1. Civic Engagement in Action: The Use of Psychological Research in Our Community Sara Burrington, Andy Harris, Haleigh Johnson, Kelsy Newton, & David Palmer
Project Description
In an effort to improve upon the treatment of and services for refugees the IOR held The Second Annual Idaho Conference on Refugees at Boise State University in February of The conference consisted of two days of workshops focusing on many topics related to the resettlement process and the experiences of workers from a wide variety of backgrounds who help refugees.
Our research is important for several reasons. First, the continuation of this conference can be achieved by providing data that shows how worthwhile this conference was. Second, continued education about providing aid to refugees and the harsh lifestyles they have had to live, will help the overall well being of refugees in the United States.
Our responsibility was to administer a short three question survey to each person in the last ten minutes of each of the twenty-five workshops at this conference. After all the data was collected we had to analyze and compile it into a comprehensive report that breaks down the conference into areas that were a success and that needed improvement.
The questions were written by the IOR and provided to the group at the beginning of the conference. The first question asked if the goals and objectives of the workshop were met, the second question asked if the facilitators were knowledgeable and prepared, and the third question asked if the workshop was effective in helping them achieve a greater understanding of the refugee community and their needs. There was also a section at the end of the survey left open for the participants to write any additional comments or concerns they may have had.
It was hypothesized that the conference would be a success. In regards to success, we also hypothesized that the data collected during the each individual workshop would provide information to the betterment of future conferences, and allow for a better understanding of individual speakers success. The overall total satisfaction of the conference averaged a 4.5 on the Likert scale.
The total average of the combined workshops indicates that the conference was highly successful. Based on individual averages the workshop Case Management to Support Idaho Medicaid Clients scored the lowest average, scoring low question 1, 3.9, and question 2, 3.7, indicating the goals and objectives along with understand of refugee community were not met as successfully as the overall conference. The workshop that received the highest rating was CARE Clinic: Crossing the Cultural Chasm which scored an average of 4.9 on all three questions. This indicates that the workshop was highly successful in meeting the goals and objectives, that the facilitator was knowledgeable and prepared, and participants gained a better understanding of the refugee community.
Future research would benefit by including specific questions that are tailored toward individual workshops. This can be achieved by meeting with coordinator ahead of time to review speakers’ workshop outline and goals the speaker wishes to achieve through the workshop. Another suggestion for future research would include an overall survey of the conference, along with individual workshop surveys. This would allow for a spherical view of the entire conference.
Psyc 489: Capstone Perspective on Psychological Issues, Spring 2010
Dr. Linda Anooshian
Community Partner Name: Idaho Office for Refugees
Community Partner’s Mission Statement: The Idaho Office for Refugees works to promote mutual understanding between refugees and the larger community by sharing information, encouraging social interaction and developing opportunities for refugees to participate in all aspects of community life.
Provide statistical data for betterment of the 2nd Annual Idaho Conference on Refugees.
Students will gain experiences in bridging the gap between psychology (theory and research) from the academic realm and community applications, between academic psychology and the “real world.”
Reflection
We learned how psychology can benefit a wide range of businesses and community organizations, in particular the Idaho Office for Refugees. We learned about the refugee community, their needs, and the organizations that provide resources and aid to support local Idaho refugees. Our biggest triumph was gaining knowledge about the vast population of refugees that have been relocated to the Treasure Valley.