Helps organizations identify their goals, assess their resources, and determine their capacity to meet the needs of immigrant/refugee families. The barriers facing immigrants/refugees are both personal (borne out of past experiences) and social (related to adjusting to a new culture). Organizations that decide to work with these families will need to learn how to do business differently, but in the process the organization can become stronger as it gains cultural competence. The guide summarizes the diversity among immigrant/refugee families living in the United States, as a function of cultural, religious, social, ethnic, and linguistic histories; degree of trauma experienced before migration; socioeconomic background; age of entry to and length of time living in the U.S.; and definitions of family, community, and social roles. Also discussed are: (1) ways of achieving cultural understanding, including asking questions in order to build a productive relationship, observing immigrant community customs, and communicating with relevant agencies to fill in knowledge gaps; (2) steps to assessing capacity to meet the growing needs of immigrant/refugee families, including evaluating resources available to assist the organization in its programs, identifying staffing and logistical needs, developing partnerships with groups and networks with special expertise, and engaging in outreach efforts.
