U.S COMMITTEE FOR REFUGEES AND IMMIGRANTS
  • LANGUAGE OPTIONS


Sharing Good Practice to Better Serve Refugees

August 5, 2024

The Refugee and Social Services team at USCRI headquarters hosted a two-day National Conference in Arlington, Virginia, where USCRI’s network leaders gathered to learn and discuss key topics. There were 131 participants, which were case managers and coordinators from refugee programs in our field offices and affiliates across the country.

On the first day, Eskinder Negash, USCRI President and CEO, delivered the Opening Remarks, emphasizing the vital importance of our work for refugee and immigrant communities both in the United States and worldwide. The day continued with an opening panel on the Resettlement Landscape, moderated by Dylanna Grasinger, Vice President, Refugee Programs and featuring Andrew Nacin from the White House National Security Council; Kenneth Tota, Deputy Director of the Office of Refugee Resettlement; and Kiera Berdinner, Domestic Resettlement Section Chief, Refugee Admissions, PRM at the Department of State. They discussed trends in refugee numbers and origins, Special Immigrant Visas (SIVs), ORR-eligible arrivals, and the implications for serving these populations.

In the afternoon and for most of the second day, participants attended four breakout sessions of their choice. Each session, capped at 30 people and led by two experts, covered topics such as effective communication with landlords to increase housing opportunities, peer group facilitation for community engagement, handling increased caseloads and emergency situations, and working with volunteers to enhance support.

After lunch on the second day, attendees reconvened for a Report Back session, sharing best practices and highlights from each breakout session. The conference concluded with closing remarks from AnnaMarie Bena, USCRI Senior Vice President, who thanked everyone for their participation and underscored the importance of their daily work.

USCRI HQ extends its gratitude to everyone for their engagement and contributions.

 


Related Posts

The 1951 Refugee Convention: Sexual...

For a backgrounder on the refugee definition, see “Defining ‘Refugees’—An Exclusionary Legacy.” The 1951 Convention relating to the Status of...

READ FULL STORY

Honoring World Refugee Day

In May of 1939, a boat of German Jews aboard the St. Louis plead for asylum in the United States....

READ FULL STORY

Invisible Hands: Confronting Child Labor...

The açaí in your health bowl, the cocoa in your chocolate, the coffee in your latte, the copper in your phone—what...

READ FULL STORY