We cannot meet the holistic needs of newcomers alone. An African proverb says, “Many hands make light work.” Co-sponsorship teams help newcomers over a more extended period and offer more diverse community experiences than resettlement agency staff alone can offer. We believe involving more people and supporting newcomers will improve integration outcomes and increase public understanding of refugee issues.
We assembled an amazing team of a few loving friends and a dozen open-hearted strangers. Each team member has provided a different skill and a different personal friendship with Saeed and his family. We have shared many wonderful dinners, outings, and family engagements.
Susan, Co-sponsor team leader in Greensboro, North Carolina
Committees should be organized around different key integration pathways, which include:
Co-sponsorship is a significant commitment, but it is also an extremely rewarding one. If this sounds exciting and feasible to you, that’s great! To get started, follow the steps outlined below:
It has been a very precious experience to be working on something so meaningful for people we care about so much.
Lise, co-sponsorship team leader in Brattleboro, Vermont
Read the full story of Lise’s team and the family with whom they were matched.
This flyer explains the requirements, goals, structure, and benefits of ECDC’s co-sponsorship program.
This is an exercise for potential co-sponsorship teams to work through together to prepare for co-sponsorship and understand what’s involved.
This provides links to websites where co-sponsors can learn about refugee resettlement and gain relevant skills prior to and after being formally trained by the local office.
This list details the items that co-sponsor teams will need to collect in order to furnish the family’s home prior to arrival.
This tool can be used to record funds promised by supporters and track progress toward the minimum fundraising goal.
This is what teams will need to complete and submit, along with background checks for core members, when ready to move forward.
This handbook includes key information that will guide co-sponsorship teams before, during, and after training on what they should do and how to be effective.
This agreement outlines the responsibilities that co-sponsors will be asked to take on and the conduct they will be asked to uphold.
This release is required of each individual volunteer in a co-sponsorship team to ensure commitment to confidentiality and release of liability.
This is the format that co-sponsors will be asked to fill to record and share their activities and progress with local office staff for proper documentation and coordination.
This is a list of all the suggested and required tasks that co-sponsorship teams are asked to carry out and provides space to indicate what was done when in order to keep track of goals that are accomplished during the co-sponsorship journey.
This handout helps to prepare co-sponsorship team members for the transition that will take place at the end of their 9-month commitment when they officially conclude their role as co-sponsors and continue being good neighbors to the family they welcomed.
The work of co-sponsorship impacts the co-sponsors almost as much as the newcomer family. You will learn more about the world, your local community, and yourself through the process.