Refugee Reception & Placement
When refugees arrive in Philadelphia, displaced from home and separated from their loved ones, a caring and professional Resettlement Case Manager is the first point of contact.
Resettlement team members work together through a trauma-informed approach to deliver a truly welcoming and supportive experience for those who are newly calling Philadelphia home. During the resettlement period, NSC connects refugees and their families to resources that will allow everyone to feel established, grounded, and connected. Understanding that the basis for generational success finds grounding in effective and real support during the earliest stages of resettlement, the Resettlement & Placement team carefully weaves extensive cultural orientation on navigating life in Philadelphia into every interaction.
Key Facts
- NSC serves 200-400 clients annually.
- Refugees arrive from around the world, including South East Asia, Middle East, South Asia, Central Africa, and North Africa.
- NSC partners with dozens of community, faith-based, and governmental organizations to provide full wrap-around services for refugees.
- Case managers follow a service-minded model, placing refugee needs and wants first in case goals.
Services Provided
- School Enrollment: Provide newly arrived children with orientation and support to engage with education.
- Establishing Safe & Comfortable Housing: Support through the process of identifying, furnishing and preparing housing so that clients have a stable and reliable home in Philadelphia, with clients' ethnic and cultural needs taken into account.
- Social Services and Governmental Resources: Support and educate clients through the process of enrolling for social services and eligible governmental resources.
- Cultural Orientation: Details how resources such as public transportation, grocery stores, and community groups can help refugees navigate life in Philadelphia. NSC provides a strong general overview, layered with tips, tricks, and details that are most relevant to the individual or family.
- Adjustment of Status Assistance: Provides assistance to refugees to help them adjust their status to legal permanent residents. This includes light case management to prepare the proper documentation and appointments with lawyers to assist in completing the I-485 application.
