title: Building relationships and facilitating immigrant community integration: An evaluation of a Cultural Navigator Program.
abstract: Despite the long history of immigration in the United States, communities around the country struggle to integrate newcomers into the economic, cultural, and political spheres of society. Utilizing results from the program evaluation of one public library's Cultural Navigator Program, the authors illustrate how communities and public institutions can promote integration and relationship-building between newly arrived immigrants and long-time residents. Existing social networks within receiving communities, conceptualized in this article as social capital, were leveraged to build capacity among newly arrived immigrants and foster inclusivity and integration at the community level. As a place of intervention, public libraries are suggested as a safe and shared space where community integration can be fostered. Insights derived from the evaluation inform a discussion on engaging approaches to immigrant integration. Lessons learned and recommendations for program evaluators and administrators are provided.
authors.affiliation: School of Social Work, University of Connecticut, United States. Electronic address: rlthomas@uconn.edu.
authors.forename: Rebecca L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.affiliation: Graduate Social Work Department, West Chester University, United States.
authors.forename: Christina M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Chiarelli-Helminiak
authors.affiliation: Senior Public Policy Specialist, Connecticut Community Providers Association, Rocky Hill, CT, United States.
authors.forename: Brunilda
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ferraj
authors.affiliation: Research Consultant, United Nations Development Program, New York, NY, United States.
authors.forename: Kyle
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Barrette
mesh_terms: D062309:Community Integration; D003237:Connecticut; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants; D006801:Humans; D007990:Libraries; D016730:Program Development; D015397:Program Evaluation; D066270:Social Capital; D012944:Social Support; D014481:United States
keywords: Cultural navigator; Immigrants; Integration; Program evaluation; Social capital