Community Services

We help refugees who have been resettled in the United States for more than two years successfully integrate in their new home country. Refugees need long-term support beyond the initial resettlement period to achieve their full potential, achieve a high quality of life and become self-sustaining. To help refugees fully integrate in their new community, a holistic approach that addresses all aspects of long-term integration is essential.

Our community resource specialist team provides culturally and linguistically relevant services for refugees. We do this by:

  • Providing social service referrals and connections to resources
  • Providing support and opportunities for refugee communities to organize events to strengthen social connections and social bonding
  • Providing support for communities’ capacity to maintain, network and integrate to mainstream society
  • Creating new culturally-informed services, as needed
  • Providing case management, crisis interventions and advocacy to refugees who have been resettled in Utah for more than two years.

Refugee Community Capacity Building

We support local refugee communities’ efforts to provide assistance and education to their fellow community members. We provide:

  • Refugee Capacity Building grants
  • Leadership training to enhance collaboration among refugee communities
  • Board training and community organization workshops
  • Support and information to communities about available literacy training opportunities

Refugee Community-Based Organizations

Since 2010, we have supported the creation and development of more than 25 Refugee Communities-Based Organizations — groups comprised of newly arrived refugees in Utah. Our team assists these organizations in developing their organizational structures, including bylaws, articles of incorporation and non-profit status.

Our goal is to help enhance refugee leaders’ understanding of the systems of civic organization in the United States. The next step in their development is shifting the focus from organizational management to the development of high quality programs and partnerships.

Outcomes

We aim to help refugees achieve the following outcomes:

Economic Independence

Refugees become self reliant, productive and contribute to the economic outputs of their new home country.

Educational Achievement

Refugees access English classes, occupational trainings and higher education that will result in high skilled and high wage jobs.

Second generation children of refugees achieve school performance on par with students of native-born parents.

Health and Mental Health

Refugees have equal access to health care on par with native-born individuals.

Refugees become aware of the emotional and psychological trauma as a result of their treacherous journey and seek mental health services to overcome them.

Housing

Refugees live in welcoming, safe and affordable housing communities.

Socio-Cultural

Refugees have community space to communicate in their native language, celebrate their traditions and cultures, and network to find jobs.

Contact

Refugee Center
Phone: 801-618-5096
Email: refugeecenter@utah.gov