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Stay informed -

Staying informed about the latest developments regarding any refugee crisis is the first and easiest step towards helping out. 

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Stay informed -

Read up on popular posts such as the UN Refugee Agency's annual report. Absorbing the numbers involved can widen your perspective and motivate you to help those in need. 

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Host community dinners -

There's nothing like food to bring people together. So why not invite any refugees in your own community to a neighborhood dinner?

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Host community dinners -

A dinner like this can be hosted at home or in a nearby community center, and it doesn't need to be anything fancy. The important thing is to help refugees meet members of the wider community and show them that they're no different to me and you.

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Help teach the local language -

One of the biggest challenges refugees often face is communicating in a place where the language isn't that of their mother tongue.

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Help teach the local language -

Many small organizations offer free language courses to help ease this dilemma. But they're often in need of volunteers who can assist a refugee in practicing their new language.

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Help provide housing -

Airbnb allows anyone to provide emergency shelter to someone in need. Sign up on the platform so you can offer free housing too. 

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Help provide housing -

Whether it's a private room or just a couch, refugees are in need of temporary housing as soon as they arrive. 

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Monetary donation -

Money can help significantly in meeting the challenges faced by refugees trying to build a new life in a foreign land.  

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Monetary donation -

Many charitable organizations also need funding to hire employees and carry out the operations necessary in order to deliver help in areas of need. 

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Fundraise -

Fundraising initiatives can help raise awareness of the refugee crisis while collecting funds for organizations working in the field. 

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Fundraise -

All fundraising initiatives, anything from a classic lemonade stand to an elaborate dinner, will help. 

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Educate them on cultural nuances -

Many refugees receive basic education after arriving in a new country. But little focus is placed on cultural assimilation and understanding the nuances of daily life.

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Educate them on cultural nuances -

This is where volunteering and introducing refugees to local culture can help integrate them more quickly and make them feel at home. 

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Donate household goods, clothes, and toys -

Refugees often lack basic household items, clothes for example, and even toys for their kids. Plus, they often don't have the money to get these things in the first place. 

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Donate household goods, clothes, and toys -

Donating one's goods can help, and many organizations can pick up your old stuff to pass on to those in need. 

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Help prepare them for employment -

Methods of employment vary drastically across cultures. This means many refugees arrive in a new country without knowing how to look for a job. 

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Help prepare them for employment -

Fortunately there are organizations out there that help guide refugees on their job hunt, again usually assisted by volunteers. And you too can become a volunteer! 

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Hire refugees -

Once hired, a refugee gets a huge step-up in life, and tackling the many challenges they face becomes easier. Being employed can help them settle down and build a new life. 

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Hire refugees -

Even if you're not a business owner, try to inform senior business leaders about the benefits of hiring highly skilled refugees.  

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Help pay for counsel -

Many refugees home and abroad require legal counsel. Unfortunately, governmental resources are often scarce. 

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Help pay for counsel -

Make an effort to pay for any immigration counsel that's required of a refugee. And if you work in the appropriate area of law, consider helping out. 

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Show up at the airport -

Refugees arriving in one's country could use a boost in morale, and there's nothing like a nice welcome when they arrive at the airport. 

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Show up at the airport -

Many of these refugees have escaped horrible conditions, and are probably traumatized. Making them feel welcome can help them deal with arriving in a new country. 

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Support businesses owned or run by refugees -

Some refugees arrive with no transferable skills set but nevertheless decide to set up their own businesses and sell their products or services directly onto the market. 

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Support businesses owned or run by refugees -

In cases like these, try and identify local establishments run by newly arrived refugees and actively support them.

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Spread awareness -

Share on social media information about ongoing global refugee crises, plus any developments at home. 

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Spread awareness -

Doing so promotes relevant topics and gets them trending. This helps deliver an even greater awareness to those that aren't actively following refugee related news.

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Be an advocate -

Support refugees by engaging with elected officials and community leaders and urging them to protect the rights of refugees. Make sure they know that you're happy to welcome refugees into your own community.

Sources: (United Nations) (UNHCR) (Refugee Action)

See also: The greatest human rights issues facing future generations

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