Defining the Community Integration Model of Refugee Resettlement

Engaging the Community in Successful Refugee Resettlement

Abstract

Refugee resettlement in the United States is administered through a private-public partnership between government agencies and systems of national and local agencies that provide for the initial needs of refugees and place them on a path towards economic self-sufficiency. Generally speaking, there are two primary national models for refugee resettlement: the faith based (or co-sponsoring) model and the secular model. The faith based model of refugee resettlement has received a lot of attention with numerous studies supporting its efficacy in facilitating refugee integration in the U.S. Unfortunately, the more secular model of resettlement, which Nationalities Service Center (NSC) refers to as the community integration model, has received no examination of its methods and success for refugee integration. This article will explore the community integration model of refugee resettlement administered by NSC, a local resettlement agency and affiliate of U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI), to provide for the successful resettlement and integration of displaced persons in Philadelphia and engage the local community in resettlement. It is important to note that resettlement, despite the general model that the resettlement agency ascribes to, takes on the flavor of the local community. The local culture and resources available shape a refugee’s experiences just as the approach of their local resettlement agency.