RefugeesPhoto Credit: http://www.mtholyoke.edu/omc/migrations/

Lori Gangi, Erin Platt, Toni Watts, Haleigh Wiederrich, & Secilia Zulch

+Kerby Anderson

We met with Kerby Anderson who is a TCU social work alumni.

She is a case manager for the International Foster Care program at Catholic Charities.

She currently works with 10 refugee minors and their foster families.

+Who is a refugee?

As defined by the 1951 Refugee Convention, a refugee is someone “owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion, is outside the country of his nationality, and is unable to, or owing to such fear, is unwilling to avail himself of the protection of that country.“

A person becomes an asylum seeker once they cross they step outside of their country.

A person is considered an asylum seeker until the refuge request has been accepted.

+The Refugee Experience

1. Once a person steps out of their country of origin, they become asylum seekers. Most seek refuge in neighboring countries.

2. Once there, they apply for refugee status through the United Nation’s High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

3. Next they relocate to a refugee camp and wait for their next step, either returning home safely or relocation to a 3rd country.

+A Look at a Refugee Camp

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2L6VJKYnefc

+United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees

Established in the 1950 Refugee Committee by the United Nations General Assembly.

The UN’s organization that oversees and protects the rights of refugees.

Assist asylum seekers with claiming refugee status, finding sage refuge in another state, returning home, and resettling as well as working with stateless and displaced persons.

+Refugee Status

To gain refugee status, the asylum seeker has to: Interview four different times with the UNHCR Meet the 3rd countries criteria for refugee resettlement Endure the long wait to an available slot

U.S. Criteria for Refugee Admittance: Must be referred by the UNHCR or the U.S. Embassy Interview with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services

(USCIS) Pass medical examinations and background check

+Refugees v. Displaced Persons Unlike refugees, displaced persons have not crossed

international borders.

They often seek refuge in a different part of their country.

Despite this they still move for the same reasons as refugees.

There are roughly 12-15 million refugees and 25 million displaced persons. Unlike refugees, displaced persons are not recognized internationally.

+Third Country Resettlement As defined by the UNHCR, refugee

resettlement involves the “transfer of refugees from a State in which they have sought protection to a third State that has agreed to admit them, as refugees, with permanent residence status.”

There are 25 countries that have resettlement programs for refugees.

+Unaccompanied Refugee Minors (URM)

Children who are separated from their parents when they flee their country of origin and claim refugee status.

Usually between the ages of 14-18.

+International Foster Care

A specialized form of foster care in the United States.

Provides foster care for unaccompanied minors who do not have adult caregivers and allows minors to receive the full range of assistance offered to all foster children.

These minors cannot be adopted by their foster parents due to the chance that their biological parents can be found.

Services provided by IFC include tutoring, mentoring, independent living skills training, cultural activities, legal assistance, mental health services, intensive case management and education/ESL classes.

+Challenges Refugees Face

New Language- This is the starting point in helping refugees adjust to a new society. This is primarily a hurdle for people from African countries.

New Culture- Refugees struggle with culture shock and have to adapt to a new set of norms, including different standards of employment, wealth, hygiene, family roles, etc.

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)- Refugees leave behind their communities, possessions, and livelihoods and many witness various types of torture, isolation, and murder.

+Skills Needed to Work with Refugees

Cultural Competency

An understanding of civil conflict around the world (empathy)

Interpersonal Skills

Flexibility

Patience

+Refugees in DFW

The Congolese, Burmese- Chin, or Burmese-Karen make up the largest refugee populations in DFW.

DFW also has refugees from Burundi, Iraq, Afghanistan, Sudan, Somalia, as well as Eritrea.

+Questions?

We have a handout for you!

+A Refugee’s Story

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYWqrUBK2BM