Here are some ideas to get you started by sharing your "why," engaging your community, and inviting others to join you.
1. Stay informed.
It is recommended that you subscribe to receive Welcome Corps emails, read the Frequently Asked Questions, and also watch a recent Information Session prior to establishing your private sponsor group to give you the information you need to share this opportunity with others.
2. Spread the word.
You may not know where to start to recruit members for your private sponsor group, and that’s okay! We encourage you to think about how you might identify others in your area whom you may not know, but could be interested in welcoming a refugee or family.
As a starting point, consider the resources in this toolkit to post an invitation to a virtual or in-person information session to seek initial interest. Informational flyers may be posted in civic or veterans’ group chapters, coffee shops, community centers, grocery stores, libraries, local businesses, places of worship, school or university campuses, workplaces, or other spaces where community members frequent. You can use the social media toolkit to share this opportunity among your friends, affinity networks, local volunteer page, or neighborhood or county-level message boards.
3. Share your “why.”
Everyone has a reason to help our new neighbors, whether our own families arrived as refugees or immigrants or we enjoy learning about people from different countries and welcoming those with different backgrounds into our community or we are called to serve others when they need it most. By sharing your reason for starting a private sponsor group and encouraging others to share theirs as well, you will build a passionate group based on mutual values and shared experience.
4. Be encouraged.
As you approach your networks to get involved, you might be surprised to find that more often than not, people in your community have been waiting for someone to present an opportunity like this to make a meaningful impact in the lives of others. Don’t be discouraged if not everyone you speak with is able to join your initial group of five – there are many other ways to engage them through fundraising, helping to set up housing, or simply being a friend to the refugee(s) after they arrive.
5. Recruit for success.
Each member of a private sponsor group brings unique skills and the ability to deliver core private sponsorship services. In forming your group, think about the strengths of each member and how they might contribute to the structure and roles needed to successfully welcome refugees. Suggested group roles found in the Sample Private Sponsor Group Structure and Roles include a Group Coordinator and teams for Finance & Employment; Housing & Basic Necessities; Benefits & Healthcare; Welcoming & Local Orientation; and Education & Language.
