How can you develop successful outreach programs for immigrants, refugees, and people with disabilities?

Although interviews, surveys, and focus groups are a great idea they can feel transactional if the person conducting the assessments has no connection to the community they desire to serve. To know the community is to be the community. The group that is collecting qualitative or quantitative data should be from or adjacent to the people they are collecting data from. This builds trust, increases the probability of more substantial information being provided and reduces the probability of hostility or tension due to the interviewer being an "outsider".

To develop successful outreach programs for immigrants, refugees, and people with disabilities, I prioritize cultural competence. Currently, as a Project Officer leading a teacher training program for educators in alternative centers, specifically supporting the refugee community through education, we've faced initial challenges with teacher commitment. However, by training staff and collaborating with local organizations, we've established trust and completed the first phase. Now, in the second phase, we are expanding efforts by engaging additional teachers from refugee learning centers, aiming to enhance overall educational impact and support within the community.

Effectivement, tout commence par un diagnostic des besoins, des préférences et les obstacles. Ce diagnostic permet de mieux cerner les besoins afin d'établir une priorisation des interventions pour la communauté cible. Les résultats de cette étape de diagnostic permettra d'élaborer un plan de solutions adaptées qui constituerait des objectifs du programme. Pour une illustration selon mon expérience en tant qu'accompagnateur des jeunes à l'insertion, le premier entretien permet d'évaluer le potentiel des jeunes en faisant un état des lieux de leurs motivations, aptitudes et compétences techniques et personnelles. Cela permet de s'accorder sur un programme d'accompagnement sur mesure qui prend en compte ses forces et ses points à améliorer.

One thing you may want to consider is to include people with lived experiences similar to your target population in your planning or your research process. This will help you test your assumptions, and ensure you are prioritizing and including activities that address the most important challenges for the target population in your plan.

As the program is developed, participants must have a voice in policy making and Governance. This is critical as lived experiences can help shape relevant and meaningful impact on the direction of the program.

Additionally, simply ensure that your library (building and collection) is accessible. For example - Is there a wheelchair accessible entrance or entrances? - How many audio/visual resources are there? - How about books in braille? - Is there a disability assistance for PWD? While it's great to have all the rallies, the library must be ready to cater to the needs of these users when they come.

Self direction and independent living principles offer valuable tools to encourage participants to be active in decision making and respectful of the dignity of risk.