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June 20th is World Refugee Day, and as such, an important day to celebrate reseilience and diversity through education. Here's one refugee story and an empowering organization behind him. Meet Eiad. 👇 Eiad, a young graduate, fled Syria in 2012 to escape the horrors of war and violence inflicted by the national army, responsible for the deaths of over 200,000 civilians. His dangerous journey across the Mediterranean in a wooden boat ended with him being granted asylum in a new home under the protection of the Geneva Convention. Despite being a qualified dentist and residing in a country facing a talent shortage like the UK, it took Eiad nearly six years to pursue his profession. Eiad's story put the challenge in perspective for me, placing a reflection on the resilience and determination of individuals like him who overcome immense obstacles with grace and courage. What is World Refugee Day? 🔍 Established by the United Nations, World Refugee Day seeks to educate the public on refugee issues, mobilize political will and resources to address global problems, and celebrate the contributions of refugees. This day serves as a reminder that everyone has the right to seek safety – whoever they are, wherever they come from, and whenever they are forced to flee. Spotlight on Chatterbox: 🌐 One remarkable initiative making a difference is Chatterbox, an innovative online language learning platform. What sets Chatterbox apart is its unique model of employing refugees as language tutors. Not only does this provide refugees with meaningful employment opportunities, it also allows them to use their language skills and cultural knowledge to educate others. What Can You Do: 🔗 HR professionals and leaders can committ to supporting refugees in the workplace by taking a pledge and connecting with a community dedicated to creating inclusive work environments for refugees. I've greatly appreciated learning about Chatterbox from Mursal Hedayat MBE and look forward to supporting the iniative. https://lnkd.in/eEbNNHkZ #ElevateRefugees #RefugeeWeek #WorldRefugeeDay #EducationForAll

We are fast approaching Refugee Week 2024 (June 17th - 23rd) 🎉 This year we're starting a refugee employment forum to give business leaders and refugees the opportunity to ask questions and learn from others. A powerful way to break down barriers and open up opportunities. 👉 Save the link to the forum (live on the 17th June): https://loom.ly/ARWlQyE Your answers to questions on the forum could help bring about change. For refugees, this means learning valuable insights from anyone who works in the UK. And for business leaders, it means learning from refugees to create more inclusive and refugee-friendly workplaces. Anyone with a job in the UK and/or who is from a refugee background should be able to answer some, or all, of the questions. It doesn't matter what you do, what level you're at, or the industry you work in - everyone will have something to offer. 💙 #RefugeeWeek #BusinessBehindRefugees

Last night I was invited to speak at an Access Alliance Multicultural Health and Community Services event with their Immigrant Researchers Support Network (IRSN). My presentation focused on Knowledge Mobilization and how they, as researchers, can become more active. Dr. Christopher Kyriakides from York U's Centre for Refugee Studies spoke first. It was a fantastic and engaging presentation. But one thing stood out. He spoke about a study he did in 2019 that explored key themes around the resettlement experiences of privately sponsored Syrian refugees in Ontario. It particularly focused on the impact of online pre-arrival contact via digital communication platforms like Facebook, Skype, and WhatsApp between refugees and their private sponsors. As he was describing the work, I realized I didn't know about it. And that it had significant findings related to the impact of digital/online pre-arrival services that would inform my own work. How did I not know about this really insightful research?! Beyond my bruised ego of not knowing about the report when I felt it should have crossed my radar at some point, I also realized that it would have added to the body of evidence we could have used in our various reports about sector innovation, hybrid services, and the path to the future of service delivery in the Immigrant and Refugee-serving sector. Of course it still can. This simple, but exceptionally important finding: "Those who had regular pre-arrival contact via digital applications such as Facebook, Skype, and Whatsapp reported more positive, 'successful' resettlement experiences than those who had not." You'll want to read the entire report. Unfortunately Dr. Kyriakides had to leave immediately after his presentation, so I wasn't able to chat with him about his report. But I'll be reaching out. To thank him for this important work, but also to thank him for the awesome Knowledge Mobilization segue I used to tell this story to folks attending. This report was published openly in Refuge: Canada’s Journal on Refugees. It was directly relevant to my own work and recent research. And yet I did not know about it? How could it have not crossed my radar? How could it have been missed in my literature reviews? I used this example to discuss why Knowledge Mobilization is so important. I'm not saying my missing it was anyone's fault. But important work like this needs to be shared widely, in many forms, to many relevant audiences. It was a great opportunity to bring the Knowledge Mobilization lens to some important work, highlight the benefits of doing KM with a wide and inclusive lens. And the benefits of just talking about your work. Which Dr. Kyriakides did. And I'm incredibly grateful I was in the room when he did it! Read the report here.

In this August 2021 Building Migrant Resilience in Cities webinar researchers presented a project that documents how access to information influenced collective resilience, settlement, and social inclusion among Yazidi refugees and Turkish-speaking refugee claimants in York Region. The project is very relevant to current and ongoing sector conversations about providing information, especially the reminders of tailoring information, in-language info, and building rapport/trust with communities in an ever-increasing ecosystem of mis- and disinformation. What do you need to know? Information access is essential for newcomers to achieve successful resettlement and social inclusion. Among Yazidi refugees and Turkish-speaking refugee claimants in York Region, trust was a central factor in determining information seeking strategies. Trust in information sources was shaped by newcomers' social networks and formal agencies' capacity to meet newcomers' needs, as well as pre-migration social and political factors. Increasing groups' capacity to provide mutual support was suggested as a promising way to ensure access to relevant and useful information. How can you use this research? Three main recommendations emerged for improving newcomers’ access to accurate and useful information. 1. Since newcomers’ information access strategies are complex and shaped by pre- and post-migration factors, strategies for sharing information must be tailored for each community. Agencies need time and resources to learn about the political, social and cultural history of each newcomer group. 2. Providing services in newcomers' preferred language is essential and plays a central role in trust-building. 3. Building community resilience by supporting each group’s own strategies to enhance community-led information initiatives may be effective in ensuring access to accurate, relevant, and useful information. https://lnkd.in/eFF37Kyg

A good idea to adopt and tailor for displaced #refugees within #Africa communities. In May 2022, the World Economic Forum launched the Refugee Employment Alliance, harnessing the opportunity to learn from the rapid response to the war in Ukraine to motivate progressive and equitable solutions for the economic integration of forcibly displaced populations globally: 1. Ensure legal and timely access to local labour markets 2. Prioritize skills-first approaches and reduce reliance on language in hiring 3. Create visibility for job openings and proactively support job matching 4. Drive public-private partnership “The biggest challenge that many refugees face is access to the formal labour market. Language barriers, lack of recognition of their qualifications, and discrimination all limit job opportunities.” “Refugees are experts at resilience and adaptability and tend to stay with the same employer longer, which is a true win-win.” The Refugee Employment Alliance is a coalition of #business, civil society, and #government leaders who coordinate and scale action on refugee #employment. The Alliance runs to January 2024 and is open to Chief Human Resources Officer, Ministers, and Civil Society Executives, all of whom can appoint a delegate to support the Alliance’s activities.

📢 New Research Publication!   Three NEOMA professors, Shiva Taghavi, Emmanouela Mandalaki and hedia zannad, identify refugees trajectories and sheds light on the challenges they face and how they evolve within them.     As global conflicts drive increasing migration to Europe, understanding the unique cultural characteristics of host countries and their impact on refugee journeys is more critical than ever. This study offers valuable insights into how refugees integrate to French society and adapt to new professional environments. 🔍 Key Findings: 📌 Three primary trajectories: Refugees in France follow 'adjusting', 'enhancing', or 'detaching' paths, each presenting distinct challenges and adaptation strategies. 📌 Multifaceted obstacles: Administrative hurdles and social isolation significantly impact refugees' ability to rebuild their cultural and professional identities. 📌  Complex identity interactions: The study reveals intricate interplays between various social identities, emphasizing the need for a nuanced understanding of refugee experiences in France's socio-professional landscape. 🌍 Why It Matters: By deepening our understanding of refugee integration, we can inform better policies and support mechanisms, fostering a more inclusive environment for newcomers. 📄 Read the Full Article Here ⤵ :   Taghavi S., Zannad H., & Mandalaki E. (2024). Socio-Professional Trajectories of Refugees in France: An Identity Work Perspective. M@n@gement, 27(1), 57-75. https://lnkd.in/eX66KjMV   #ResearchImpact #RefugeeIntegration #Acculturation https://lnkd.in/evv8dmpJ

Why It Matters: By deepening our understanding of refugee integration, we can inform better policies and support mechanisms, fostering a more inclusive environment for newcomers.

Empowering Refugees Through Mentorship and Networking Refugee workforce integration is essential. Mentorship and networking are key. Let's discuss their impact. How can we support refugees? Join us in making a difference. https://lnkd.in/dzBu4-Jd PS: What role can you play?  #EmpowerRefugees #MentorshipMatters #NetworkingForSuccess 

Today kicks off Refugee Week 2024, and I'm thrilled to join Mursal Hedayat MBE and other global leaders in highlighting the challenges refugees face in their pursuit of safety and stability. 💟 Let's unite in supporting the #ElevateRefugees campaign by Chatterbox. Follow us for daily updates, discussions, and insights on the immense talent refugees bring, the barriers they face in the workplace, and the incredible potential that organizations are overlooking. Refugees often struggle with low employment rates, bias, and harmful stereotypes, leading to the underutilization of their professional skills. It's time we join forces to #ElevateRefugees. To my network: I encourage you to join the conversation this week. Discover ways to support, employ, integrate, and empower refugee workers. 📣 Show your support for Refugee Week by commenting #ElevateRefugees below. Let us know if your company is active in this space and receive a content pack to be part of this vital conversation! #refugees #humanitarian #jobs #conflict

I had the privilege of attending the NGO consultations on refugee resettlement and complementary pathways in Geneva this week. Over 300 delegates from 25 countries came together to discuss how we can meet the urgent needs of the 3 million refugees requiring resettlement by 2030. The discussions centered around equity, trust, and protection-centered complementary pathways. 🔑 Key takeaways included the UNHCR's strategy to achieve three main goals by 2030: 1. Expanded Resettlement 2. Improved Access to Complementary Pathways: Offering alternatives like educational opportunities, employment, family reunification, community sponsorship, and humanitarian admissions. 3. Building Welcoming and Inclusive Societies: Establishing a foundation for long-term integration and support. 💡 Addressing Key Tensions and Opportunities in the Room: 1. Equity in Response: How can we extend successful strategies from the Afghan and Ukraine responses to other crises like Sudan? This includes utilizing complementary pathways, fast-tracking employment authorization, and allowing refugees to choose their settlement locations. 2. Protection vs. Labor Pathways: As labor mobility programs grow, we must ensure we don't create a two-tiered system of refugee eligibility. 3. Engaging Refugees in global discussion: Is it about quantity or quality? We need mechanisms that ensure meaningful participation, influence, and decision-making for refugees in institutions like UNHCR, and in forums such as these. Delegates emphasized the importance of investing in refugee leadership and building the necessary infrastructure for effective collaboration. ❗ What was missing: - AI in Refugee Solutions: There was no conversation on AI, even though UNHCR is well-positioned to set standards and guidelines on data architecture and empowerment. - Inclusion Strategies: The focus was on getting people into host countries, with no modeling around effective inclusion models to ensure people are set up for success. ➡️ Next steps: - National Migration Framework: The U.S. should invest in developing a national migration framework that connects with inclusion strategies. Canada and Italy are already modeling the way. Yes, I know, I said Italy. I'd love for those of us focused on refugee inclusion to make a joint pledge at the next Global Refugee Forum to show how inclusion should be on the map. Thoughts? Listen to some of my thoughts about the consultations. #RefugeeResettlement #ComplementaryPathways #GlobalRefugeeForum