Refuge Tech: An Assets-Based Approach to Refugee Resettlement

Refugee integration is a long process that follows resettlement into a country where refugees not only face language and culture barriers but also difficulties integrating into the workforce, receiving a good education and accessing healthcare. In addition to the UNHCR, the UN refugee agency, there are countless organizations and nonprofits around the world focused on trying to facilitate this process and provide support where needed. This paper presents preliminary user research undertaken in Clarkston, Georgia (USA), to study the process. We used qualitative research methods including contextual analysis and semi-structured interviews to evaluate the ease of integration for refugees who have relocated to Clarkston. We took a human-centered design approach to identify the gaps in the current process and to present preliminary design recommendations.