International Institute of New England’s Post

Please read "The Economic Argument for Welcoming Refugees and Immigrants. This brief post shows the scale of immigrants in Massachusetts and their contribution to the economy and their entrepreneurship. Kim Wilson (Fletcher School at Tufts) and Jeff Ashe (Columbia) describe the informal systems that underpin immigrant's success in through informal rotating savings groups where through disciplined savings, mutual accountability and support, immigrants amass capital not only to address their immediate needs, but to finance their businesses and purchase houses and vehicles without paying a penny in interest outside the formal financial system. While we decry the lack of funding for affordable housing immigrants are purchasing and rehabbing thousands of homes through their own savings and sweat equity. See our upcoming book, "Backyard Bankers," Immigrants, Savings Clubs and Achieving the American Dream" that will be available later this year. See, https://lnkd.in/et6Yu8w.

Around half of the world’s 26 million refugees are under 18. Financial education is crucial, yet research from our partners Compare the Market states that 61% of adults never received any. MyBnk works to change this by providing award-winning financial education to vulnerable young people, including refugees. At our Money House programme in Westminster, more than half of those completing our courses are refugees. However, we aim to continue expanding this reach. Let's ensure all young people, regardless of background, get the financial education they need. By delivering financial education to refugees and unaccompanied asylum seekers across the UK, we equip them with vital skills for real-world situations, building their confidence to make informed financial decisions. With support from our funders, we can make a significant difference for vulnerable children and young adults during key transitional moments. Together, we can shape a brighter future. #FinancialEducation #SupportRefugees #EmpowerYouth #WorldRefugeeDay #MyBnk

Financial literacy is crucial for refugees. Learn more with Comeup.ai. #RefugeeFinance #FinancialLiteracy

Ann-Murray Brown 🇯🇲🇳🇱 I hope you get 1,000 responses to this post. The opinion of the Local4Dev Hub (L4D) is an acceleration of the #localization policy that has been a consistent thread of bi/multi lateral agencies for decades. Each Administration reframes existing policy so as to take ownership, but the core theme is the same. Administrator Power’s localization targets are ambitious but struggling due to 3 barriers that all but guarantee that no local organizations will suddenly find themselves managing more resources than they can handle: 1. Fear - the increasing risk adversity, where USAID would spend the equivalent of $100,000 in opportunity cost to prevent $5,000 of mis-appropriated tax-payer $$ 2. Regs - iron clad federal regulations, layered over time in reaction to #1. USAID Regs prevent site visits, forcing an overreliance on hyperbole laden, data limiting reports, exacerbated by COVID. 3. HR - the severe shortage of Aquisition and Assistance (contracts vs grants) officers and their representatives. C/AO’s can handle only so many activities. Even those who embrace Localization, have to favor the single omnibus designs, typically awarded to the “beltway bandits” whos finance and compliance offices have effectively created “mini/USAID’s”. Those local organizations with up to and over $20m #PEPFAR have these characteristics, generating a second tier power imbalance Favoring financial over functional and MERL (FYI if you take ONE thing from this rambling missive, is to start using “R” for Research)! Research is 1.) an open market for local evaluation professionals, 2.) a “critical-thinking accelerator” for MERL graduates. A skill that takes years of fieldwork to learn. These underutilized products previously led by International STTA, are critical for donor activity design and strategy like the CDCS. Some of these include local systems analysis, local context mapping and political economy analysis. Intl STTA are handicapped with underfunded mandates and broken promises of local staff (CCN). Despite their initial good intentions CCN’s workloads would never allow so much LoE. It has been said that an organizations MERL team should equal that of its finance operation. Fortunately, these barriers have work-arounds: 1. Reduce, simplify or outsource the initial due diligence required of A/CO’s 2. Hire more A/A professionals by increasing starting pay grades 3. Hire more American or non-CCN’s so that we don’t keep taking the very people from the local system we need as CoP’s, m, activity managers, program officers, finance and MERL directors 4. Calibrate, salary scales w/ the local system which favors the elite #powerimbalance 5. Establish a voluntary and incentivized “revolving door policy” that gives CCN’s the USAID experience, which will reduce risk aversion. Upon return bringing a better understanding of the local system. These unable to build an understanding, appreciation, and relationship with the local system.

The number of refugees across Europe has drastically increased over the past few years, with figures estimated at 12.4 million at the end of 2022. As refugees continue to grapple with the trauma and uncertainty of displacement, this rapid surge in numbers has put pressure on the support services and resources of the host countries, supporting businesses and non-governmental organisations across Europe. However, the situation has also presented potential opportunities for economic growth and integration. Investing in the inclusion of refugees into their host country can yield substantial benefits for businesses and thus the economy as a whole. #Visa #sustainability #inclusion #innovation

Your community faces a crisis. Who would you trust more to help - outsiders or your neighbours? 🤔 The push for #AidLocalisation is gaining momentum, but it's not without controversy. 👍 Pros: -Local knowledge & cultural understanding. Local organisations and community leaders have the primary say in how aid is used. They understand their needs better than anyone else. -Local ownership fosters long-term solutions and resilience, rather than temporary fixes. -Funds are directly channeled to local entities, ensuring that aid reaches the grassroots level efficiently and effectively. -Faster response times 👎 Cons: - Local organisations may not be ready to handle increased responsibility and resources - Issues in ensuring transparency and preventing corruption at the local level - Potential lack of expertise - Risk of reinforcing local power imbalances. How do we ensure that marginalised groups within communities are also empowered and not left behind? - Challenges in scaling up responses 🔥 Hot take.... Is the resistance to aid localisation just the international aid industry protecting its own interests? What's your view?Is localisation the future of aid, or are we oversimplifying a complex issue? How can international NGOs support this shift without overshadowing local voices? Let me hear your thoughts in the Comments Section below 👇🏾 -------------- Hit the Follow button to be notified of my new content #InternationalDevelopment #AidEffectiveness 

Urban Institute : "The #Urban #Institute’s #Program #on #Immigration provides #rigorous #data #and #analysis to center immigrants’ experiences and show how federal, state, and local policies and practices affect their well-being. Immigrants, refugees, and their families are part of our communities but face systemic barriers to their advancement and prosperity. Policymakers, service providers, and advocates turn to Urban for insights to advance equity by engaging immigrant and refugee families." https://lnkd.in/e8um6HWW

Great article by Lindsey

When host countries cannot plan for adequate long-term education financing, it's a significant barrier for refugees to get a quality education. With growing commitment to refugee inclusion and limited evidence on what works, Arianna Pacifico looks closely at assumptions about how to finance refugee-inclusive education systems: http://g.pe/aTrA50QuUNY #FundEducation

When host countries cannot plan for adequate long-term education financing, it's a significant barrier for refugees to get a quality education. With growing commitment to refugee inclusion and limited evidence on what works, Arianna Pacifico looks closely at assumptions about how to finance refugee-inclusive education systems: http://g.pe/aTrA50QuUNY #FundEducation