Dialogues on Immigrant Integration

About the Program

Category: Civic Education and Public Information (Best in Category)

Year: 2010

Through facilitated community conversations, Dialogues on Immigrant Integration (DII) works to build community and address complex issues in Boulder County. Dialogues on Immigrant Integration is a project of the county’s Community Services Department, developed and implemented by a multi-year collaborative effort of local governments, school districts, non-profits, and individuals. Dialogues are the tool for building understanding, fostering relationships, and generating actions on issues of immigrant integration. Since the program’s first dialogues in mid 2006, more than 2,250 people have participated. Organizers draw from various methods to suit specific situations. DII has coordinated dialogues with elected officials, immigrants, and parents at bilingual schools as well as with workers, students and faculty at the University of Colorado. Despite increasing diversity in Boulder County, there are few opportunities for people from different cultures to exchange ideas. DII helps fill that void, with notable results: immigrant workers feeling more respected at the university, elected officials and immigrants discussing issues together, parents working with one another across language barriers, students enhancing academic studies by learning about immigration from immigrants, and much more. Trained volunteer facilitators create a safe environment and help groups explore issues from different perspectives. Language interpretation, childcare, and a light meal remove barriers to participation.