Dialogues that Dig Deeper: Surfacing the Multiple Faces of Homelessness in Grand Rapids, MI (Report Two)

This community dialogue was designed to identify current gaps in responses to homelessness in Grand Rapids as well as options for addressing those gaps. Given the feedback received, this report focuses on (1) mentorship programs similar to the aftercare program at Dégagé, (2) facilitated housing, and (3) ideas for fostering social connectedness. Through primary and secondary research as well as an analysis of our dialogue, our team was able to identify key areas of need in the fight for consistent, stable housing. Below you will find an outline of those ideas, more theoretical research on the subject, and data on homelessness/home-finding in general. The results will be shared with Dégagé, Seeds of Promise, nonprofit leaders, Grand Rapids businesses and openly published so any interested stakeholders can access the lessons learned

“And Slowly, the Integration and the Growing and the Learning”: Nuanced Notions of Integration of Bhutanese Refugees in US Cities

Policy related to refugee integration focuses on economic factors, while integration is not clearly operationalized nor is it being systematically measured and tracked in policy implementation. This study poses the question, how can local-level integration be conceptualized based on the perspectives of resettled refugees, to add nuance to policy. Using a case study approach with a nation-wide scale, data include 40 interviews and five focus groups with leaders of Bhutanese refugee-run organizations in 35 cities across the United States. Findings illustrate the importance of bonds, bridges and links in non-linear, relational integration. Findings also suggest that better access to services and resources is the responsibility of policy-makers and would lead to stronger bridges over time. This complicates existing policy and implies that resettlement programming should remain individualized and contextual from the ground level to the national level