As part of NHSA’s Hub initaitive, the resources below are curated to help Head Start programs learn more about how working with and supporting refugee populations.
Toolkits to Connect with Refugee Communities
NHSA and communications and research firm Fors Marsh have designed two toolkits with materials to help Head Start programs and refugee resettlement agencies better understand each other’s services and to increase enrollment and employment of people with refugee status in Head Start. The toolkits include customizable posters and flyers, fact sheets, text messages, and social media ads to encourage enrollment and employment of children and families with refugee status in Head Start.
- How Head Start Can Support the Refugee Community
- Head Start Opportunities for Families with Refugee Status
ECLKC offers fillable recruitment flyers, Is the US Your New Home? in multiple languages: Arabic, Bengali, Burmese, French, Haitian Creole, Hindi, Mandarin, Pashto, Portuguese, Ukrainian, Urdu, and Vietnamese.
Population, Refugees, and Migration Fact Sheet
This document is shared by the U.S. Department of State and provides an overview of the Reception and Placement Program. Find out where refugees are resettled, the role of resettlement agencies, what happens when refugees arrive in the U.S., and more.
Office of Refugee Resettlement
Find refugee resettlement programs and services provided in your state. Using the interactive map, click on your state and you will be redirected to a page that lists the name and contact information for programs and services in your area.
Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service Preferred Refugee Employer Program
Preferred Refugee Employers (PRE) offer support and services that are of particular help to the refugee community. Learn more about designated refugee employment best practices and how to become a PRE.
Trust Building Brief
This resource, created by the Migration Policy Institute, shares best workplace practices to adopt in order to build trust with immigrant and refugee families.
Building Trust with Immigrant Families
Watch this presentation from The Aspen Institute on building trust with immigrant families and hear from three organizations that are making remarkable success building trust with immigrant and refugee communities. Learn how community-based non-profits can develop deeper relationships with their immigrant family clients, how school systems can provide safe spaces to develop stronger relationships among parents, children, and teachers, and how home visiting programs can increase participation by hiring and retaining staff that immigrant families trust.
Setting Up Refugee Employees & Their Teams for Success
View this presentation on cultural inclusion and why it’s important for companies hiring refugees to develop a stronger and deeper understanding of how to educate your workforce to build cultural inclusion and learn best practices for cultural inclusion with a focus on refugees.
The Tent Partnership for Refugees
Tent is a nonprofit that mobilizes the business community to improve the lives and livelihoods of refugees all over the world. Navigate their site and their resource page to learn about how hiring refugees helps brands, how U.S. employers can hire Afghan refugees, and much more.
OHS Culture and Language Resources
Head Start programs put into practice an equity-focused mindset in several ways. Programs do this while emphasizing children’s cultural and linguistic strengths and holding high expectations for all. Administrators, teachers, providers, caregivers, and families can use OHS resources to promote a positive experience for all children and by emphasizing children’s cultural and linguistic strengths.
Credentialing Resources
- World Education Services: World Education Services (WES) is North America’s trusted leader in credential evaluation services. WES works with designated partners to identify individuals who are eligible for the Gateway Program. The program is available to individuals educated in Afghanistan, Eritrea, Iraq, Syria, Türkiye, Ukraine, and Venezuela who meet program requirements. Note: WES only accepts transcripts directly from the school that issued them unless you go through the WES gateway program.
- Educational Credential Evaluators: Educational Credential Evaluators (ECE) reviews academic achievements by individuals from other countries and converts them to the U.S. or Canadian system. If you want to study or work in or immigrate to the U.S. or study in Canada, an ECE evaluation report will help to ensure that you are recognized for your educational accomplishments. Note: Credentials must be translated in order to submit.
- International Education Evaluations: IEE offers a variety of credentialing services, including but not limited to, evaluation, translation, and verification. Evaluation–Determining your academic standing according to US standards. Translation–Word-for-word translation from one language to another. Verification–Authentication of documents. Note: Be sure to check that all documents meet Quality Rating and Improvement Systems (QRIS) standards before requesting a credentialing service from IEE.
Head Start Position Profiles
- Staff Qualifications: Explore this resource page to better understand the requirements and qualifications necessary for Head Start staff in order for them to fulfill the roles and responsibilities for their position.
- Job Center: Use this page to search for job opportunities in Head Start in your state. Utilize the filter tools on the left-hand side of the webpage to narrow down your search by state and the type of role/position you are seeking (E.g. Family Services, Administration, Transportation, and more).
- Hiring and Training Bus Drivers and Monitors: Bus drivers and bus monitors are crucial for the success of Head Start programs because they help children get to the program and home again, and they support learning opportunities while the children are being transported. Visit this resource to learn more about the minimum requirements and recommended qualifications for Head Start drivers and monitors.
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