Cover photo by Sean Sheridan. The Welcome Desk. Belonging begins with affirmation. How can we welcome you?

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1 Cover photo by Sean Sheridan The Welcome Desk. Belonging begins with affirmation. How can we welcome you

2 Cities can be unwelcoming. If you haven t lived with people from different cultures, it might be difficult to see a place for refugees in our neighborhoods. You might ask, Where are they going to live Or work You might even start to think, Won t they need With language... or food... or rent And, Who is supposed to them Don t people who are already in our communities need, too Many in our communities need. Rather than trying to anticipate the needs of refugees in an attempt to solve their problems and prescribe a place for them, we propose to communicate what resources we have and what we need as a way of inviting refugees to find their own place in our communities. In 2000, the global refugee population was estimated at 6.8 million people. Two-thirds of these individuals came from five countries: Afghanistan (2.7M), Sudan, Somalia, Sierra Leone, and Burundi. 1 = 1 million individuals 6.8 million refugees in 2000 By 2017, the estimated global refugee population had more than quadrupled to 25.4 million people, predominantly from Syrian Arab Republic (6.7M), Afghanistan, South Sudan, Myanmar, and Somalia. 2 The short answer is yes. Language Jobs Healthcare Housing Transportation Food Education Safety Americans are split on the issue of refugee resettlement, with just over half believing that the U.S. has a responsibility to provide. 3 51% responsibility to Among Republicans and Republican-leaning individuals, support for U.S. intervention in refugee issues is half that amount million refugees in % No responsibility to 26% responsibility 51% No responsibility 1 UNHCR, 2000 Statistical Overview; 2 UNHCR, Global Trends 2017; 3 Pew Research,

3 Empty shelf 1) Apply Affirmative Space thinking. Imagine if, as designers, we challenged ourselves to rethink how we approach planned. Instead of trying to anticipate user needs with an all encompassing design program, we reserve a piece of every as unprogrammed. This allows for community exploration, innovation, and the opportunity for s to flex and evolve over time. Affirmative Space thinking could change the way we approach every design of every. Applied universally, Affirmative Space would challenge members of the community to see what resources and needs they have, then open their minds to welcoming creative and innovative solutions and proposals from the refugee community. Spanish tutor 2) The people best suited to solve resettlement issues faced by refugees are the refugees. Refugees represent a range of cultures and demographics, each with their own challenges. Trying to predict what works for one group is likely to alienate another. What these individuals do have in common is resilience in spirit and resolve to make things better. We can t solve every problem, but we can offer the resources we have available. Refugees are just like us. And just like us, they like to. By welcoming refugees in this way, we are affirming that they have something to contribute and that there is a place for them in our communities. So, how do we bring these ideas together Enter The Welcome Desk. 6-month vacancy This starts with two key concepts. Extra garden elder care Workshop and language classes. Computer time and a bus pass. Youth sports. Social opportunities and a place to garden. Swimming lessons. What else might we have to offer Businesses with under utilized Public s, such as parks and plazas Empty apartments, extra rooms, and ADU s Workshops with limited hours (trade schools, co-working s, tool libraries) Churches with unused sanctuaries during the week Under utilized industrial kitchens Daycare, after school programs, or senior housing with extra Stay-at-home moms with capacity to take care of another child or two Tools and sewing machines which rarely get used Cars and trucks that often sit idle Unused shed Under used sewing machine extra Empty shelf dogsitter 3

4 Welcome. Gains an employee, benefits from incentives, and provides an avenue to for employees and customers to interact with people from other cultures. part-time temporary G Â desire to learn and work Local government incentives Digital database Gains employment and income, builds local resume and practical skills, and gains an opportunity to build personal relationships and give back to the community. The Welcome Desk: The repurposing, rethinking and reuse of, materials, tools and resources as a means of inviting and growing social and economic contributions from refugees. The Incentives The task of anticipating and resolving refugee resettlement often falls to our local governments, whether through direct or support of special programs. Rather than spending directly on these services, local governments would offer incentives to businesses or individuals who post their needs or resources to The Welcome Desk. This could look like a reduction in property taxes, parking or transit fees, utility bill savings, fast-tracked permitting, or any other arrangements negotiated between both parties. The Technology All of the resources would be compiled into a GIS-based application managed by a central organization, or agency, called The Welcome Desk. The Welcome Desk, through its ties with newly arrived refugees and the existing refugee community, would connect people with the resources made available. For some communities, The Welcome Desk might be an existing organization or program with a new role and title. For others, The Welcome Desk might be a new entity altogether. The Payoff For refugees, it provides an opportunity to demonstrate their worth to say I belong and I contribute as well as an avenue to gain some of the everyday things that most of us take for granted a reference for an apartment or job, a neighbor who knows your name, or a local shop owner who recognizes your face. In addition to the incentives, non-refugee community members can offer and receive on terms they are comfortable with. For the community as a whole, it provides an avenue for individuals to interact and form relationships that break down cultural barriers and build social equity. What could this look like A homeowner allows a refugee family to have a vegetable garden in their front yard. As an incentive, they receive a monthly credit on their utility bill. A office building with under-utilized lobby accepts a proposal for a coffee cart from a refugee entrepreneur. As an incentive, the local government waives permit fees for adding a food-based business. A day-care program with a few extra s welcomes several refugee children. As an incentive, the local government allows low-cost use of school buses for field trips. A contractor needs extra for a project and hires several refugees to. As an incentive, the local government provides transit passes and a full-time translator to facilitate easy communication on the job site. 4

5 An immigrant is 10% more likely to own a business than a nonimmigrant. For every 10,000 immigrants to the U.S., about 62 will start a business more than double the rate for native-born Americans. 1 NARRATIVE: For non-refugees, it is difficult to imagine where refugees fit without thinking they will push out neighborhood fixtures. Instead of looking at where refugees should go based on the needs projected onto them, residents should communicate their own needs and resources. Affirmative thinking looks for opportunities within the s around us. By engaging refugees in this way, residents benefit without feeling displaced; and, refugees are affirmed as valuable through an invitation to provide. Resolving refugee resettlement often falls to local governments, whether directly or through sponsored programs. As refugee populations change, their needs change. Established programs are slow to evolve. The system may seem like the problem, but the real issue is the approach: the presumption that local governments are better able to identify resettlement issues than refugees themselves. By acknowledging that refugees are not only capable, but are better qualified at identifying their primary obstacles and forming plans to overcome them, the notion that refugees are a burden is reversed. The view is reframed to see refugees as participants in community affairs and contributors in social and economic growth. The Welcome Desk challenges businesses, landowners, and residents to rethink their and resources, then allows refugees to propose innovative solutions that will empower them to overcome the challenges of resettlement. The Welcome Desk would facilitate connections between residents and refugees, encouraging local governments to provide incentives in the form of what they already do well taxes, public resources, utilities, permits, and the like. 9.5% of native-born are business owners, compared to 10.5% of immigrants. 1 Refugees have an even greater entrepreneurship rate than that of other immigrants. 2 Since 1975, 3.4 million refugees have arrived for resettlement in the U.S. 2 = 1 million individuals 3.4 million refugees since 1975 In 2015, refugee-run businesses generated $4.6 billion in business income. 2 $4.6 billion In 2015, refugees earned more than $77 billion in household income and paid almost $21 billion in taxes. 2 $77 billion in income $21 billion in taxes 1 I. Ivanova, CBS News, Feb 10, 2017; 2 New American Economy Research Fund, June 19,