:
This is where you have the most leeway for length. Shorter stories might only describe the problem to be
solved in the middle. Many stories use the middle to talk about one or many moments between the beginning and end, perhaps where our characters overcame an obstacle. Longer stories will include a series of
obstacles or setbacks as well as moments of triumph that happen to our characters throughout their story.
The End:
How is the situation resolved? Does the character solve the problem? Do they at least reach a plateau in
their situation? Even if the story is not over in real life, it needs an end to feel like a good story, so pick a
point with some sense of resolution and end the story there. Think about how you want people to feel at the
end of the story. Are we hopeful, concerned, inspired? Make sure your ending evokes the right feelings to
move people in the right direction.
The Big Picture:

When telling a story to make change, it is critical to link it to the broader issues we are working on. How
is this story typical of others like it? How is it different? What greater truth does it tell us about ourselves
and our communities?
Now, the question is where to tell your stories, and the answer is: EVERYWHERE! Encourage your
staff, volunteers, members and constituents to work on their story so they can tell it at meetings and
events, to politicians, each other, even in line at the grocery! While speeches get stiff with practice,
stories improve the more we tell them.
By getting cues from our audience about what they find interesting and what they want to know more
about, we can hone our stories so they improve with age. Any event, big or small, that you hold or attend, your team should be ready, willing and able to tell storiesideally their own first person storiesor
stories about people they know well.
Make sure that all of your written materials also include stories, no matter how short. No press release,
newsletter, petition or anything else should go out without the personal and emotional touch a story
generates. Adding a quote and a photo that briefly tells a persons story goes a long way in making our
materials more meaningful.
14
REFRAMING REFUGEES
STORY INSPIRATION FROM THE FIELD

In our work together preparing this toolkit, we heard snippets of stories from
individuals working in the field that sparked our interest. We share these with
you as food for thought as you cultivate, capture and share your own stories in
your communities.
REFUGEES MAKE US RICHER

The key to helping people see the contributions refugees make is to
tell them true stories about real people with names and faces and humanizing details that make them come to life for the listener.
LAURA DE ROSIER: Mary George, a South Sudanese refugee, has contributed to our community by
teaching those working in schools about how to work with the Sudanese population.
NICKY WALKER: Jean Golo has contributed to our community by starting a successful farm,
employing Americans and providing healthy produce to food desert areas.
RACHEL HELWIG: Mohammed has contributed to our community by continuing his medical training at
our local hospital, and has now been accepted to a medical residency program.
FLORENCE ACKEY: The Burmese Garden in the Tampa Bay area brings organic food to our community
and provides jobs to newcomers and healthy food to our neighbors.
HAVAN CLARK: An East African refugee woman has contributed to our community by establishing
her own at-home child care business to generate an income for her family and
provide culturally-appropriate child care services to the community.
MARY FOX:
Armin provides orthopedic care in an area that is underserved medically.
MARCI MROZ: The refugee kids in our community have contributed by showing sheer joy in the
simplest of thingsadult attention, learning, new experiences.
EMILY VITALE: Refugees at the Americana Center have introduced community gardening to
provide a nutritious, cheap food source for poverty-stricken families.
15
WELCOMING AMERICA
HEROS AT HOME
Non-refugee community members need to see themselves in the stories, and see examples of how they can help make their community
more welcoming, stronger and richer.
MARCI MROZ:

Establishing a weekly Refugee Help Center at a local apartment
complex in the area where many refugees live; this is a free session where refugees can get answers to questions, help with
filing forms, or making telephone calls, etc.
KARA FINK: Organize a city-wide World Refugee Day that showcases refu-
gees cultures, talents, and traditions and encourages thousands

of local residents to meet their new neighbors
KELLY LAFLAMME: When hate crimes were committed against refugee families, the
community came together for a Love Your Neighbor Campaign.

Community members - newcomers and long time residents and
local officials spoke loudly and clearly against hate.
ELIZABETH SANFORD: One thing our community has done to welcome refugees is to
volunteer their time teaching them English, prepare resumes, etc.

KELLYE BRANSON: Establish a global mall with shops, classes, and resource centers
at a shopping mall that had closed.

LJILJANA KRESOVIC: Establish volunteer circle of support through parishes to help
individual refugee families.

FLORENCE ACKEY: Local church has their members host an international/refugee
family for Thanksgiving feast.

MARCI MROZ: In January, with the help of some churches, we have an annual
01-01 Birthday Party (since many refugees come with unknown

birthdates) for ALL refugees, with prizes for kids and adults as well.
KELLYE BRANSON: Mayors office created a New Citizens Academy and invited refu-
gee community leaders to attend.
16
REFRAMING REFUGEES
EXAMPLES AND SAMPLES

SAMPLE LETTER TO THE EDITOR
The following is a sample letter to the editor, drafted in response to a fictional news story with the headline School superintendent says school overcrowding is a result of refugee surge.
Remember that Letters to the Editor should only be sent in as a response to story or editorial already
printed, and whenever possible should be in first person from a person affected or with a personal connection to the issue. The suggested word count is generally between 100 250 words.
To the Editor:
As a PTA volunteer and parent, I agree that there are space
and resource challenges in our local schools [xx/xx/xx article
School superintendent says school overcrowding is a result of
refugee surge]. My family moved to our city as refugees for
the same reason all newcomers do: for the opportunity to build
a better life. Luckily, at our neighborhood school, new families
are welcomed and valued for our volunteer hours, financial and
cultural contributions and sponsorships.
Pointing to refugees as the cause of our education problems is
not accurate or productive. The future of this country depends
on educating all of our young people. We are part of the solution,
and are eager to work with the district to find the resources we
need to assure every child in our community gets the education
they deserve.
Sincerely,
Name
Address
Phone/email
17
WELCOMING AMERICA
SAMPLE PRESS MATERIALS

As many of our partners commemorate World Refugee Day each year, we have created a sample media
alert and press release that promotes a fictional citys event.
Media Alert
A media alert is a preview of your event, inviting the press to attend and produce a story about it:
Contact:
Ms. Media Contact, (xxx) xxx xxxx, mediacontact1@organization.org

Mr. Media Contact, (xxx) xxx -xxxx, mediacontact2@organization.org
Mayor, Local Celebrity and Local Families Will Gather June 20th to
Highlight Contributions of Local Refugees
Event will feature food, dance and music from around the world as part of World Refugee Day.
What:
Who:

Local Communitys seventh annual commemoration of World Refugee Day.

Mayor Local Town [name names where you can]
Council Member Local Town
Local Refugee Services Director
Local Sports, News or Entertainment Celebrity
Local Refugee Business leader of Local Business
Local Refuge Community leader of Local Community Group
Local families and friends
Local school children from Local School
Where: Local Park and Recreation Center

1000 West Local Street, Local, CA 90000

(press can park at lot on corner of Local and Community)

When: Friday, June 20th from 10 am to 5 pm; Mayors welcome press event at 10:30 am.
Why: Our city is a rich and vibrant place, in part because we have a tradition of welcoming new families and
cultures. Come experience the stories, sounds and tastes of some of our newest neighbors. As the
world recognizes World Refugee Day, Local Town holds our own celebration to congratulate refugees
on rebuilding their lives, and recognize how they have helped build our community.
Visuals: Adult and child dance groups and musical groups. Art by local artisans, and interactive stations for families.
For more information, please contact Ms. Media Contact at xxx-xxx-xxxx or Mr. Media Contact at xxx-xxx-xxx.
###
18
REFRAMING REFUGEES
Press Release
Your press release should read like a short version of your ideal news story coming out of your event.
Though it can be written before the event, the style is generally for it to read as if the event has already
happened. You should have it with you at the event to share with reporters who attend, and then you
can email it out immediately after the event.
As soon after your event as possible, share your press release with member of the media who you
would have liked to cover the event but werent able to attend. Place a phone call to any who expressed
interest but did not come, and let them know what interview subjects you could still connect them to
and any photos you can share with them.
Non-event specific press releases can also be used to release research findings, announce programs
or share other new information. To react to or comment on current events or news of the day you can
issue a press release that is a statement from one of your leaders.
Another great resource for media materials is the Welcoming America National Welcoming Week Affiliate Resource Kit found at www.welcomingweek.org. Here is a sample release for an event that
celebrates refugees during National Welcoming Week.
19
WELCOMING AMERICA
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 20, 2014
Contact: Ms. Media Contact, (xxx) xxx xxxx, mediacontact1@organization.org

Mr. Media Contact, (xxx) xxx -xxxx, mediacontact2@organization.org
Anytown Residents Celebrate a Spirit of Unity during National Welcoming Week

More than 100 Immigrant and U.S.-Born Volunteers Clean Up Stevens Forest Park
[Local Town, Our State] Approximately 100 volunteers from the Stevens Forest community, including the Mayor,
longtime residents, and newer Somali and Latino residents, gathered today in Stevens Forest to clean up the community park, establish a new community garden and celebrate their new neighbors.
Speaking at the event, Mayor Somebody said This event celebrates the contributions being made every day by
our diverse community. We recognize that our communities are strongest when everyone who lives in them feels
welcome. This park is a shining example of how we all benefit when we tap into the talent and energy of all of our
residents including immigrants and refugees.
Said local Somali business owner, [insert local resident], This event made me feel welcome in Anytown, and I appreciated the opportunity to meet my neighbors and give back to the community.
The event was organized by [name of organization], in partnership with [name of organization] and local residents.
The event is one of a number of activities taking place this week in Anytown, as the city joins with communities
across the country to celebrate National Welcoming Week. During the week of September 14-21, immigrants and
U.S.-born individuals in communities across the country will come together to build meaningful connections and create stronger communities as part of the event, which is organized by the national organization, Welcoming America.
The park cleanup is just one of a number of events taking place this week in Anytown during this week, which also
include a community dinner and awards ceremony hosted by the Chamber of Commerce.
For more information, please contact Ms. Media Contact at xxx-xxx-xxxx or Mr. Media Contact at xxx-xxx-xxx.
###
20
REFRAMING REFUGEES
Sample Blog Post

The following blog post is reprinted with permission from Welcoming America partner, Nebraska is
Home, an initiative of Nebraska Appleseed. For more information, see http://nebraskaishome.org
Lincoln is among the firstWelcoming Citiesin the country who recognize the
contributions immigrants make to creating a vibrant culture and a growing
economy.
On Saturday, January 4 Lincoln Mayor Chris Beutler joined the celebration of
the new year hosted byKaren Society of Nebraska. It is important to me to
welcome you to this place as your new home, Mayor Beutler said through an
interpreter.
The city is lucky people from many different cultures have decided to make
their homes in Lincoln, he said. We encourage you to share your culture
with the entire community, like the event youve planned today, Beutler said.
Its important we all continue working to build bridges with people who come
from old and rich traditions.
Karen people came to Nebraska primarily from Thailand refugee camps after
fleeing Burmas civil war. Celebrations like this New Years celebration create
opportunities to share and to learn about the culture of new neighbors.
Read more in this story from theLincoln Journal Star: Lincolns growing
Karen community celebrates New Year http://journalstar.com/news/local/
lincoln-s-growing-karen-community-celebrates-new-year/article_d5531aa85ec2-54f9-a5e2-8fdf3615b42c.html
21
WELCOMING AMERICA
TOUGH QUESTIONS TALKING POINTS

Even when you are reframing the story of refugees away from their needs and focusing
on all they add to our communities, certain tough questions will come up. The following
talking points are a sample Q&A designed to give you some solid responses and pivot
points to try to redirect the conversation back into our desired frame. These are provided as a reference point only, and we strongly suggest not restating these questions. For
example, when you restate a claim or myth in a frequently asked questions document,
you can inadvertently reinforce the myth in your readers mind, rather than dispel it.
These questions are for your internal reference as a tool for thinking through how best to respond in a community setting.
Why? Because when you restate a claim or mythsuch as in a frequently asked questions documentyou can inadvertently reinforce the
myth in your readers mind, rather than dispel it.
Q: We are happy to welcome some refugees, but we cant be overwhelmed.

How many exactly are coming?
A: Many American cities have been losing population as jobs move overseas and urban centers lose their appeal. Newcomers have been key to revitalizing urban areas,
sprucing up houses and neighborhoods, launching and supporting small businesses
and improving schools. [For example, in our community.] In general, areas that have
welcomed new Americans have seen their fortunes rise and opportunities expand.
Local economies are not zero sum games where one pie has to be sliced up for
everyone. Newcomers help make a bigger pie for all of us to get a piece of!
Q: There are people in our communities already without jobs,

how can we accommodate these newcomers?
A: W
elcoming cities have seen their economies boom for all residents. Newcomers are
job creators in our communities. Immigrants and refugees are very entrepreneurial,
and in 2011 immigrants started 28% of new businesses even though they are only
13% of the population. These businesses employ all kinds of folks, and refugees are
also customers for existing local businesses. An infusion of new talent and resources
can be just what a struggling job market needs.
Q: Why are you helping people get on welfare?

How long until they can stand on their own feet without any help?
A: We are helping struggling families move, get shelter and meet their basic needs. There
are services available for them that recognize the challenges that past traumas and
relocation may create. The good news is that our new neighbors share our desire for
self-reliance and independence, and use this support to enter our communities and
start working as quickly as they can. How quickly depends on a lot of factors, like it
does for anyone who is starting fresh in a new place, but our help jump starts the
process and accelerates their acclimation and increases the likelihood they will be
successful.
22
REFRAMING REFUGEES
23
WELCOMING AMERICA
Q: M
y sons class is almost 50% ESL learners now.
They get more attention than American children.
A: If any students in any school arent getting the attention and instruction they need to
succeed, that is a problem for all of us. The future of our country depends on educating
all of our children. Refugee families share our concerns about our school system and we
want to work together to make sure that all kids get the education they deserve.
Q: Why is America always responsible for cleaning up every other countrys problems?
(in reference to foreign policy/civil war/genocide/etc).
Why arent you helping Americans instead? Why should this be our problem?
A: America was founded on these values: that all men and women are created equal and
that all people have rights no matter what they look like or where they come from. So how
we treat refugees reflects our commitment to the values that define us as Americans.
e believe that families should stick together, that we should look out for each other, and
W
that hard work should be rewarded. Because its how you live your life and what you do
that defines you here in this country.
efugees that come here embody these American values. They have defied all odds to
R
leave behind discrimination, threats and even violence. Bringing your family here to build
a better, safer life, is a quintessentially American thing to do.
Q: Refugees are not interacting with us. They are not friendly and they dont fit in.
Also they arent learning English. I am not a racist, but is it really good to resettle
people in an environment so different than where they came from/where no one
looks like them?
A: Its hard to move to pack up everything and go to a new place takes couragebut you
do it in order to put food on the table, to provide for your family or send your kids to a
decent school. It can be even harder for refugees, who may not have been able to plan
ahead or prepare.
But despite these challenges, refugees can and do make homes and deep ties in their
new communities. And in our experience, the more welcoming their new communities are,
the better and faster newcomers feel part of their new home, learning languages and customs as well as adding richness to the local communities with some of the sights, sounds
and flavors of their previous home. [This is a great place to share an individual story].
Q: How do you know they arent terrorists? Who does the background checks?
A: For everyones safety, all refugee newcomers are screened by the appropriate federal
authorities. But by definition, refugees are people and families who are here because
they face a threat to their safety in their former homes. As a result, refugees are far more
likely to have experienced the trauma of violence, political unrest and terrorism than the
average American. They know personally the horrors of these situations, and are coming
here to escape them, not perpetuate them.
24
REFRAMING REFUGEES
TOOLS AND RESOURCES

We recognize this toolkit as only the proverbial tip of the iceberg for what partners can do to leverage
effective strategic communications in their local efforts. For those interested in gaining further ideas and
honing further skills, here are some of our favorite resources below.
WELCOMING RESOURCES
Welcoming Refugees
www.welcomingrefugees.org
Stronger Together:
Making the Case for Shared Prosperity Through Welcoming Immigrants In Our Communities
http://www.welcomingamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/wac.toolkit.WEB_.FNL_.pdf
National Welcoming Week

www.welcomingweek.org
STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS AND CAMPAIGN PLANNING

http://toolkit.opportunityagenda.org/
www.smartchart.org
http://www.justenoughplanning.org/
MESSAGING
http://opportunityagenda.org/talking_points
http://www.lightboxcollaborative.com/no-more-middle-of-the-road-messages
MEDIA RELATIONS
http://communitymediaworkshop.org/resources/
http://www.lightboxcollaborative.com/pitch-a-reporter-mad-lib
http://toolkit.opportunityagenda.org/
SOCIAL MEDIA
http://www.bethkanter.org/
http://www.lightboxcollaborative.com/building-content-strategy
http://www.lightboxcollaborative.com/2014-editorial-calendar
25
WELCOMING AMERICA
CONCLUSION
We hope you feel that this messaging toolkit

will prepare you to shift the frame and
change the conversation. Our communities
newcomers and old timers alikedeserve to
live in vibrant, thriving neighborhoods. When
towns and cities become more welcoming,
they can generate more opportunities for
all. By helping people see the contributions
refugees make, you are making it possible for
all families to get more out life.
26
REFRAMING REFUGEES
For those who work in the refugee resettlement

sector, we know that there are formidable challenges when it comes to meeting community
needs and developing the resources to carry
out programs. This messaging is not intended
to gloss over these concerns, nor the very real
struggles that refugees confront in adapting to
their new lives in the U.S.. It is important to acknowledge these concerns, and also important for
the American public to develop a deeper understanding of why their support is so very essential.
However, we are confident that by first starting the
conversation with a focus on the meaningful opportunities presented by resettlement, along with
the strengths that refugees contribute, our future
partners are given the chance to see for themselves the resilience and potential in people that
many of us see every day. Experience has shown
that when we begin with a positive vision and
speak to shared values, the difficult conversations
around solving tough challenges become much
easier because the question is no longer whether
refugees should be in the community, but rather
how we can work together to build a communitys
welcome and capacity.
With the right messages and tools, were confident youll engage your most important audiences
as you move forward to build strong communities
that encourage not just welcoming newcomers,
but opening up to a variety of possibilities and
opportunities that we might not even be able to
imagine yet.
Please contact Welcoming America if we can be
of help to you, and to share your feedback and
ideas around using and applying these messages
and communications strategies. And please be
sure to check back with us on the project website,
www.welcomingrefugees.org, for the latest ideas
and tools.
27
WELCOMING AMERICA
appendix
In preparation for the 2013 congressional debate about
comprehensive immigration policy reform, a group of likeminded organizations came together to radically rethink the
approach to messaging that immigrant advocates and allies
were using. They took a totally new approach: rather than
beginning their research by looking at the opposition, and
the messages they were trying to overcome, they started by
talking to immigrants and advocates within the movement to
secure better immigration policies.
of the work wont carry them or dont believe in them. Then

they developed and tested the messages that resonated with
the core advocates, and found the messages that shored up
the base and moved the moveable middle, while alienating
opponents. You can learn about all about it and see the original messaging here: http://www.cuutah.org/NM%20-%20
Immigration%20-%20HowToTalkAboutImmigrants.pdf.
LightBox Collaborative took this work a step further by
adapting it around the refugee experience, sharing it with
Welcoming America and the resettlement learning community, and finally refining it with the help of Anat Shenker-Osorio,
a primary author and researcher on the original winning message themes project. The resulting frames and messages are
reflected earlier in the document.
The research team, which included top researchers and

strategists from political polling and advertising firms as well
as a cognitive linguist, made a choice to start building their
messaging from the base up, recognizing that even the best
messages wont go anywhere if the people on the front lines
28
REFRAMING REFUGEES
29
WELCOMINGAMERICA.ORG
learning from boise's comprehensive plan
community planning
process guide
for fostering greater refugee welcome
written by
Jan A. Reeves
Idaho State Refugee Coordinator

April 2015
c om mu n i t y p l a n n i ng t o ol k i t
Fostering Community Engagement and Welcoming Communities Project
is supported by the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR/ACF/DHHS)
While this plan was conducted with refugee

resettlement in mind because there had been calls for
its curtailment, these approaches are applicable to a
broader immigrant community.
introduction
Dear Reader,
The world is on the move, bringing diverse people to U.S. communities. Global migration provides an
opportunity for local communities to welcome new talent and recognize the importance of an inclusive
and dynamic approach. Forward-thinking communities reflect upon what these changes mean locally
and how to foster a community climate in which all are welcome and can contribute to their fullest potential. The alternative is to respond to demographic changes reactively rather than proactively, which
can lead to fear, division, greater misunderstanding, backlash and decline.
Boise, Idaho was a community faced with a choice. Though considered a strong refugee resettlement
site for decades, an economic downturn in 2008 gave the community pause as they wondered how
they might continue to help new arrivals while also taking care of longer-term residents with growing
needs. Rather than approaching their economic challenges with a scarcity mentality, Boise chose an
abundance outlook, recognizing a pivotal moment to foster new ideas and new collaborations in order
to create more resources for all community members, while at the same time strengthening community
vitality and vibrancy. The people of Boise chose a positive vision for the future, and local government,
refugee resettlement, community based organizations, libraries, recreation districts, schools and so
many others came together to figure out how to help refugees integrate into the community and help all
Boiseans benefit from this new opportunity.
We think communities across the country can learn from Boises approach to building a welcoming
community and are pleased to share this planning process guide with you. While the context in your
own community may be quite different than Boises, we believe these approaches can be adapted to
suit many different situations. For instance, while this plan was conducted with refugee resettlement in
mind because there had been calls for its curtailment, these approaches are applicable to a broader immigrant community. In addition, no planning process is ever perfect. All are challenged to some extent
by time, funding and staff capacity. Boises example is not the model, but certainly is a model that
we can learn from and adapt to a communitys unique circumstances.
This guide is designed to be a practical, hands-on approach to community planning. We hope it will be
a useful resource to you and that you will share your own experiences with us so that we can continue
to learn together how to best create greater welcome.
Sincerely,
Jan A. Reeves
susan downs-karkos
Idaho State Refugee Coordinator
Welcoming America
a special thank you to Anna Crosslin, International Institute of St. Louis and Al Heggins, City of High Point, NC for reviewing this
document and lending their expertise; and to Sherry G. Dyer, CPM, Leadership & Organization Consultant, for her invaluable contributions.
welcoming america
table of contents
I. Introduction to Community Planning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
II. Seeing the Possible: Vision, Mission, Purpose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Considering who to involve from the outset
Formulating your vision
Creating a mission statement
Defining your purpose
III. Laying the Groundwork: Time for Self-Assessment . . . . . . 10

Online self-assessment tools
Checklist of steps to get started
IV. Convening the People You Need . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

To have a partner, you need to be a partner
Sector checklist of potential planning partners
Whats at stake
The importance of defining the planning structure
Common (typical) planning roles
Strategies for engaging refugees
Miscellaneous tips and hints for convening the people you need
V. Ready, Set, Go: Organizing and Developing the Plan . . . . . . . 26

Final preparation for planning
A set of deliberate steps
Getting started
Documenting your work
Sample plan format
Sample process methodology
Transition to implementation
Communicating about the plan
VI. Keeping the Plan Alive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Keeping the team in the game
Focus on accomplishment
Determining the end game
Community Planning
i.
Introduction to
Community Planning
welcoming america
About community planning

Community planning is about creating a blueprint for change. The essence of any
community plan is the enumeration of a set of intentional, systematic steps that
responds to and moves toward your communitys broad vision for the future. Through
a series of deliberations and decisions, the vision is translated into actionable and
measurable objectives. The vision is the picture in your mindsome of us may see
a community of the future in which all children are healthy and thriving; others
may envision revived economic vitality. Your visionyour communitys visionwill
belong to you and will become the guide for all things incorporated into your plan
for change. For the purpose of developing this Community Process Planning Guide,
we will embrace the vision of our community becoming a place where refugees and
immigrants achieve full integration into local culture, with full access to economic and
educational opportunity.
In this context, community planning becomes a vehicle for creating a more welcoming
and nurturing environment for refugees and immigrants, but no matter what the
specific focus of your planning effort may be, the essential point is to solve problems or
otherwise create positive change. Community planning is a tested and time-honored
strategy for moving a community from where we are to where we want to be. It will
serve to define where your community is going over time, but it will also map out how
its going to get there and how you will know if it has gotten there, or not.
Initiating and sustaining a comprehensive community planning effort takes time and
energy that all too often keeps us from getting started in the first place. Why should we
commit our limited resources to a long-term engagement that is bound to heap more
onto an already overloaded plate? Why jump into a lengthy strategic initiative when
we already know what needs to be done? How do we begin to measure the benefits of
developing a plan for change and how do we know before we even start if the benefits
will outweigh the cost? These may be difficult questions to address empirically. The
best answer may come from the urgency of the need for change and the power of the
vision of what that change can mean for your community, with some encouragement
provided by examples of successful community planning in other locales.
community planning
Even the best community planning model will need to be adapted to the circumstances
present in your own community and must articulate the basic concepts of vision,
mission and purpose; supported by goals, measurable objectives and concrete action
steps. This toolkit will provide general guidelines to managing the key elements of a
strategic plan. It may be best to use a professional facilitator to work through your
planning effort, but the tools and tips offered here will guide you through a meaningful
and effective process on your own.
As you will see, there are many variables that offer flexibility in how your community
will approach the strategic planning process and multiple pathways that can lead to
success. In contemplating your approach, ask yourself, What is the nature and scope
of the change we want to see in our community? What is the culture of leadership and
how can we enlist the support of this leadership? What resources can be brought to
bear? How will we make decisions? How will we measure progress? How long will we
continue to engage in the process?
These questions and many more will need to be addressed throughout the planning
and implementation process, and the answers you come up with will guide you and
your community to the goals you seek to achieve. Every community is unique and, in
the end, the shape of your plan will be directed by its unique qualities and character.
this toolkits context

In Boise, community members convened to develop a collaborative plan because of concerns about
the citys ability to resettle additional refugees and help them integrate. Community members
came together to address this very real challenge, and did so in ways that benefitted all community
members. Though the impetus for planning was specific to refugee resettlement, this approach and
the lessons learned can be used to help communities develop welcome for all immigrant groups. We
encourage you to take an inclusive approach in your efforts. Since the plans inception, Boise has
gone on to develop new approaches to integrating the immigrant community, as well.
Community
welcomingPlanning
america
ii.
Seeing the Possible
Vision, Mission, Purpose
community planning
Consider who to Involve from the Outset

Though you may have a strong sense of the reasons to bring the community together and what you
hope to accomplish, its important that others in your community are fully supportive of the vision and
mission behind your purpose. The best way to achieve this is to involve other stakeholders from the
beginning. While you should have a clear sense of purpose and a starting frame, the work of articulating
your vision and defining your mission will involve a broader set of people.
As youll read below, vision, mission and purpose are inextricably linked, and planning group buy-in may
depend on members ability to shape the foundation of the effort. More detail about finding the right
partners, and being a good partner, is outlined in Section IV. However, its important to consider early
on who to have with you at the beginning and how to nurture community interest over time.
Vision, Mission, Purpose

If community planning is the vehicle for making the change you want, then what could be more important
to the process than a clear expression of what that change should be? All the time and effort you put
into affirming the vision and defining the purpose of your work will pay off in the results youre able
to achieve. Never skimp in this phase of planning and never assume that your purpose is obvious to
everyone involved.
There should be a clear relationship between the vision you have for the future and the mission you
are aiming to achieve. And both should be aligned with the purpose of your efforts, which will keep you
focused and on the path to the desired result. So, how then do vision, mission and purpose fit together
and move you forward?
an example
Vision
Mission
Purpose
A community where
all people, regardless of
background, heritage or
culture, will be valued
and included.
We work to create a
climate of welcome
and encouragement for
refugees resettling in
our community.
To acknowledge
through action the
essential thread of
humanity connecting
all people in our habitat.
welcoming america
Vision is about the possible, the ideal that hasnt yet been realized. Irish Playwright George Bernard
Shaw is famous for the lines he wrote in Back to Methuselah:
"You see things; and you say, 'Why?'

But I dream things that never were;
and I say, 'Why not?"
Vision is about the future we dream, the future that embraces the things that never were. It provides
the inspiration to continue on the path to change, in spite of the challenges, barriers and setbacks that
inevitably get in the way.
Mission is about what we do and for whom we do it. Our mission will define how we create the change
that will lead to the realization of our vision.
Purpose addresses the why of what we do. A statement of purpose speaks to the fundamental reason
why our vision is valid. Purpose is at the very core of what we are attempting to accomplish. It is the
easily understood drive that will push the effort forward and that will guide us to the change we envision.
Without a compelling purpose, we risk losing the drive to continue down the path when challenges arise.
Your passion is ignited by your purpose.

Your mission and vision enable you to apply that
spark to change the world (or your community).
The purpose of your initiative must be clearly stated and must accurately reflect the vision for change
that you and your community partners share. Only by clearly and precisely defining your purpose and the
expected outcomes to be achieved will you be able to stay focused on the prize. In the example provided
here, the focus on the common thread of humanity will be at the heart of everything we do.
Formulating Your Vision

Ask yourself and your planning partners how you want your community to lookhow you want it to
befive years from now. Keep the community in the forefront of your thinking. What is the central
problem or condition you want to change and, most importantly, how will this change be manifested?
Think visuallywhat is the picture of the future you want for your community? Is there an ideal that
your vision embraces?
community planning
Here are some tips on articulating the vision:

Think broadly and expansively at first; do not limit possibilities
Brainstorming can be a useful activity to keep an eye on the big picture
Prioritize the key descriptors that bring life to your vision
Finally, narrow the focus to create a vision statement that paints a clear picture of the aspect
of your community that everyone in your planning group will embrace as the answer to
where we want to be.
Creating a Mission Statement

A clear and meaningful mission statement will include (a) what you do or will be doing, (b) who you are
doing it for and (c) a concise summary of core competencies of the individuals and organizations involved
in the planning effort.
Find examples of mission statements that contain these elements and see how you might adapt
them to fit your needs
Keep it concise: A single sentence may be best; use two sentences at most
Everyone in your planning group should be able to recall the mission statement when asked.
Defining Your Purpose

Think about why you value the vision you have formulated and why the newly created vision holds value
for the community. What is the true purpose that it serves? Is it to change attitudes, end conflict, or
improve some aspect of the human condition? In our example, the purpose is to value all humanity.
Whatever your true purpose, if its not at the heart of your mission and vision, you just might be on the
wrong path. Your purpose should ultimately energize stakeholders to focus on the shared vision.
Use value statements. What are the common core values of your group?
Make a list of the values inherent in creating your vision
Prioritize the value statements and use the top two or three to clearly define your purpose.
Community
welcomingPlanning
america
iii.
Laying the
Groundwork
Time for Self-Assessment
10
community planning
Just as every community is unique when it comes to visualizing change, every

community is at a different starting point from which to launch the journey toward
realizing the vision. The first step in developing a plan to achieve the future change you
want is to assess where you are now. Its important to look critically at the existing state
of affairs in your community to establish a baseline for action.
You have to understand where

you are in order to know how to get to
where you want to be.
Take inventory of the people, the programs, and the resources in your community in
addition to identifying the deficits that you intend to address. Make special note of any
existing relationships among stakeholders.
BOISE, IDAHO. The Boise experience in community planning was fast

tracked by the existing collaborative relationships among the various refugee
resettlement stakeholders, which had developed a network charter and
consensus driven model of governance. When the need for community
planning became clear, the network was ready and willing to work in concert
to support the vision of a more coordinated response to the economic impact
of the Great Recession.
photo credit: Becca Alexander, New American Pathways
Are there collaborative partnerships already in place or do they need to be developed?

If you already have productive relationships with multiple community partners that have been nurtured
over timeas many refugee resettlement networks haveyour planning process will be a step ahead.
If you are just beginning to develop the collaborative relationships you need, the community planning
process may be the best opportunity and impetus for relationship building and partnership development.
Either way, its the quality of these relationships that will bring the needed people to the tableready to
go to work to achieve the purpose and realize the shared vision. This is also the time to move outside
your comfort zone and beyond the people you typically work with to engage new potential allies. Section
IV, Convening the People You Need will provide some tips for relationship building that may help
you get started.
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What is the main impetus for beginning a community planning initiative?

Sometimes its a crisis that brings people together to begin community planning, and sometimes its a
more proactive approach to a changing environment. Many communities have recognized, for instance,
the need to attract more immigrants in order to help revitalize neighborhoods and expand entrepreneurism.
Others have recognized that in order to be globally competitive, they need to brand themselves as
welcoming cities in which opportunity is open to all.
Define the specific set of conditions or problem that you want to address through a community planning
process. What stands in the way of realizing your vision? If your vision is a community where all people
are included and connected, what is preventing inclusion and connectedness? Is it cultural and linguistic
isolation that prevents social interaction? Is it a weak and inefficient support system that does little to
create greater opportunity for people to develop the skills and assets they need to contribute to society?
Whatever the core problems you intend to address, its important to clearly identify them in order to
develop the plan to implement the change you want.
DAYTON, OHIO. Feeling the impact of a declining population and sputtering

local economy, the Welcome Dayton plan was created to help attract more
immigrants to the community and to help long-term, receiving community
members feel that they were part of a vibrant, growing community.
photo credit: Welcome Dayton, City of Dayton
What data can you gather to make your case?

Think about ways that you can use factual evidence to support the validity of your problem or opportunity
statement. Can you document the situation in order to establish a baseline of data from which to measure
progress? Are there existing community assessments that can contribute to your data gathering? Many
community stakeholders perform assessments: United Way, the YMCA, school districts and hospitals,
to name a few. These types of assessments can help you get started. In the case of refugee integration,
look to your state refugee office or state refugee coordinator to provide information. Universities may also
have an interest in studying refugee integration. You may create an opportunity to partner in a study or
research project that can help you in your community assessment. Remember that qualitative data can be
very important to your assessment, especially where quantitative data is sparse or lacking. To the extent
possible, you should combine quantitative and qualitative data to make your case.
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community planning
CLEVELAND, OHIO. The Refugee Services Collaborative of Greater Cleveland

partnered with Chmura Economics and Analytics to study the Economic Impact
of Refugees in Cleveland
http://rsccleveland.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/ClevelandRefugeeEconomic-Impact.pdf
photo credit: Refugee Services Collaborative of Greater Cleveland
What resources are available to support the initiative?

Assuming you already know what you want to accomplish through a community planning initiative, you
will need to identify the resources available to further the development of a community planning process
and its implementation. These resources may be both financial (actual money for expenses incurred) and
human (time and effort of project partners). A few things to consider:
If at all possible, engage a professional facilitator
to guide you through the planning process and keep
you focused on the tasks at hand.
A facilitator will speed up the process, saving
valuable time for everyone involved; will keep
traction on the wheels to keep them from spinning; and will provide an objective and realistic
assessment of progress toward the goal. The
money spent will be well worth the investment.
What are the needs for actual cash outlay?

How much of the work can be done pro bono or
as in kind contributions? Many stakeholders may
be able to participate as part of their paid jobs.
How can you encourage refugees and other immigrants to participate through financial incentives?
(see Section V: Strategies for Engaging Refugees)
Most people have to volunteer their time to participate in a community planning process.
think about ways to share the cost among partners.
Reach out to existing and potential partners to
see how they may be best positioned to support
the work.
the boise model

The Boise planning process has been supported by cost sharing between the Idaho Office for
Refugees and the City of Boise to pay for a plan facilitator and implementation coordinator.
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Online Self-Assessment Tools

The internet is full of useful resources that can help you organize your approach to community assessment.
In fact, the sheer volume of instructions, advice and helpful tips can be daunting. Its important to take
away the doable and avoid getting hung up on the more complex, intensive and potentially expensive
processes youll come across. Think creatively, but expansively, about how you might adapt the tools you
find for your particular situation. To help you focus your search, here are a handful of internet resources
that could serve to get you started:
The Work Group for Community Health and Development at the University of Kansas has developed
a comprehensive Community Tool Box. The Tool Box is a free online resource for people working to
build healthier communities and bring about social change. The chapter on Assessing Community
Needs and Resources can be found at:
http://ctb.ku.edu/en/table-of-contents/assessment/assessing-community-needs-and-resources
Rotary International has published a guide called Community Assessment Tools intended to be
used in conjunction with Communities in Action: A Guide to Effective Projects.
http://www.rotary.org/ridocuments/en_pdf/605c_en.pdf
The Community Action Partnership in Washington DC has an online assessment tool that supports
the development of comprehensive community needs assessments.
http://www.communityactioncna.org/
The Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services has developed a community assessment
process with a focus on creating aging-friendly communities, but this process could easily be
applied to a wider range of assessment needs.
http://www.dads.state.tx.us/services/agingtexaswell/initiatives/catoolkit/community-assessment-toolkit.pdf
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community planning
checklist of steps to get started

Once you have clearly defined your vision, mission and
purpose, you can follow a series of steps to set you on the
path to plan development. The following checklist will help
you determine if youre ready to get started.
Have you taken inventory of, documented and prioritized...
the strengths and needs identified in the community self-assessment?
Have you identified the strategic partners...

that are likely to be ready to collaborate?
Have you reached out to potential new partners...

who havent been involved but who might be willing to be engaged?
Have you identified the data sources...

that you can tap into or develop in order to approach the process with
as much empirical evidence as possible?
Have you taken inventory of the resources at your disposal...

or potentially available to support the planning effort?
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Community
welcomingPlanning
america
iv.
Convening the
People You Need
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In the previous section, Laying the Groundwork, we talked about the importance of
cultivating relationships and developing strong, mutually supporting partnerships
to build the foundation for an effective planning process. Doing this early on in your
process will help you build lasting support for the mission and vision of the effort.
Before jumping to the selection and engagement of your planning group, lets talk
briefly about the principle of building strong working partnerships. Without a doubt,
the single greatest barrier to building partnerships and developing networks is finding
the time to do it.
ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI. St. Louis Mosaic is a community-wide immigrant

attraction effort, with partners across local government, business and the
nonprofit community. One key member is the International Institute, which
provides an array of refugee and immigrant services. By working in partnership
with these other community actors, the International Institute of St. Louis is able
to accomplish far more than it ever could alone.
photo credit: Wayne Crosslin, International Institute of St. Louis
To Have a Partner, You Need to Be a Partner

Its all about relationship. The relationships you build with everyone around you are the means for
achieving your goals. Relationship building occurs one-on-one. You can only build trust by proving
yourself to be trustworthy. Even working on relationships with those who dont readily share your vision
will have an impact on your ultimate success.
Trust is essential. Building trust takes time, but whenever you work together with others, you can only
accomplish your goals together through mutual trust. When trust is missing, you will have a tough time
functioning cooperatively. Communicate openly so that your partners understand that youre always
shooting straight with them and find time for one-on-one conversations. If there are turf issues or other
sensitive relationship considerations, these will have to be dealt with before trust can be strengthened.
Learn what your partners need and want. Ask questions. Get to know the people in the organizations who
might be open to sharing or supporting your purpose. Find out how you can help them accomplish their
goals and offer your support to them. Follow through with your commitments.
Be there when things go south. Be ready to back up your partners when the going gets tough. Loyalty is
essential to keeping relationships healthy. When relationships can successfully weather a crisis through
mutual support, they will only get stronger when the situation improves.
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Be in it for the long haul. The best time to build relationships is long before you need to call on your partner
for support. Start now. Reach out. Show your interest. Somehow, find the time to invest in relationship
building, partnership building and collaboration.
Now, its time to get specific about the skill sets, subject matter expertise and perspectives that will be
needed to push your plan forward. The ultimate composition of your planning group will depend on how
you structure your process, but answering a few key questions can help you get started.
Who do you want to have at the table?
Who will add value to the planning effort?
These are typically the friends and associates

who share your vision and have the will to see it
achieved. They may bring significant expertise and
financial resources to the work. But dont yield to
the temptation to include all like minds and kindred
spirits. Diversity of opinion is crucial.
It goes without saying that youll be looking for

value added from everyone involved, but obviously,
not everyone involved in the process will contribute
equally. Still, try to consciously and strategically
consider the contribution you expect from each
person invited to participate and see how they
might like to be involved.
Who do you really need at the table?
Who will be best able to move the process

forward with energy and drive?
Theres a difference between who you want

and who you need. Thinking beyond your likeminded cohort, ask yourself, who would bring
new insights, alternate perspectives or a dose
of reality? Consider who might even challenge
your vision of the possible. Diversity of opinion will
strengthen the outcome, even as it creates tension
in the process. Its important to consider a variety
of perspectives and to come at this work with a
spirit of listening and understanding.
These people, too, are ones you really need at the

table, but think especially in terms of acknowledged
leadership, ability to bring resources to the effort
and the degree of community influence a person
offers. If you have any of these qualities combined
with a passion for the vision in the same person,
you have a goldmine.
What role do you expect your planners to

play and how can this role help you select
strategically?
Well address the question of roles in greater depth,
but its important to recognize that role definition
will have a huge impact on the strengths and skills
you want to attract to the process. Be especially
clear up front and throughout the process what the
expectations are around participation.
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community planning
The key message here is to be strategic in identifying the people you want and need to be involved; then,
appeal to their interest in the process and, most importantly, to their stake in the potential outcome.
Establish clear and reasonable expectations and clarify roles for participants. As weve seen, there are
roles for those directly involved in planning, those who will provide key information to the process, those
who will review the plan document, and those who will authorize the document, and so forth. Each
participant should understand the overall direction of the process and her or his role in working toward
the eventual outcome. You should also recognize that while participants begin with the best of intentions,
most have significant limitations on their time. Be sure to honor their effort by making good use of the
time they do have available to contribute. Should their participation wane, its important to understand
why and think of alternative ways for them to be involved.
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Sector Checklist of Potential Planning Partners

It may be helpful when thinking about potential partners to review
the following list of organizations and institutions that exist in most
communities. You may need to prioritize based on the current or
potential roles these entities play in addressing your goal areas:
Education
K-12 public schools, adult education providers, higher education,

early childhood education
Government
Businesses
Legal
Local elected officials, department staff, local municipal leagues, state

government officials, state government departments
Small businesses, mid- and large-size area employers, Chambers
of Commerce, ethnic owned-businesses
Law enforcement and public safety, legal services
Immigrant and refugee-serving organizations

Ethnic community based organizations
Advocacy organizations
Community organizers, other advocates
Housing & transportation providers

Faith based & charitable organizations
Human service organizations
health care
media
Hospitals, clinics, public health organizations, mental health providers
Local reporters, public relations and marketing firms, ethnic media
other?
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community planning
Whats at Stake?
Another way of looking at the question of convening the people you need is to consider who has the most
at stake when it comes to realizing your vision. We often use the word stakeholders to mean interested
community organizations without fully realizing the importance of the concept that something very
important is at stake. We also may think of high stakes ventures, a phrase that implies something very
close to what were talking about here. Bringing social change to your community will be uncomfortable,
to say the least, for some stakeholders heavily invested in the status quo. Here are some additional
questions to consider:
What is the potential impact of change? And who will be impacted?
What are the tradeoffs between large scale and incremental change?
How far will the change you seek reach into the larger community?
How will the change alter the equilibrium and what does that alteration mean for your community
partners or other community interests?
Will there be perceived winners and losers? How can you prepare to change the perception of loss?
As hard as it may be to acknowledge that your vision will not be readily acceptable to all, you must
consider the impact of change on those with the most at stake and consider inviting them to participate.
Open forum and the principles of public participation should not be overlooked or ignored.
The Importance of Defining the Planning Structure

The structure of the planning process itself and the variety of roles that your planning partners will play
at different levels will also help you decide who will be on your invitation list. In the case of the Boise
Refugee Community Plan, four distinct levels of planning emerged and continue to play important roles
in the implementation of the Plan.
The Planning Team Small team consisting of representatives from the Idaho Office for
Refugees and the Boise City Mayors Office, plus the jointly funded facilitator of the
planning process. The Planning Team is responsible for setting agendas, scheduling regular
and ad hoc meetings, approving Steering Committee membership and subcommittee
assignments.
The Steering Committee High level representation from community, regional and statewide
agencies, organizations and institutions. The Steering Committee provides overall Plan
direction and strategic focus. Members are also expected to promote the goals and objectives of the Plan within their organizations and to assure that staff of these organizations
are fully informed about refugee community issues and involved at an appropriate level in
planning and implementation.
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Subcommittees and Working Group The Boise Refugee Community Plan includes seven
working committees, ranging in size from six to 20 members, depending on the group.
These are comprised of the worker bees that develop the nuts and bolts of the Plan
document and make recommendations as to its content. These subcommittees maintain
a strong role in Plan implementation. During the Plan development phase of the Boise
Refugee Community Plan, this combined group met regularly to flesh out the content of
the Plan.
The Implementation Team Once the Plan was fully developed, the Implementation Team formed
to guide its execution and track progress. This team consists of seven subcommittee chairs
and co-chairs, Planning Team members and the directors of the local resettlement agencies
(who actually serve as co-chairs of several of the subcommittees). The Implementation
Team is responsible for assuring that the objectives of the Plan are accomplished and for
making recommendations for Plan revisions over time.
The Facilitator/Implementation Coordinator Although the neutral facilitator does not
constitute a discrete level of planning, this role has been indispensable in driving the
plan to completion and needs mentioning here. This is a paid position charged with
meeting facilitation and record keeping, coordination of the various planning groups and
engagement with all planning divisions.
This structure offers an example of how different individuals involved in the planning process will
assume different roles and fulfill diverse responsibilities vis--vis the vision for change and the day-to-day
execution of Plan itself. Understanding these differences should become the first step in developing a
comprehensive list of stakeholders and community partners to be involved in your planning process.
Common (Typical) Planning Roles

Although you will want to develop your own role definitions to guide your strategic decision making about
who to engage at which level of planning, these generic job descriptions can help guide you along the
way. Your planning structure may not include the same functional layers and divisions of labor that were
used in the Boise Plan, but you are likely to want to engage a variety of people with specific and specialized roles. Lets try to summarize these roles for more general use:
Visionaries, Thought Leaders and Influencers
These are the visible, widely respected and listened to leaders of your community, district
or state. They may be elected officials, successful community-oriented business people,
academics, religious leaders, TV news personalities or community advocates. Its important
to have these folks on your team; even one influencer can make a big difference in the
outcome of your planning effort and the speed with which change can be achieved.
Job Description: Communicate the vision; use the bully pulpit to further the agenda for
change; use influence to convene the people you need. The Steering Committee will be
the most appropriate place to use this role effectively.
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community planning
Strategists
These are the people who understand how to make things happen, how to make the most
of your resources, how to take an idea and bring it to fruition. Strategists may be CEOs of
community-based organizations or political operatives; urban planners or communications
professionals; board members or born strategic thinkers. Whatever the source of your
strategic resource, this is obviously a key skill you will need in your planning group.
Job Description: Create coherent mission statement, goals and objectives; help keep the
group focused on converting vision into action (your facilitator must be a strategist, also);
articulate and defend the process used in strategic planning; identify resources that can
be used to further the Plan. Youll want strategists on your Steering Committee, but you
also want then involved in day-to-day planning.
Practitioners
This broad category includes most of your worker bees, from those who have frequent
direct involvement in refugee and immigrant services (staff and volunteers), to community
members who play support roles in resettlement (librarians, teachers, police officers,
housing providers, medical staff, mental health workers, etc.), to interpreters, neighbors
and community volunteers. The main role of practitioners is to inform the Plan with an eye
towards the day-to-day needs and opportunities they are seeing on the ground.
Job Description: Provide subject matter expertise regarding day-to-day issues facing
refugees as they resettle and adjust to life in America; assess strengths and gaps in
resources available for effective resettlement; brainstorm solutions to problems of
resettlement and adjustment; implement action steps identified in the Plan.
Refugees and Former Refugees
Most often, the refugees able to participate effectively in an ongoing planning and plan
implementation effort will be former refugees, for several practical reasons, but regardless
of the length of time in the U.S., the perspective of refugees is indispensable in creating a
community plan in which they have the most at stake. There will be more about engaging
refugees later in this section.
Job Description: Voice refugee perspective; contribute to planning effort in manner
commensurate with skills, abilities and expertise.
Facilitator
A skilled neutral facilitator is a necessity for moving things forward and lending credibility
to the process.
Job Description: Drive plan to completion; facilitate meetings; keep records; coordinate
various meetings of planning groups; promote engagement within all planning divisions.
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Strategies for Engaging Refugees and Other Immigrants

It goes without saying that the people with the most at stakethat is, the ones most likely to be affected
by the change youre striving to makeare the very ones who should be first at the table to participate in
your planning process. In this case, were talking about refugees, former refugees and other immigrants
similarly situated. Despite our best intentions and repeated efforts, however, newcomers are often
underrepresented or sometimes entirely absent when critical information is being collected and decisions
are being made.
Although theres no apparent easy answer to remedy this frequent underrepresentation, there may be some
strategies for engagement that can work for you. First, however, you will need to do your best to understand
the barriers to participation, while being careful not to overgeneralize and certainly not to stereotype.
factors to consider
Refugees have jobs and family responsibilities. It may be awkward or financially disadvantageous
for them to ask for time off work.
Most non-refugee community stakeholders get paid as part of their jobs to go to meetings and
planning sessions. Refugees usually dont, unless they work at jobs with refugee service providers
or other involved partners.
Refugees may have little or no experience in strategic planning; those who have experience may
have an entirely different cultural context for problem solving and creating change.
Some refugees may be so anxious about or preoccupied with their own circumstantial issues that
it can be hard to see the bigger picture.
Language is almost always an issue. Use of interpreters can be effective in certain forums, such as
focus groups and one-on-one discussions, but English competency is a must in fast-paced planning
sessions. Youll need to select refugees using English language ability as a criterion in these situations.
Refugee Leadership academies have shown promise in helping people develop the skills for
greater civic engagement. A few examples include:
Institute for Public Life
Omaha, NE
iplomaha.org
Center of Intercultural
Organizing
Immigrant Legal
Resource Center
Portland, OR
San Francisco, CA
interculturalorganizing.org
ilrc.org/policy-advocacy/
inspiring-immigrant-leadership
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Refugee Womens Network

Decatur, GA
riwn.org
community planning
Having listed some of the potential barriers to engaging refugees and other immigrants, it is equally
important to note that many will be highly motivated to participate if they can see some benefit to
themselves and their community and if the talk results in real change. Too often, refugees and immigrants
are invited to voice their opinions only to find that nothing changes after they have spoken.
Inviting refugees, former refugees and immigrants to participate in your planning effort may be just the
beginning of a longer term process of engagement. Developing a habit of inclusion should be the goal for
everyone working to develop a more responsive service delivery system and a more universal welcome
for newcomers.
Cultivate relationships with ethnic leaders. Seek
out both formal leaders and informal leaders. Informal leaders, in particular, can provide tremendous insight into the perspectives of many group
members. Be wary of self-appointed leaders who
may not always represent the best interests of the
people they claim to represent. As with any leader,
look behind the scenes to see if there is widespread respect among the members of the community. When you have a strong relationship with a
respected ethnic leader, you will gain participation.
Go to where the people are. Seek out times and

locations that are convenient for refugees and
immigrants. Many refugee organizations and less
formally structured communities meet on weekends,
frequently on Sunday, because thats the best time
for the most people. Youll almost always be more
successful by meeting refugees at places and times
they select. Look at housing complexes where many
refugees live as resources for engaging them. Many
have common areas that can be used for meetings.
Provide ample opportunity for refugees to
participate. Even if you cant always meet refugees
on their own turf, you can schedule meetings at times
that most refugees are available. Find out when the
best times are and make a point of letting people know
that you are arranging the schedule to accommodate
them because you especially value their participation.
Cultivate leadership skills among refugees. This

is a long-term strategy, but can have a very positive effect on newcomers ability to contribute meaningfully
in a professional group environment. Some organizations have been successful in developing leadership programs and academies for refugees. It may
also be effective to include refugees in existing leadership programs in your community. Specific training
on public speaking and serving on boards and commissions can serve the same purpose. The Office of
Refugee Resettlements Ethnic Community Self-Help
program can provide an excellent opportunity for leadership skill development.
Provide transportation to reduce a major barrier

to participation. In Boise, school buses are used to
transport large groups of people to the annual refugee
conference and the World Refugee Day celebration.
These strategies may assist in overcoming the multiple barriers to effective engagement of refugees in
a strategic planning process, but they all require continuous effort if they are to be successful.
Miscellaneous Tips and Hints for Convening the People You Need
Be conscious of who is missing from your planning initiative; continuously evaluate participation and be
prepared to bring in new membership. Who are the untapped resources in your community?
Assess what resources prospective participants may be able to bring to the effort.
Learn to appeal to the interests of your community partners. Show them how participation in your planning
initiative will help them accomplish their own goals. Remember, to have a partner, you need to be a partner.
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Community
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v.
Ready, Set, Go:
Organizing and Developing the Plan
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community planning
Once youve laid the groundwork and selected the people you need for your planning
initiative, the real work is ready to beginthat of translating your vision into concrete,
deliberate steps that will begin to move your community in the direction you want. This
phase of planning will yield specific products that, in the aggregate, will formulate your
blueprint for change. It will also provide an opportunity for your planning partners to
establish a common language and generate more intentional, informed involvement in
refugee resettlement and integration into your community. The creation of the blueprint
will help solidify the relationships youve built.
You will be bringing together many people across the community who are engaged
with newcomers at some leveleither directly or indirectlyand its essential to be
absolutely clear about what you are asking them to do and what the intended outcome
of their efforts will be.
Final Preparation for Planning

At the time of your first meeting to begin developing the elements of the plan, you should be able to clearly define the process that the group will follow. It is important for your planning group to know up front
how much influence they will have on the process itself. Even if the process is well defined before it starts,
there will still be many decisions that the group is charged with making. It will help to provide as much advance
information as you can to the planning group to help them prepare for an initial productive session.
Be sure all the participants have access to the basics of strategic planning; share a draft agenda prior to the
sessions, along with any relevant reading materials that will help create a common understanding of the process.
At a minimum, schedule at least two three-hour sessions to get organized. Provide plenty of notice to your
prospective participants. Secure a space that is comfortable and facilitates open thinking for all. The seating
arrangement should be egalitarian, such as a large U shape or round table.
Seriously consider using an independent facilitator, even if it means finding some way to absorb the cost. There
are usually key stakeholders that would be willing and able to finance a small part of the overall planning
effort. The advantages of trained facilitation are several:
You are better assured of professional meeting conduct;
An impartial leader with no vested interest in the outcome will lend credibility and efficiency to the process;
All other stakeholders will be free to contribute as participants without the constraints typically placed on the facilitator.
If you choose to take on this task as a shared responsibility among participants, be aware that the facilitator
plays a much different role than the other participants and must remain neutral and impartial. Select people
with facilitation experience, not necessarily content expertise. You may be able to engage a volunteer
facilitator if payment for services is an issue. Local colleges and universities, mediation associations of civic
organizations may be in a position to assist on a pro bono basis.
Finally, consider ways to evaluate your sessions. The most basic result will be your completed plan document,
but think about ways to evaluate other features of your process, such as effectiveness of communication or
the productivity (output) generated at each session. A simple evaluation form filled out by participants can
serve as a measure of participant satisfaction.
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A Set of Deliberate Steps

In the introduction to this section, this process guide provided a set of concrete, deliberate steps to be
taken to provide the structure for your planning process. These steps begin where the foundational work
described in the previous sections of the guide leave off. They assume that you have articulated your
vision; that your purpose is clear; and that you have a good sense of where you are as the result of an
intentional effort to understand the people, programs and resources present in your community. The following outline can serve as your guide to organizing and developing your own community plan:
1. Assess strengths, needs and resources. An important part of the group process will be to tap into the brains
of your subject matter experts and to identify areas of strength and the availability of community assets
that your plan can build on; unmet needs within your community that are limiting the achievement of its full
potential; and resources that either have the potential to promote the execution of your plan or that need to
be developed in order to overcome a potential roadblock.
2. Establish goals and objectives. Based on your detailed assessment of strengths, needs and resources,
you should set priorities for action. These priorities will lead you to establish your goals and objectives.
Goals come first: they are high level overarching principles that represent an ideal, or something close to
it. Objectives support the goal with tangible, measurable outcomes. Many people get confused and use
goals and objectives more or less interchangeably. Assure that your planning group understands the
difference and the relationship between the two.
Goals are mainly long term propositions, the big picture ends that we seek and which correlate to our
stated purpose. Examples of goals might be equal access to resources or the elimination of genderbased wage disparity.
Objectives are the specific means we have to achieve the ends.
Since goals are broad general statements and objectives are more narrowly defined tactics, there will be
a whole set of objectives identified to accomplish each goal. Its likely that some of the objectives will be
relatively easy to accomplish (low-hanging fruit), while others may take considerably more effort and time.
It can be helpful sometimes to prioritize the low-hanging fruit for relatively swift accomplishment in order to
gain momentum out of the gate.
3. Design action steps for achieving objectives. Just as every goal will be supported by a number of objectives,
every objective will be accomplished by taking a well-defined set of action steps. These action steps will
need to be assigned to specific individuals who are willing to assume responsibility for their implementation.
Specificity, clarity and transparency in setting expectations for the implementation of action steps will begin
the accountability process.
4. Measure progress and evaluate outcomes. Although tracking outcomes and measuring success are really
continuous elements of your planning process, most of the focus on outcomes will be at the end of the planning process. This step brings the entire process back to the beginning (full circle) in that outcomes relate
inextricably to the goal. The outcome becomes the indicator of goal achievement. Without completion of
this step, the planning process (vision, purpose, goals and objectives) are left dangling and without closure.
goals
Objectives
Overarching principles that guide decision making.

They are broad, general statements of intent and are
often intangible and abstract.
Specific, measurable steps taken to achieve the goal.

Objectives are narrowly defined, precise, tangible,
concrete and measurable.
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community planning
Lets look at an example of how these steps might play out:
goal
Create universal access to high quality, culturally-informed health care for

refugees through a medical home model.
objective
Within 12 months, add one new family practice clinic to the set of medical home
options for refugees.
Action
Step
Create presentation for primary care providers that makes the compelling case
that they can increase their professional knowledge and expertise while serving
the most medically vulnerable segment of the community.
Action
Step
Schedule and make presentation to three largest medical groups or health

systems in the area within three months.
measure
outcome
Presentation completed (process output); number of presentations scheduled

and completed (process output); number of new primary care providers
agreeing to take new refugee patients (outcome).
This example is obviously incomplete in that the single objective will not by itself achieve the stated goal,
although it should certainly contribute to its eventual achievement. Likewise, many more action steps will
be needed to achieve the objective. The example does, however, illustrate the relationship of the set of
the four deliberate steps that will provide the necessary structure to your planning process.
29
welcoming america
Getting Started
Your first two meetings with community stakeholders should focus on developing, organizing and refining
the structure of your actual plan. The scope and magnitude of your vision will be the best guide to
determining the plan content; and your community self-assessment will serve to better define that content.
the boise model

The Boise Refugee Community Plan was structured around six domains that were known by the
planning group to constitute essential resources for effective refugee resettlement and integration:
Education, Employment, Health Care, Housing, Transportation and Social Integration.
If you have already identified the areas of greatest need within the communityissues not being
addressed strategically or not being addressed allyour next step will to prioritize them for action. If
these needs have not yet been clearly identified, now is the time to do it. Establishing small groups and
tasking them with brainstorming specific categories of focus will help move things along. Dont forget
to consider the existence of assets and areas of strengths where they are known to exist.
Identify people who will become leaders (Team Leaders or Committee Chairs) for each area of focus.
These will be people who have skills and expertise in their fields, who have demonstrated understanding
of the planning process and possess group leadership skills. These leaders will be responsible to
see that each work group categorizes its work and plans further development and refinement of each
objective and action step.
At the end of the second meeting, your planning group should have a clear picture of and consensus on
what the next steps will be. A comprehensive planning process will require several follow-on sessions,
at a minimum, with the smaller focused work groups reporting back to the larger planning group
periodically to report progress and gain direction for further plan development.
As work progresses, there should be a conscious effort in these smaller work groups to narrow the
scope of the objectives to a manageable number of achievable actions toward resolving the most critical
needs. Define specifically the intended outcomes for each area, ensuring all who will work together
have the same focus for their efforts. State the goals clearly in such a way that they are understood by
a broad audience. It is important to narrow down and define the areas of focus for closing the resource
gaps. It works best within the committee structure to have at least one person in each working group
who ultimately has authority to make strategic decisions. This would normally be the organizer and
convener of the group, or committee chair.
30
community planning
Documenting Your Work

While we should all be able to agree that community planning is most importantly about creating a
vision for change and realizing the vision through deliberate action, there is an indispensable role for
conscientious record keeping of all that transpires during the process, especially group decisions and
group action items to be accomplished. Words are important and wordsmithing will serve a key function
in the accuracy, quality and clarity of your record keeping and messaging, both internally within your
planning group and externally within your community.
Liberal use of flip charts and other media for note taking, always utilizing an assigned note taker or
recorder, timely transcription and editing of the record to capture information while its fresh, and prompt
distribution to all members of the planning group are essential to a well-organized process and retention
of your planning group.
As you begin to formulate your plan, you will want to decide on a document format that fits your process.
There are many variations of such documents in use and you should easily be able to adapt one of them
for your own style. We have included a sample document below that is quite simple to use.
Sample Plan Format

education
Sample Goal: Refugees of all ages will have access to and participate in formal and
informal education opportunities.
objectives
action steps
a. Contact . . .
b. Create . . .
c. Coordinate . . .
d. Train . . .
primary
responsibility
partners
Identify the lead entity

responsible for completing each action step
Identify others who

should be involved in
completing action steps
31
outcome expected
Include dates, specific

outputs, outcomes in
terms of the objective
welcoming america
This format can be easily completed with goal statements, objectives and action steps to organize
and revise your plan over time. It can be expanded indefinitely if needed. But regardless of which plan
document you decide to use, the most important components of any plan document are as follows:
a well-articulated goal for each domain addressed by the plan
objectives that declare concrete, time-specific results directed toward the goal
action steps that describe how the objectives will be achieved
identification of organizations, individuals and resources that are essential to successful pursuit of
objectives and action steps
metrics that allow you to measure and evaluate the results of action steps in terms of outputs and outcomes.
Sample Process Methodology

The process document defines the unique scope and definition for each goal that you decide to include
in your plan and outlines the discussion approach to help work group leaders and members understand
expectations in terms of time commitment, methods and outcomes.
work group team role

Identify and prioritize critical needs and opportunities
Identify existing resources to address them
Identify resource gaps and potential barriers
Draw key conclusions based upon the needs, resources, gaps and barriers
Develop recommendations on short term and long term goals
work group expectations

Meet 2-4 times to brainstorm and discuss issues and opportunities related to providing service and
welcome to refugees, both upon arrival and continuing throughout the resettlement process.
work group make up

Include people who work at the service level in the community providing direct care, service and support
to people in the community.
Include service providers from refugee resettlement agencies, employers, landlords, teachers and education administrators, health care direct and indirect service providers and coordinators, etc.
consider a logic model

Logic models help you ensure that there is clarity among the planning group about what you want
to achieve and how you will achieve it. Many funders appreciate logic models, too. It may be easier
to keep people engaged in the plan if they see how the logic flows from the specific activities
you will undertake to the anticipated short- and long-term outcomes. This tool from the Kellogg
Foundation is one resource to help you learn more about logic models:
www.smartgivers.org/uploads/logicmodelguidepdf.pdf
32
community planning
Develop projected timeframes for the completion of the work that reflects understanding and preparation
for an extended period of time for each team to complete their work. Readiness is the key to efficiency
of the effort at this point. Flexibility is the key to success as each team must adapt to the availability and
needs of the team members.
Finalize goals and objectives and create a plan document that will serve as the blueprint or roadmap for
achieving the stated purpose. It is a framework for community involvement and successful implementation.
Transition to Implementation
Completion of the comprehensive plan document, which is sure to include multiple goals and
appropriate and actionable objectives for each, will be a moment for celebration. It will represent a
culmination of intense work performed by many stakeholders and partners over a significant period of
time. Congratulations are certainly in order! But momentum is crucial, so dont hesitate before moving
solidly into the implementation phase of your process.
Keep in mind as you sense the satisfaction of completion of a meaningful process that the proof of
the pudding is in the eating. In this case, the implementation of the plan will determine its quality. If
youve done the job well, your plan will be ready to implement; in fact, many of the action steps may
have already begun. It makes sense that many of the people involved in the work groups that hammered
out the details of the plan will become your implementation partners, as well. Still, the transition to
implementation is an excellent time to revisit the composition of each team and assure that the people
best positioned to move the plan forward are adequately engaged. A few considerations:
When you identified responsible parties and appropriate partners, did you invite them to be a part of
the planning process? Are there any that need to be drawn in who havent already been involved?
How will completing the action steps differ from defining them? What does this difference mean in
terms of team composition?
Who will oversee implementation and maintain the big picture?
Who will track progress and accomplishments?
How will you communicate the impact of the plan when it is being implemented?
Will you need to revise it over time? How will you manage that?
These considerationsand othersare the topic of the next section of this process guide.
involving local media

Members of OneMorgan County intentionally invited a local newspaper reporter to serve on their
planning team when they began creating their immigrant integration plan. This reporter wrote
a series of favorable articles based on his experience and served as an important voice for the
immigrant experience in Fort Morgan, Colorado.
33
welcoming america
Communicating about the Plan

How you communicate about the development and implementation of the plan, both internally with
your stakeholders and externally with the broader community, should be considered from the outset of
your work. Some communities have chosen to include local media as key stakeholders in the process
increasing the likelihood they will serve as key champions for the work as it unfolds. You may want to
establish a communications work group that will help develop key messages that describe the work and
a dissemination strategy for when the plan is released.
In Boise, the planning group engaged a local marketing firm to help with branding the effort and messaging.
This included communications on: (1) the initiative itself, who we are, what we do and why; and (2)
encouraging the public to meet their neighbors and get involved in the refugee integration process.
One critical task for the communications committee is to consider who the key audience is for your
messaging. This will be very much driven by the goals you hope your plan will accomplish. The
communications strategy and messaging should be built upon the interests of these key audiences you
want to influence.
messaging toolkit
Welcoming Americas Reframing Refugees Toolkit provides a number of suggestions for how to
effectively communicate about the positive contributions of refugees in ways that resonate with
the broader, receiving community. www.welcomingrefugees.org
34
community
Community
planning
Planning
vi.
Keeping the
Plan Alive
35
welcoming america
Now that youve invested literally years of man-hours in the planning effort, the last
thing you want to see is the plan document stuck in a drawer or sitting on a shelf.
Maintaining vitality during implementation will almost certainly take the same level of
effort as creating the plan in the first place, but now you will have the benefit of seeing it
all come to fruition! The more successeslarge and smallyoure able to accumulate, the
more momentum you will create, and the more enthusiasm you will build for eventual
possibility of realizing the vision.
Positioning for Opportunity (and Crisis)

Economic ups and downs, changing demographic flows and unexpected local events are inevitable. Just
when a community learns how to more deeply engage newcomers, refugee resettlement may begin for a
new ethnic group that receiving communities may not have experience with. The changing nature of the
political, social and economic environment also makes predicting needs challenging.
Keeping the planning effort active, effective and relevant will be your ace in the hole when additional
partnership opportunities arise, as well as your insurance policy against the damaging effects of future
crises. As tempting as it may be to conclude that our work is done and to disband committees and
working groups when a comfortable level of change has been achieved, the existence of an active effort
will come in handy when you least expect it or when problems arise. There are inevitable unforeseen
events and circumstances that will arise and make you thankful that your collaboration is in place and
ready for a new challenge or opportunity.
Even in the absence of emerging crises that call for a concerted community response, the existence of
an active planning team and extensive community network can be a tremendous asset when presented
with opportunities for funding or collaborative program development. At a minimum,
Partnerships can be sustained by maintaining frequent contact and communication. Take as many
opportunities as you can to be a partner to keep the collaboration alive and fresh.
Commitment to common cause is an important asset in maintaining relationships. Look for opportunities
to share in new efforts that draw on the passion that went into your own community planning effort.
36
community planning
Keeping the Team in the Game

Maintaining momentum also requires you to ensure that the infrastructure remains in place for the duration
of the plans existence. Planners and implementers need to be constantly reminded of the relevance and
importance of the work theyre doing. Its critically important to continue to hold regular meetings of the
various teams involved in the planning and implementation effort.
Schedule meetings in advance and consider scheduling standing meetings for certain parts of the team,
such as the Steering Committee. Quarterly meetings, for example, scheduled for an entire year give people
an opportunity to develop a habit of attendance.
Make sure the agenda is relevant and engaging. Ask what people want to talk about and make sure its part
of the meeting plan.
Steering Committee members, in particular, must feel that they completely understand their role and that
their participation is meaningful for the group and for themselves. A Steering Committee that doesnt feel
needed or connected to the effort will steadily die off.
Revisit your plan document at least once a year to affirm continued relevance and to make revisions
where neededwhen circumstances change or when objectives are met, continue the planning process by
assessing the need for new objectives.
Work group leaders should keep their committees active through meetings and regular communications
to ensure ongoing completion of work to fulfill objectives and action steps of their respective plans. These
regular meetings are also valuable to share information, to identify continuing challenges or gaps in plan
implementation and to reach agreement on responses to those challenges. Meeting regularly (monthly
or bi-monthly) with their full work teams for 1-2 hours is essential for continuous planning, process
improvement and identification of new areas to be addressed.
37
welcoming america
Focus on Accomplishment
Dont underestimate the importance of tracking and reporting your success. One way is to develop
a regular process of reporting implementation activities and accomplishments. In the Boise Refugee
Community Plan, there is a formal quarterly progress reporting requirement developed and completed
by the work group leaders. Reports are posted online and accessible by all involved in the planning
effort and to anyone else visiting the public website. This process ensures ongoing implementation and
accountability; provides feedback to the planning community; and identifies successful outcomes, areas
needing priority focus, and opportunities to engage everyone involved in the implementation effort.
The Steering Committee will decide how often to meet to keep active and current, but quarterly meetings
could be the norm. These will be opportunities for them to evaluate progress, give feedback for the
continuing process, discuss issues and opportunities and provide leadership and support to the vision
that inspired the planning effort.
Finally, for sustainability, there needs to be someone in charge of pushing the plan forward. There is
an ongoing planning-implementation-planning cycle that will never do well on its own. The investment
in a network or implementation coordinator will pay great dividends in terms of progress and positive
evolution of the community plan.
Specifically, the implementation coordinators role could include the following activities:
Key contributor and member of the planning team
Convener, facilitator and recorder of work groups and other team meetings
Organizer of progress and outcome documentation
Keeper of the timeline and accountability manager
Determining the End Game

When we talk about the sustainability of our effort to effect change, we tend to ignore the possibility that
well accomplish our goals and that our vision for the future will become reality. No question, this would
be the perfect end gameto see the change become the new status quo. But our pragmatic nature tells
us that we may very well be faced with baby steps forward into the foreseeable future. Some community
planning efforts, by their nature, cannot know the end game. If our vision is indeed a community where
all people, regardless of background, heritage or culture, will be valued and included, then we may
need to be working at it for a very long time. So, keeping the planand the visionalive well into the future
becomes the ultimate goal and the measure of our success.
38
community planning
Boises Refugee Resource Strategic Community Plan

Participating Agencies/Organizations
ACHD Commuter Ride
College of Western Idaho
META
Ada County
El Ada Community Action Partnership
Pacific Western Training
African Community Development
English Language Center
St Alphonsus Regional Medical Center
Agency for New Americans
Family Medicine Residency of Idaho
St Alphonsus Medical Group
Big Brothers Big Sisters
Global Gardens
St Lukes Boise Medical Center
Boise City/Ada Country Housing Authority
HMS Host
Somali Bantu Zigua Community
Boise Housing/Community Development
Idaho Department of Health and Welfare
Terry Reilly Health Services
Boise State University
Idaho Department of Labor
Tidwell Social Work Services
Boise Police Department
Idaho Office for Refugees
The Learning Lab
Boise School District
Idaho Housing and Finance Association
The Salvation Army
Boise to Bukavu
Idaho Legal Aid Services
Valley Regional Transit
Catholic Charities of Idaho
Idaho Transportation Department
Womens and Childrens Alliance
City of Boise
International Refugee Community Assn
World Relief - Boise
Community Action Partnership of Idaho
International Rescue Committee
Working Solutions
Create Common Good
Jesse Tree
Valley Ride
Crossing Points
Living Independence Network Corp
United Way of Treasure Valley
39
welcomingamerica.org
At Western Union, we create growth by moving money for better.

From small businesses and global corporations, to families near and far away, to NGOs serving remote communities,
Western Union helps people and businesses move money - to help grow economies and realize a better world. In 2015,
we moved over $150 billion dollars for our consumer and business clients. We continue to innovate, developing new ways
to send money through digital, mobile, and retail channels, with an array of convenient pay-out options to meet business
and consumer needs.

Through Western Union Business Solutions, we help more than 100,000 clients including financial institutions, educational
institutions, NGOs, and small/medium sized businesses who need to make cross-border payments. NGO GlobalPay, for
example, provides foreign exchange and international payment services to more than 900 NGOs globally, making it
possible to deliver funds, within a matter of minutes, to the most isolated parts of the world.

500,000+: Agent locations, and 100,000 ATMs and kiosks around the globe
200+: In over 200 countries and territories
+130: Transacting in more than 130 currencies
+1B: Reaching more than one billion bank accounts worldwide

Support for Humanitarian Action and Refugees
WU has a long history of supporting issues related to migration, refugees, and humanitarian crisis. In 2013, we drew early
attention to the needs of young Syrian refugees through a multi-year consumer fundraising campaign, raising nearly
$60,000 for UNICEF. In September 2015, the company expanded its efforts to support humanitarian relief for refugees
throughout the Middle East & Europe, taking a 360 approach by engaging a variety of assets and audiences, including its
core operations, corporate voice, marketing and customer engagement programs, employee volunteerism, business
partnerships, corporate giving, and support from the WU Foundation. WU designed a three-pronged approach, designed
to address short-, medium- and long-term needs that were identified through hands-on field research. WU has engaged
its business partners, employees and customers in the campaign.

Products: Our NGO GlobalPay product has enabled NGO staff from Oxfam, IRC and others to send humanitarian
payments directly to programs in the field including to refugees and fieldworkers. We have also offered zero-fee
and reduced fee promotions to support the refugee community.1

o In the pipeline (not publicly announced): Our teams are exploring ways that our NGO GlobalPay product
can more effectively support refugees via humanitarian payments. We are also exploring whether our newly
launched WU EDGE platform could be used to support communication and rapid funds distribution after
emergencies, with a slant towards supporting education through initiatives like the Education Cannot Wait
fund. We are also working to launch a new Western Union MasterCard prepaid card that will enable
refugees and asylum seekers to receive funds from governments or NGOs on a reloadable prepaid card,
which will be piloted in Europe.
Pricing promotions include:
0 fee to Syria, up to 300 EUR at WUIB dedicated locations in Germany and Austria
0 fee from anywhere in the world to ID refugees, up to 300 EUR in Germany & Austria WUIB dedicated locations
Discounted pricing (permanent) to Syria, Jordan and Lebanon from 15 EU countries
Discounted (permanent) fee from Norway, Sweden and Denmark to Afghanistan, Iraq and Palestine

Giving: In 2015, Western Union and the Western Union Foundation provided more than $600,000 in philanthropic
contributions to numerous charitable organizations serving refugee populations throughout the Middle East and
Europe, including longtime partners Save the Children, Mercy Corps, and the Red Cross. The Western Union
Company also contributed ten US cents per transaction for all consumer-to-consumer transactions originated within
the European Union, giving more than USD$400,000. In 2016, the Western Union Foundation has committed to
giving more than $500,000 in humanitarian assistance, raising additional funds from our business partners and
employees to deliver critical support.

WU has engaged a range of business partners, both publicly and behind-the-scenes. An example includes
WorldBridge, a WU Agent in Greece, who stepped up to help distribute needed supplies. WU has encouraged its
business partners to give, offering a 1:1 match on gifts to priority NGO partners.
Employees: We have matched employee contributions 2:1, and WU employees in Europe have participated in handson volunteer efforts, collecting donations, handing out supplies, even babysitting the children of refugees so the
parents could attend classes. Our employees are working with NGOs to teach a full year of Italian and German to
roughly 1,000 new refugees. They have worked with Caritas to create two homes for unaccompanied refugee children,
and to provide language skills and education.

At our global leadership meeting in June, instead of a typical corporate team-building activity, our top 100+ executives
worked together to assemble 1600+ kits for World Vision that include educational materials, such as books, writing
pads, pencils and crayons, along with basic hygiene products that will be sent Syrian refugee children.

As in past years, we are partnering with Ashoka on our Executive-in-Residence program that places senior WU
leaders with Ashoka Fellows for two weeks. This year, for the first time, a select group of Ashoka Executive placements
will occur in partnership with NGOs focused on the refugee crisis. These opportunities aim to empower WU executives
to use their business acumen, marketing skills and financial knowledge to support charitable organizations doing
important work for refugees around the world.

o In the pipeline (not publicly announced): Western Unions HR teams are currently exploring ways to provide
training in job skills and support to build professional network profiles; opportunities to engage refugees in
freelance work and microwork; and possibilities for a refugee internship programs, virtual career fairs, and
a secondment program for WU employees.

There may be additional opportunities to hire refugees through WUs core business model, which employs
more than 1M front line associates through our agents worldwide.

Customers: We have made it easy for our customers to make a difference through the MyWU customer loyalty
program, which enabled WU customers to redeem their loyalty points to support the refugee crisis both in France and
Germany, with WU matching their donations. WU actively promoted points donation via SMS and email, and used
social media to provide transparent updates on our progress and encourage others to join in. Earlier this year, we
donated more than 10,000 thanks to the generosity of our loyalty members.

For World Refugee Day 2016, WU launched a consumer activation campaign to drive awareness and action from our
most loyal customers, yielding 30,000 to support refugees as consumers shared #WithRefugees content through
their social media channels, downloaded the WU App, and logged in to their MyWU.com account. All funds are being
directed to the Western Union Foundation to support educational opportunities for refugees. Overall, WU has directly
engaged over 2 million customers and social followers via email, SMS text messaging, and social media with content
and call-to-actions in support of refugees.

WU kick-started a chain of good deeds (betters) around the world through a new program called Chain of Betters.
Customers and the general public are encouraged to share ideas for making things better for others, for a chance to
receive funds from WU to bring their ideas to life. We have currently supported two ideas to support refugees
through this program, with two more in the works.

Advocacy and partnerships: Hikmet Ersek, Western Unions President and CEO, has used his voice to draw
awareness to the needs and opportunities presented by refugees at the World Economic Forum in Davos, the UN
World Humanitarian Summit, and other venues. WU has also signed on to a number of alliances to support
humanitarian action and refugees, including:
Western Union is a proud partner of the Tent Alliance, a platform to amplify the efforts of businesses to
support refugees, which was founded on the premise that business can add considerable value to
addressing the refugee crisis - not just through funding, but with innovation and expertise.

Western Union is part of the original White House call-to-action for private sector engagement on the global
refugee crisis. We are proud to join with President Obama in challenging the U.S. private sector to draw on its
unique expertise, resources and entrepreneurial spirit to help refugees regain control over their lives and
integrate into their new communities.
Western Union has committed to supporting several key partnerships that will improve the way refugees
and others receive aid in the form of humanitarian payments following a crisis, including a multi-year
initiative on data management and data protection that is facilitated by MasterCard, and the development
of Principles for Public-Private Cooperation in Humanitarian Payments facilitated by the World Economic
Forum.
As a founding member of the Global Business Coalition on Education, we have engaged with our partners
since 2012 to generate awareness of the importance of education as an early response tool for refugee
children. We continue to explore opportunities to collaborate with other GBC-Ed members to support
education in emergencies.

In the pipeline: Hikmet Ersek, Western Unions President and CEO, is slated to appear on a plenary
panel related to the topic of refugees at the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) in September 2016.
Western Union is also exploring how we might bring refugees voices to CGI, whether by sponsoring
refugee delegates to attend the event, by bringing a virtual reality experience to CGI, or other. We
are also sponsoring a refugee delegate to attend One Young World, a global conference for
millennials.

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TENT ALLIANCE JULY 27, 2016

TENT FOUNDATION ACTIVITIES OVERVIEW

Generating Employment Opportunities. Companies may either hire refugees or provide

FACT SHEET: White House Launches a Call to Action for Private

Join Airbnb in supporting relief organizations on the front lines

World Refugee Day: June 20, 2016

Global Alliance for Humanitarian Innovation (GAHI)

Photo Credit: Karine Aigner for Mercy Corps

William A. Van Nortwick, Jr.

Akerman LLP | 650+ lawyers | 24 locations | akerman.com

Million Jobs Blue Ribbon Panel: Employment Solutions

Million Jobs Blue Ribbon Panel: Employment Solutions

Million Jobs Blue Ribbon Panel: Employment Solutions

Million Jobs Challenge: Generating

From Harm to Home | Rescue.org

Education is a life-saving intervention. In emergencies where most agencies provide basic

GLOBAL EDUCATION INITIATIVE

SYRIAN REFUGEE CRISIS

The path forward

3. Which cities and venues will the concert tour visit?

EDUCATION FOR SYRIAN REFUGEES IN LEBANON

The biggest problem for

UNICEF REGIONAL DIRECTOR FOR THE

A Second Chance: Education for Syrian Refugees in Lebanon

HELP OUT OF SCHOOL SYRIAN REFUGEE CHILDREN RETURN AND

 Lebanon, with a population of around 4 million, is currently hosting as many

 This three-year, US $5 million program is designed to help prepare children

Lebanon region does not include Beirut.

Profile of the Speed School Fund

validated by the University of Sussex and Innovations for Poverty Action.

Legatum Center, MIT

Oracle / Domonique Neukomm

Today, one in eight Americans

Our goal is to CHANGE systems and cultures by helping communities

The Welcome Dayton Plan has led to thriving business

Since its launch in 2009, Welcoming America has

Welcoming Atlanta is implementing a comprehensive

W hite House Welcoming Champions of Change

Welcoming Alabama/Hillary Andrews Pint Bottle Photography

Intercultural Innovation Award, UN Alliance of

Nashvilles efforts to welcome a growing immigrant population

of business and community

And today, smaller towns and cities in places from Nebraska

Get your community on the path to welcoming.

The refugee experience is a unique

This toolkit has been developed with the input

Recognizing this challenge, Welcoming America,

For the latest tools and resources, to share your

PHOTO CREDIT: Nancy Farese and TIRRC

Perception trumps reality. A persons opinion isnt based on realityits based

Actions trump magic words. Smart messaging expresses action; messaging

I know the strength that

message toolkit elements

Then we share the Winning Message

Next, we share some Examples and

Stories are our most powerful tools

Finally, we share a selection of Tools

Recognizing the Contributions of our New Neighbors

STARTING A NEW CONVERSATION

WINNING MESSAGE THEMES

America is a nation of values,

Out of many cultures, our countrys

Lebanon, with a population of around 4 million, is currently hosting as many

This three-year, US $5 million program is designed to help prepare children

W hite House Welcoming Champions of Change

Intercultural Innovation Award, UN Alliance of

The Big Picture:

Q: We are happy to welcome some refugees, but we cant be overwhelmed.

Q: There are people in our communities already without jobs,

Q: Why are you helping people get on welfare?