Abstract

Rochester, NY is the third-largest city in New York State, situated on the southern shore of Lake Ontario, with a population of 210,565. Rochester is also the third largest city—after Buffalo and Syracuse—in terms of refugee resettlement. In 2016, US government resettlement and secondary migration brought 850 new refugees here. In 2017, that number is expected to pass 1,000., When refugees are resettled in the United States, the first three months of casework and assistance are provided by a federally-funded resettlement organization. After these months, however, refugees are removed from the resettlement service’s caseload. In Rochester, it is at this point that a number of critical actors and organizations step in. The author has investigated one group of people who help: sponsors. Sponsors are average citizens who, on their own accord, reach out to refugee services in the area and agree to help one or more refugee families. Sponsors are guides. Currently, sponsors receive no formal training and are recruited by word-of-mouth. The author proposes a design intervention to formalize the recruitment and training of sponsors. The intervention will first raise awareness of refugees living in Rochester in hopes of attracting new sponsors. Second, the intervention will provide information on what needs to be done, how to do it, and where to find resources in Rochester.

Library of Congress Subject Headings

Refugees--Services for--New York (State)--Rochester; Web sites--Design

Publication Date

5-17-2017

Document Type

Thesis

Student Type

Graduate

Degree Name

Industrial Design (MFA)

Department, Program, or Center

School of Design (CIAS)

Advisor

Stan Rickel

Advisor/Committee Member

James Myers

Advisor/Committee Member

Mike Coniff

Comments

Physical copy available from RIT's Wallace Library at HV4010 .K45 2017

Campus

RIT – Main Campus

Plan Codes

IDDE-MFA

Download

Share

COinS