Actionable Insights for Welcoming Climate-Displaced Newcomers
Climate change and climate migration will affect over-burdened and newcomer communities differently.
It is critical that your sustainability, resilience, and emergency management plans be developed in collaboration with local residents, including newcomers.
Understand that building trust and connections with newcomers takes time.
Particularly for local governments–as some newcomers may have come from countries where government agencies are affected by corruption and seen as untrustworthy.
Be aware that climate-displaced communities may carry significant trauma.
Avoid “re-traumatizing” community members with requests to share their stories of displacement. Instead, it is imperative to approach conversations with intentions to listen and learn, leading with questions – not answers – to understand newcomers’ experiences, perspectives, and needs.
Approach community groups with the intention to build authentic and long-term relationships.
This means designing opportunities for in-person meetings that are accessible to newcomers.
Worksheet
Engaging Newcomers
If your team or department hasn’t previously worked with newcomer communities, the following worksheet will walk you through each step of engaging newcomers in your work, from meeting new residents for the first time to planning inclusive community-wide events.
CASE STUDY
Lancaster, PA
In fall 2023, Lancaster released a Comprehensive Plan – its first since 1993 – with concrete strategies to advance equity, sustainability, and access across the city. The plan was informed by input from more than 14,000 residents, including newcomers. Outreach efforts included in-person and virtual public workshops, community-led meetings, and phone and online surveys, all offered in Arabic, Haitian Creole, Nepali, Spanish, and Swahili to facilitate community-wide participation and access.