Refugee School Impact (RSI)
The influx of approximately 100,000 Afghans and 270,000 Ukrainians is unprecedented since the major refugee resettlements that followed WWII. In fact, before the Afghan and Ukrainian crises, the U.S. admitted on average only 25,000 refugees annually. Of new arrivals, 50% of admitted Afghans are children, while 90% of Ukrainian refugees are women and children.
In response to this surge, the Afghan Refugee School Impact—Support to Schools (ARSI—S2S) and the Ukrainian Refugee School Impact (URSI) programs were established. These programs aim to provide community-based, person-centered services that support the academic performance of eligible Afghan and Ukrainian newcomers and that foster the successful integration of these children, youth, and their families into communities. Funds are directed towards providing linguistically and culturally responsive support services.
CIRH partners with local education agencies (LEAs) and community-based organizations (CBOs) to provide support services to newly arrived refugee students, youth, and families from Afghanistan and Ukraine. Services encompass coordination of support services for basic needs and implementation of activities that foster connections such as family engagement and empowerment, and youth engagement and development. Activities for ARSI–S2S and URSI include:
Provide basic needs support to school-aged youth and their families
Foster family engagement and empowerment
Support youth engagement and development
Support school enrollment
Support capacity-building to share information, best practices, and lessons learned through participation in communities of practice
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ARSI—S2S provides support services to newly arrived school-aged children, youth, and their families from Afghanistan. Activities for ARSI—S2S include:
Provide basic needs support to youth and families, including:
Early childhood development for preschool-aged children, including in-home support services
Identification of community partners
Outreach and navigation to increase access to public benefits
Foster family engagement and empowerment, including:
Parent-child joint literacy programming
Language access
Parenting
Intimate partner violence education
Parental engagement in schooling
Recreational programming
Support youth engagement and development, including:
Anti-bullying programs
Mentorships
Culturally focused recreation
Tutoring and literacy education
Culturally responsive school staffing
Support school enrollment
Support capacity-building to share information, best practices, and lessons learned through participation in communities of practice.
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URSI provides support services to eligible Ukrainian and non-Ukrainian children and their families displaced from Ukraine. Activities for URSI include:
Provide basic needs support to youth and families, including:
Connect families with resources and services to address critical basic needs
Early childhood development
Identification of community partners
Outreach and navigation to increase access to public benefits
Foster family engagement and empowerment, including:
Parent-child joint literacy programming
Language access
Parenting
Intimate partner violence education
Parental engagement in schooling
Recreational programming
Support youth engagement and development, including:
Anti-bullying programs
Mentorships
Culturally focused recreation
Tutoring and literacy education
Culturally responsive school staffing
Support school enrollment
Support capacity-building to share information, best practices, and lessons learned through participation in communities of practice.
Refugee Health Support Team
The Refugee Health Support Team provides comprehensive support to grantees of Afghan Refugee School Impact—Support to Schools (ARSI—S2S) and Ukrainian Refugee School Impact (URSI). The team offers various services tailored to meet the linguistically and culturally responsive academic needs of Afghan and Ukrainian youth and their families.
Areas of Support
Individual consultations: Partnering with local education agencies (LEAs) and community-based organizations (CBOs) for strategic planning
Our team of native speakers offers translation support to Dari, Pashto, Ukrainian, and Russian of already translated educational materials, forms, and communications to ensure cultural and linguistic relevancy
If you need support with reviewing already translated materials, please reach out to refugeeschoolimpact@phi.org
Presentations and Webinars: Supporting school staff, CBOs, and community members with best practices for supporting refugee children and families
CIRH’s sessions educate school staff, CBOs, and community members on best practices for supporting refugee children and families
Sessions cover mental health support, cultural sensitivity training, trauma-informed care, and other topics
Resource Connections: Providing access to relevant tools and resources for refugee children and families
Resources include healthcare services, legal aid, community programs, and basic needs support
To request a presentation from the Refugee Health Support Team at your organization, please fill out the Training Request Form.
Meet the Team
The Refugee Health Support Team comprises experts with language skills, deep community knowledge, and lived experiences, empowering them to deliver culturally congruent and holistic support with empathy and understanding.
2024 Training & Webinar Schedule
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April 18, 2024 - Providing Basic Needs Support Through a Trauma-Informed Lens
May 16, 2024 - Introduction to Ukrainian Refugees
June 24, 2024 - World Refugee Day Webinar Building Bridges: Strengthening Refugee Communities Through Education
July 18, 2024 - Introduction to Afghan Refugees
September 12, 2024 - Newcomer Handbook Guide Presentation by Refugee Student from Ukraine