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This course is for resettlement professionals and teams looking to design innovative programs, incorporate newcomer feedback, and explore how technology can improve service delivery. The course focuses on integrating emerging technologies, such as virtual reality, into resettlement services and programming. Through an eight-stage process, participants will develop skills in listening with empathy, gathering insights, generating ideas, and creating digital products that provide innovative solutions and approaches to service delivery. Participants will refine their models based on community feedback until a viable digital product is ready for implementation in a real-life resettlement program. 

Upon completion of this course learners will be able to: 

  • Use deep listening techniques to help identify community members’ contextual needs, and formulate insights to address complex problems they are experiencing.   
  • Co-create a proof-of-concept for a functional product (e.g., a project campaign or digital product) to address complex problems the community is experiencing.    
  • Build and iterate a group prototype of a functional product, also known as a community prototype, based on feedback from newcomer clients and service providers.  
  • Conduct public user experience testing, implement the functional product, and assess the impact of the functional product to strengthen program outcomes.  



    1. Welcome to the Course!

    2. How to Navigate this Course

    3. Book Office Hours with Your Course Instructors

    4. Optional: Connect with Your Course Cohort Peers

    1. Required Module 1 Pre-Work: Read pages 1-8 of "The Eight Stages Of Co-Creation: Tips For Refugee Service Providers On Using Inclusive Approaches In Their Work"

    2. Required Module 1 Pre-Work: Read "Getting Started With Virtual Reality: Guide For Introducing VR Technology In Refugee Resettlement Service Provision"

    3. Required Module 1 Pre-Work: Post Your Response

    4. Optional Module 1 Pre-Work: Read "No Judgements" Co-Created Health Communication Materials

    5. Optional Module 1 Pre-Work: Read the Community Voice Amplification Campaign, "Honest Conversations"

    6. Optional Module 1 Pre-Work: Watch the Switchboard Webinar, "Practical Guide To Working With Refugees: Skills, Techniques, And Considerations"

    7. Optional Module 1 Pre-Work: Read the Forbes Article, "Asking Good Questions: Five Question Frameworks Every Leader Should Know"

    8. Module 1 Synchronous Zoom Session

    1. Required Module 2 Pre-Work: Read "Co-Creating Virtual Reality Videos To Support Newcomer Youth"

    2. Required Module 2 Pre-Work: Read Chapter 5 of "Collective Wisdom: Co-Creating Media for Equity and Justice"

    3. Required Module 2 Pre-Work: Read "Discussing The Refugee Experience With Dignity And Resilience"

    4. Module 2 Synchronous Zoom Session

    1. Required Module 3 Pre-Work: Prepare a Case Study

    2. Required Module 3 Pre-Work: Read "Prototyping and Play: Innovation Through Playful Interaction"

    3. Required Module 3 Pre-Work: Read, "Discussing The Refugee Experience With Dignity And Resilience"

    4. Module 3 Synchronous Zoom Session

    1. Required Module 4 Pre-Work: Watch Switchboard Webinar, "Practical Strategies For Collecting And Incorporating Client Feedback Data"

    2. Required Module 4 Pre-Work: Read Excerpt from "Palaces for the People"

    3. Required Module 4 Pre-Work: Post Your List of Assessment Questions

    4. Module 4 Synchronous Zoom Session

    1. Course Completion Satisfaction Survey

    2. Course Outro & Next Steps

Course Details

  • Free
  • 26 lessons

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