National Refugee Leadership & Lived Experience Council (NRLLEC) Info Session: Refugee Congress recently announced the NRLLEC program, which will provide individuals with lived displacement experience the opportunity to directly impact ORR’s future policy planning while receiving access to a range of professional development opportunities. The first cohort will focus on refugee youth ages 18-24. Applications for the first council are now being accepted through January 8, 2025. These upcoming info sessions will offer an overview of the program and walk through the application. 

Friday, December 20 at 12:00 p.m. CT 

National Refugee Leadership & Lived Experience Council (NRLLEC) Info Session: Refugee Congress recently announced the NRLLEC program, which will provide individuals with lived displacement experience the opportunity to directly impact ORR’s future policy planning while receiving access to a range of professional development opportunities. The first cohort will focus on refugee youth ages 18-24. Applications for the first council are now being accepted through January 8, 2025. These upcoming info sessions will offer an overview of the program and walk through the application. 

Thursday, December 19 at 7:00 p.m. CT 

Foundations of Mandatory Reporting for Refugee Service Providers: This Switchboard webinar will cover the basics of mandatory reporting, including what is considered a reportable situation, to whom service providers should report, and what crucial information to include in a report. Case scenarios will allow participants to explore the difficulties of balancing and managing client trust, confidentiality, and relationships, while upholding mandatory reporting responsibilities.

Thursday, December 19 at 12:00 p.m. CT 

Updates for Welcomers: Join Welcome Corps for an upcoming info session on potential changes to private sponsorship programs, featuring partners and resettlement experts.  

Wednesday, December 18 at 6:00 p.m. CT 

Translation and Interpretation: Training for Sponsors and Volunteers: This lunch and learn will equip participants with essential knowledge and skills needed to effectively use translation and interpretation services in various situations. 

Monday, December 16 at 6:00 p.m. CT 

Lunch and Learn - Advocacy Part I: Informed Conversations About Refugee Resettlement: This webinar will equip participants with valuable knowledge and skills to effectively share about refugee resettlement in conversations with friends and family. Participants will learn best practices for entering conversations around resettlement, especially how to correct misinformation and reframe common messaging.

Monday, December 16 at 11:00 a.m. CT

Translation and Interpretation: Training for Sponsors and Volunteers: This lunch and learn will equip participants with essential knowledge and skills needed to effectively use translation and interpretation services in various situations. 

Monday, December 16 at 11:00 a.m. CT 

Newcomer Toolkit: Creating Welcoming Environments for Newcomer Students: Join the National Clearinghouse for English Language Acquisition (NOELA) for a webinar series to discuss the Newcomer Toolkit. 

• Part 1 will discuss the diversity of the newcomer student population and present examples of how to create a welcoming environment for newcomer English learners on  Wednesday, November 6 at 2:00 p.m. CT 

• Part 2 will discuss the social, emotional and mental health of newcomer students and how these factors affect their access to equitable education on Thursday, December 12 at 1:00 p.m. CT  

Refugee Mental Health: Best Practices for Service Providers: This workshop, in partnership with MO-ORA, provides comprehensive guidance for service providers on effectively addressing the mental health needs of refugee populations. Participants will learn about effective assessment and screening tools tailored for refugee mental health, as well as theoretical approaches for conducting therapy with refugee clients. The training also covers key considerations for working with interpreters in therapy sessions and strategies for addressing cultural barriers that may arise. Thursday, December 12 at 2:00 p.m. CT

• Register here  

• Take the pre-training survey here 

Refugee Program Training - Special Topics (AHP, UHP and C/H Entrant eligibility): Hosted by ORR, this training will review certain Eligibility 101 concepts and then dive into more technical detail about immigration status and eligibility requirements for humanitarian parolees from Afghanistan and Ukraine as well as Cuban/Haitian Entrants. This training is only for ORR grant recipients and subrecipients and is not for individuals conducting eligibility for non-ORR-funded programs.

Thursday, December 12 at 1:30 p.m. CT 

Refugee Program Training - Eligibility 101: Hosted by ORR, this training will cover the fundamentals of eligibility for ORR Refugee Program benefits and services. Presenters will review the basics of relevant immigration processes, ORR authorities, immigration status/category requirements, and the date and duration of eligibility for ORR-eligible individuals. This training is only for ORR grant recipients and subrecipients and is not for individuals conducting eligibility for non-ORR-funded programs.

Tuesday, December 10 at 1:30 p.m. CT 

Haitian Culture and Health Screening Considerations: Hosted by the Center of Excellence in Newcomer Health, this webinar will outline the history of migration from Haiti to the U.S., potential health issues and disparities of Haitians, required components of medical screenings and cultural considerations when providing care.

Thursday, December 12 at 1:00 p.m. CT 

Current Trends and Strategies for Building Belonging in K-12 Classrooms: Learn from immigration experts and educators about practical tools and strategies for fostering a sense of belonging for immigrant students and their families.

Wednesday, December 11 at 6:00 p.m. CT 

Updates for Welcomers: Join Welcome Corps for an upcoming info session on potential changes to private sponsorship programs, featuring partners and resettlement experts.  

Thursday, December 5 at 7:00 p.m. CT 

Higher Education Partnerships in Refugee Health: This webinar will highlight refugee health partnerships between higher education institutions and refugee serving organizations. Attendees will learn about partnership opportunities, the value of refugee-focused health engagement for campuses and strategies for addressing challenges.

Thursday, December 5 at 12:00 p.m. CT 

Sounding Board for Community Sponsorship Staff: Self-Care for Community Engagement Staff: This discussion will explore different types of self-care that can be incorporated both during and outside of office hours. Participants will also consider effective boundaries for specific agency roles.

Tuesday, December 3 at 1:00 p.m. CT

Immigration 101: Hosted by MO-ORA's Shelbye Renfro, this training will focus on the history of immigration and immigration policies in the U.S., definitions of various refugee categories, migration realities across the world, resettlement in Missouri and how service providers can come together to serve refugees in our state. 

Tuesday, November 26 at 1:00 p.m. CT 

A Warm Welcome: Refugee Panel: This lunch and learn will feature firsthand stories from refugees, showcasing the impact of community support on their successful integration. Key topics include challenges experienced by refugees while adapting to their new surroundings, as well as effective strategies and practices that communities can use to foster a welcoming and inclusive environment for refugees. 

Monday, November 25 at 6:00 p.m. CT 

A Warm Welcome: Refugee Panel: This lunch and learn will feature firsthand stories from refugees, showcasing the impact of community support on their successful integration. Key topics include challenges experienced by refugees while adapting to their new surroundings, as well as effective strategies and practices that communities can use to foster a welcoming and inclusive environment for refugees. 

Monday, November 25 at 11:00 a.m. CT 

Creating Welcoming Communities: How You Can Get Involved: Community Sponsorship Hub is hosting a panel discussion on sponsorship, featuring perspectives from national leaders and local sponsors on creating welcoming communities. Explore the role of programs like the Welcome Corps in building sustainable support networks and share practical ways communities of all sizes can get involved in sponsorship.

Thursday, November 21 at 12:00 p.m. CT

Promoting Immigrant Student Mental Health and Wellbeing: Educators are in a unique position to notice and support the mental health challenges students are facing, including the stressors that immigrant students may grapple with. Join the Immigrant Learning Center to explore student mental health and wellness from a variety of educator perspectives.

Tuesday, November 19 at 3:00 p.m. CT 

KIND's Central American Minors (CAM) Application Program: Learn how Kids In Need of Defense (KIND) is helping parents reunify with their children and bring them to safety through the Central American Minors (CAM) program. The information session will provide an overview of the CAM program, KIND’s role in the process, procedures for making a referral for assistance and recent changes expanding eligibility criteria.

Tuesday, November 19 at 1:00 p.m. CT 

State of Transit in Missouri: The Missouri Public Transit Association (MPTA) in partnership with Citizens for Modern Transit (CMT) is hosting a webinar to discuss the impacts of public transit across the state. On the heels of securing $11.7 million in transit funding from the state that is being split amongst the 32 transit providers operating in Missouri, attendees will learn about the latest plans for the Kansas City and St. Louis areas, along with the largest rural provider in the state.

Tuesday, November 19 at 8:30 a.m. CT 

Kindness Begins with Me is excited to host their first ever trivia night! With the theme, A Kinder World, put your mind to the test with eight rounds of trivia and games.

Snack Sacks including local and refugee favorites will be available for purchase, as well as raffles, contests and a silent auction. All proceeds will go right back to Kindness Begins with Me to support their various refugee programs.

Learn more!

Bishop DuBourg High School

5850 Eichelberger Street, St. Louis, MO63109

Doors open at 6:00 p.m. and trivia starts at 7:00 p.m.

Join the International Institute of St. Louis for their third annual Ubuntu Gala. Hosted by Michelle Li with entertainment by Lamar Harris and K:ODE Dance Group, Ubuntu is a night of celebrating community and multiculturalism in St. Louis.

The Reverie

17089 N Outer 40 Rd

Chesterfield, MO 63005

Purchase tickets here.

Immigrant Economic and Workforce Forum: Join Welcoming KC for an in-depth conversation with Kansas City’s leading experts on immigration and how to support immigrants to create a welcoming place for all.

Friday, November 15 at 9:00 a.m. CT

CCIR Connection: A Networking Event: Communities Concerned for Immigrants and Refugees (CCIR) is hosting a networking event open to all individuals working with immigrant and refugees. This guided networking opportunity will share 2024 highlights, spotlight newer organizations and programs and identify focus areas for 20245.

Thursday, November 14 at 9:00 a.m. CT 

Bridging the Gap: Strategies and Insights for the Career Advancement of Internationally Educated Newcomers: Join Switchboard for a discussion on supporting internationally educated newcomers in navigating career pathways in the U.S. Speakers will discuss how Refugee Career Path-funded programs are supporting internationally educated ORR-eligible clients by helping them navigate career pathways that leverage their existing education, skills, and experiences. Wednesday, November 13 at 1:00 p.m. CT 

Refugee Mental Health: Best Practices for Service Providers: This two-part workshop, in partnership with MO-ORA, provides comprehensive guidance for service providers on effectively addressing the mental health needs of refugee populations. Participants will learn about effective assessment and screening tools tailored for refugee mental health, as well as theoretical approaches for conducting therapy with refugee clients. The training also covers key considerations for working with interpreters in therapy sessions and strategies for addressing cultural barriers that may arise. Thursday, November 7 & Friday, November 8 at 12:00 p.m. CT

• Register here

• Take the pre-training survey here

Welcoming America Rural Welcoming Initiative: Participants in the Rural Welcoming Initiative get access to technical assistance and coaching, free Welcoming America membership, and ongoing learning opportunities to strengthen welcoming efforts in rural communities. 

• Join the upcoming info session to learn more about the program on Thursday, November 7 at 1:00 p.m. CT 

• Applications for the program are due by Friday, December 6 at 10:59 p.m. CT