Ideas to raise awareness and make a positive impact on refugee and immigrant issues

1. Write articles for your school or community newspaper!

• Profile a local refugee or immigrant.
• Feature a specific refugee or immigrant crisis.
• Write a “letter to the editor” stating your opinion on current immigration issues.

2. Advocate!

• Call or send letters to your local legislator regarding current immigration issues.

3. Reach out to refugees and immigrants in your local area!

• Volunteer at a local agency that works with refugee and immigrant populations.
• Invite immigrants and refugees to school, church or community events to teach about their country of origin and culture, and teach words or phrases in their native language.
• Tutor local refugee and immigrants in life skills; help them learn how to navigate their new communities (i.e. where to purchase household items, where to repair things).
• Host a community-wide multicultural event featuring international foods and music.
• Host an “English conversation group” to assist new refugees and immigrants in developing and using their English language skills.
• Be a mentor to a newcomer.
• Prepare “welcome baskets” for new refugee and immigrants families.
• Make posters and banners for schools and community centers with words in a variety of languages, such as Hmong, Somali, French, and Spanish.

4. Increase awareness of refugee and immigrant issues!

Invite a speaker to present on refugee and immigrant issues at a local school, community or church group. Speakers could include:

• A local immigrant or refugee—possibly a panel of newcomers;
• A person who works with refugee and immigrants locally. 
• Someone who has worked in a refugee camp or with refugees in another country.

5. Form a refugee/immigrant club within your school or neighborhood with others interested in these issues! Possible club activities include:

• View films and read books dealing with refugee and immigrant issues and discuss.
• Host a fundraiser i.e. raffle, car wash or “Native Cultures Art Fair” (use art to express feelings on refugee and immigrant issues) to raise money for a local organizations that work with refugees and immigrants.

6. “The International Connection:” helping refugees and immigrants around the world!

• Begin a pen pal program with refugees in a refugee camp overseas.
• Initiate international contacts to develop “classroom to classroom” communication with refugees and immigrants via the Internet or programs (i.e. U.S. Peace Corps World Wise Schools).
• Raise money for humanitarian organizations (like UNHCR or UNICEF) that work with refugee and immigrant populations.