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Multicultural Refugee Coalition Public Relations Campaign

St. Edwards University Group 1: Alexandra Musi, Kristen Froelick, Julia Weekes, Lauren Georgalas Dr. Corinne Weisgerber 26 September 2012

I. Research & Background a) External Environment Political and Social Environment The number of refugees of concern to UNHCR stood at 10.5 million at the beginning of 2011, down slightly from a year earlier. In the past year the total number of refugees the US accepts each year is 80,000 and of these 80,000, 1,000 enter the city of Austin attempting to establish a home and continue their life. The problem with this is that these refugees are viewed by many as immigrants and receive little compassion. Currently there are political factors that are shaping the viewpoint of people on immigrants, which are not the same as refugees. A refugee is a person who is unable to return to their home country because of a well-founded fear of persecution due to race, membership in a particular social group, political opinion, religion, or national origin, based on the United Nations 1951 Convention and 1967 Protocols relating to the Status of Refugees. An immigrant is someone who wants to and willingly moves to the United States. In order for people to be more open minded to the idea of refugees we must make it clear that there is a significant difference between the two. More people would be willing to donate if they understood the definition of a refugee and the problems these people face in their day-to-day life. A problem that could be effecting the US and their income of refugees is the current situation with the Syrian Refugees. 2.5 million people within Syria need support and 1.2 million are internally displaced, according to the U.N. Regional Humanitarian Relief Coordinator. There are encouraging signs that the U.S. State Department is recognizing and taking steps to help this current situation. The US will be donating $100 million for humanitarian activities both inside Syria and in neighboring countries, including $23.1 million to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. This could also mean that the US will be receiving more refugees within the next year. As more and more refugees enter the US it becomes more important to clearly identify the definition of a refugee and the difference between an immigrant and a refugee. Economic Environment The Multicultural Refugee Coalition is currently in need of donations but the economy is not making it easy for the center to receive these donations. Since the recession Nonprofits seem to be getting hit the hardest. For organizations that depend solely on donations it is hard to get those donations during or in the aftermath of a

recession. According to a non-profit finance fund 2011 where 1935 non-profits were surveyed, 87% feel the recession isnt over. 77% saw an increase in demand for services, 28% have one month or less of cash and 55% added or extended programs. This is a significant problem for the MRC because one of their major need is donations for their new home. It is going to be a challenge to raise the money necessary for their home. There are many articles that can be found online instructing non-profits on how to survive through hard economic times and ideas on how to raise money. Another factor that hurts the MRC is that the definition still is not clear to the public between refugee and immigrant. This being said during a time when the economy is not in the best conditions people will not be as willing to donate to an organization that they do not fully understand. While it may seem as if Austin is not hurting from the economy people are still feeling some of the pain. If we could get people to clearly understand the difference between refugee and immigrant donations could increase. b) The Industry Multicultural Refugee Coalition (MCRC) has come a long way since its start in 2008. MCRC has greatly improved its presence not only in the Austin community, but nationally and internationally as well. This presence has been improved through strategic planning by the staff members and board of directors. In order to be a successful industry, MCRC implemented social-media in order to raise more awareness about their cause. By introducing social-media as a part of their industry, individuals from all over the country are able to tune-in to the efforts, news, facts, and events of MCRC. Having the word out to the public enables MCRC to promote what is true from what is false i.e., refugees are illegal immigrants. Distinguishing between refugees and immigrants is important, due to the fact that many people are less willing to help if they believe that the refugees are illegal. The misconception of immigrants, illegal immigrants, refugees, and illegal refugees leads to other issues of the industry. These issues include: control, regulation, and promotional activity. Control regulation deals with the amount of regulation from the government that deals with MCRC. Because MCRC is a non-profit organization there is not much regulation for revenue. In order to acquire money, MCRC receives various donations. Meg Erskin, Co-founder and executive director for MCRC, sheds light on these donations: Most of our donors are associated with me or the other co-founders somehow and that is something that we are trying to branch out and establish a larger fundraising base. We have many Presbyterian Churches that support us and a Lutheran Church. A lot of folks have given

based on a particular cause or fundraising drive we are doing. A lot of folks have donated to soccer because it was tangible- $25 and you can support a soccer player in the league. We have also done a Groupon for our sewing program which raised about $1000 which was good (Erskin). Though there is not regulation of monetary means, there is regulation in regard to the refugees that enter into Austin. Regulation is handled mainly by the UN and then Austin government, which is then relayed to MCRC. Promotional activity is handled by raising awareness through social media, grassroots outreach, coalitions, campaigns, donation dinners, and various charity events. Having these programs allows MCRC to reach a variety of audiences and show its industries goals, values, and views. Through these programs, the industry is promoted in a positive light. Without clarity on what exactly MCRC is, supports, and does, it will not gain the donations and positive image it needs to stay afloat, as well as stand out amongst other non-profits that have similar causes. c) The Client The MRC was created by two Liberian refugees, Johnson Doe and Paul Tiah, and two American women, Meg Erskine and Sarah Stranahan and has been around for about four years. The MRC became an official non-profit in May 2009. The idea of the MRC was to give refugees a place to feel safe and to make that difficult transformation from home to Austin. The MRC has eight different programs that are broken up into two groups. The first group community development. It is in these programs where the refugees can start to feel a connection to their new place of living. In this group the organization offers soccer, gardening, youth/children and sewing. Soccer and Gardening are very important because these are things the refugee did in their homeland. It helps them to feel connected to each other and to not feel as if they are in such a foreign place. When a game of soccer is taking place the rule is that you can only speak English. This is because they want everyone to learn the language and to not become friends with people just because they speak the same language. This forces the refugees to bond with each other and to learn the language. The second group Pathways to Self-Sufficiency offers computer literacy, reading companion, job/career planning and adult basic education. These programs are necessary for the refugee to be able to depend on himself or herself. After a refugee has been in America for 6 months his/her government funding is cut off and they are forced to find a job so they are able to care for their families. In the Pathways to Self-Sufficiency group the refugees are able to learn the basic skills they need to have a job in Austin. This is very important because if not after that 6 months it is very difficult for a refugee to find a job without the basic training.

The MRC is not an organization that provides food, shelter and clothing. They want the refugees to be able to make it on their own so that they do not need to depend on anyone. The MRC is a place to feel safe while building a new life and home in Austin. In 2011 the MRC served over 400 refugees from 14 different countries with a budget of $50,000 and no paid staff. The MRC is serving a large amount of refugees with a very small budget. With the number of refugees growing each year the number of people in need grows at the MRC. Right now the MRC is not making any profit. The donations they receive go into the programs and building the new MRC home. This is why donation increase is so important for the MRC. Refugees are directed to the MRC frequently when they are in need of finding their place in society. The MRC is a well known non-profit among the necessary community and have many people in need and many people willing to reference them. The problem is the MRC does not have the funds to support all of these people. The donations are not pouring in because people have yet to identify the difference between a refugee and an immigrant. Once people are able to identify the difference donations would increase and the MRC would be able to support their demand for help. d) The Product, Service, or Issue MCRC does a great job in regard to its product, service, issue, development, quality, and reputation. Though MCRC does not sell products per say, its product is more like MCRC as a whole and promoting itself to the public. This product promotion is made possible by presenting all of the positive work done by MCRC, as well as the benefits that its members gain and then promoting those benefits to the public. Moreover, the many life-changing and life improving outcomes of the organization, which are shown through those that call MCRC home are talked about and written about, which shed a positive light on MCRC. Those that are a part of MCRC reflect positive, selfstarting, responsible, hard-working characteristics, and therefore exemplify the product (MCRC). The services MCRC provides to its members are divided into three categories and within these categories are sub categories. These categories include: Pathways to self-sufficiency, Community Development, Children; within these categories are programs such as, language acquisition, computer literacy training, adult basic education, career development, gardening, sewing, and soccer. Through each of these programs and activities, those that are a part of MCRC benefit greatly and gain knew knowledge that can be used in everyday life. MCRC deals with many different issues, i.e. the latest issue was in regard to their new community center, which they were not granted access to due to an unforeseeable issue dating back to 1982 when the building was built. This issue is just one of the many

problems MCRC faces. Like previously stated, MCRC is a non-profit organization, and therefore, donations and funding are always issues. Other issues deal with the refugees and ensuring their well-being and emersion into American culture and lifestyle. Quality and development go hand in hand. MCRC strives to ensure that its members receive advice, learning, and conversation from well-rounded staff and board members. With quality members, staff, and board directors, external quality will come about as well. Development follows after quality and allows for positive developments to be released. These developments include computer technology and innovation. e) Promotions The MRC has made flyers in the past to pass out to spread awareness of the organization and refugees. Meg has made it clear that she would like to improve the flyers for future use. The Austin American Statesmen ran a story on the mens soccer team for the MRC, this raised awareness on the organization in Austin. The MRC also uses Facebook and Instagram so the local community receives instant updates on what the MRC is doing. Once a month the MRC hosts a charity dinner, it is $45 a person, and it is hosted by a different refugee each time. The food served is the traditional food served in the country from refugee hosting the dinner. This is one of the ways the MRC receives donations and a way for members to learn more about the refugees who turn to the MRC for help. Last but not least the MRC sends out a newsletter to keep members in the loop of upcoming events and important information members need to know. The promotions are the MRC are strong but with minor improvement could be very effective.

f) Market Share The MRC could receive a larger amount of donations if more people understood exactly what a refugee was and how the MRC was helping them. There is a high demand for the MRC services with the number of refugees increasing in the US each year. There are other organizations that are more popular in the area that help refugees but they do not offer the same programs. Caritas of Austin is a well-known organization in the area that helps refugees. The difference is Caritas provides housing and food. Also, the MRC only assists refugees with a legal status. There MRC is not the only non-profit in Austin seeking to help refugees but they are the only ones helping the refugees become capable of working and establishing a home in Austin.

g) Competition MCRC has much competition especially in a city like Austin, which is home to many non-profit organizations similar to MCRC. Meg Erskin provides a list of other non-profits in Austin: Refugee Resettlement Agencies: Caritas and Refugee Services of Texas, Interfaith Action of Central Texas, Centers for Survivors of Torture, Furaha House. These groups including MRC all make up the developing Austin Refugee Roundtable that meets together throughout the year for collaborative efforts. Links to all of these are located on our website under local refugee agencies. We also partner with folks like Skillpoint Alliance and regularly refer folks to them and to ACC. The competition is friendly however; one of MCRCs main goals is to stay on the radar with its work and efforts, as well as trying to gain some sort of media coverage. MCRC is not the only non-profit that thinks in that regard, which leads to healthy competition. In relation to competition is the target market. Erskin sheds light on the target market or target audience: I think we could use some help continuing to further define who our target audience should best be. Since we have so many different programs it could appeal to many different folks (soccer, gardening, sewing, education, children etc). Seems like each of these would have it's own audience as well as the organization as a whole which tends to be Peace Corps or other international folks who love to travel etc., faith communities and just now starting to connect more with the international student groups at each university (Erskin). Because MCRC has such a wide range of audiences, it is difficult to promote the image and work in one certain way. Therefore each audience needs to be addressed in order to gain the support and donations needed to upkeep MCRC. Though MCRC has a vast audience, one thing that is for certain is the care and giving attitude the audience has for this organization.

h) Resources MCRC is welcome in the Austin community with open arms, however there are some individuals who view MCRC as just a place to get a handout. When in actuality, MCRC is the opposite of a handout. Members of MCRC are trained in different trades, are taught English, learn computer technology, attend schools, and are employed. Although all of this is fact, there are still those who view MCRC as a haven for illegal refugees and immigrants. Because of this, MCRC has asked for help getting an image and idea out into the public arena. With a positive image and its works and efforts promoted, MCRC can counteract negative public attitudes and opinion of the organization. MCRC has a few

resources available to them such its community center, soccer field, garden, donations, and media coverage. These physical facilities are a necessity to MCRC and its survival.

i) SWOT Analysis Strengths: Active ambitious leaders and volunteers Quality of services to help integrate refugees into American culture 11 donors Good use of social media to create awareness Partnership with Skillpoint Alliance Reputation Assistance to refugees who have already obtained legal status

Weaknesses: Limited budget Public misconception of what a refugee is

Opportunities: Increase awareness to monthly charity dinners Create an understanding of what a refugee is MRC is located in an active and involved city Network and build relationships within the Austin community

Threats Unstable economy Battle the negative connotations that coincide with a refugee

j. Profile of Potential Publics o Current Volunteers: Multicultural Refugee Coalitions has a main staff of ten and they are all volunteers. The organization is currently still raising money to hire a permanent staff. The MRC is currently not recruiting volunteers due to the fact that it is transitioning

spaces and just rely on the ones they already have. Right now the MRC has students, Returned Peace Corps Volunteers, retired folks, professors and university staff, LMSW professionals and more serving as volunteers. Also, they have recruited volunteers from faith communities, Peace Corps, Volunteer Match, university interns etc. These individuals are typically optimistic, who have a passion for people coming and trying to settle in the United States. Some have previous experience with refugees and how the system works, while others have strong teaching skills that they are able to use to help build working skills for the refugees. They value helping people not native to this country, community service, helping build working skills and a positive outlook. Current Relationship: Volunteers at Multicultural Refugee Coalition are to essential the purpose and mission of the Non-Profit organization. The MRC loves working with and depends on dedicated volunteers to make our programs run. They provide support and guidance to the refugees and take part in various activities with the MRC community. The organization is open to the volunteers interests and that can range anywhere from event planning, teaching, if you enjoy sewing, gardening, playing soccer, career developer, ect. Influential: Families, peers and community Interests: Gaining volunteer experience from a different cultural aspect, assisting those in need, giving back to the community in order to build a more diverse community o Refugees: According to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services refugees are persons living outside their country of origin who cannot return to their homes due to fear of persecution based on their race, religion, or membership in a particular social/political group. Approximately 70,000 refugees are settled to the United States each year. Texas receives approximately 4,500 refugees per year and is one of the top states for refugee resettlement in the United States. These refugees generally resettle in one of eight Texas communities: Amarillo, Austin, Abilene, Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, San Antonio and El Paso. Current Relationship: Good. Aware refugees that come to Austin take advantage of all that MRC has to offer. The refugees are able to build relationships with other refugees and encourage one another. Through the organization they learn various skills to help them assimilate into the Austin community. Also, they are able to find jobs and apply through the resources

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MRC provides. Aware refugees may act as an intervening public in reaching their peers to increase awareness. Influentials: Peers, local government agencies that help the refugees come to Austin, locals they come in contact with that know about various non-profits Austin has to offer Self-Interest: To become part of a community they can relate to, build skills they need to live here, seeking job opportunities o College Students: Austin is a city filled with college students and has five colleges in the area that make up this huge part of the population. University of Texas: with over 46,000 students, St. Edwards University: a little over 6,000 students, Concordia University: has around 2700 students, Huston Tillotson University: just around 1,000 students, and Austin Community college. These individuals typically fall within the age range of 18-24. There are currently over 60,000 students within the Austin population of 790,390 people (according to the U.S. Census report of 2010). College students typically become more aware of various issues people are facing and of people who are in need when attending college. Especially living in a city such as Austin that is very community oriented and always offering different volunteer opportunities for residents. College students value social justice, community service, education and helping the underprivileged. Austin college students usually become involved with an organization to help other individuals grow and educate various people. If Austin college students, specifically groups dedicated to these issues within the colleges, were made more aware of what Multicultural Refugee Coalition they would participate in helping the non-profit.

Current Relationship: Poor. Though different clubs at Universities would be interested, most college students are unaware of refugees and what it even means to be a refugee. Influentials: Peers, professors, families, school clubs, family Self-Interest: Global aspect, community service, helps to educate o Non-Profits Non-profits are huge part of the Austin community and involvement with these organizations is very typical of residents. In Austin there are various types of non-profits,

11 including environmental and animal groups, assisting immigrants organizations, educational and political groups ect. Members of the non-profit organizations are usually motivated individuals that want to help the cause and make a positive impact on the community. Non-profits are not competitive in comparison to for profit organizations, because their primary purpose is to gain community support. As of right now there are a whopping 2,074,527 non-profit organizations listed in the United States and this number is continually growing. As for Travis County there are 8,825 non-profits located here (Tax Exempt World website). The MRC is one of the non-profits part of the Refugee Resettlement Agencies. These other organizations involved are Caritas and Refugee Services of Texas, Interfaith Action of Central Texas, Centers for Survivors of Torture, Furaha House. These groups including MRC all make up the developing Austin Refugee Roundtable that meets together throughout the year for collaborative efforts. The MRC also partner with organizations such as Skillpoint Alliance and regularly refer people to them and to ACC. Current Relationship: Great among the MRCs current network of no- profits they are affiliated with. MRC works with quite a few other non- profits organizations with a similar purpose and values. Influentials: Other non-profit organizations, community Self-Interest: Build a network with other non-profits, help more refugees o Current Donors The Multicultural Refugee Coalition has eleven companies, clubs and groups listed as their sponsors. The companies/businesses include Whole Foods, IBM, 3M, Clay Pit, Target and as for clubs there is the North Austin Lions Club, Lone Star Soccer Club. Also, churchs such as Central Presbyterian Church, and Westlake Hills Presbyterian Church and organizations such as Austinvolved, and Bread for the Journey International have all sponsored the MRC. Most donors come from specific fundraising drives that the organization puts on. To date they have over 600 people on the e-newsletter list and almost as many on the Facebook page. They promote any fundraising drives on these regularly. Current Relationship: Positive relationship with the donors. They appreciate the efforts of the MRC and feel as though it is helping build the community and opportunities for those joining the Austin community. Influentials: Their publics, community, peers, their employees

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Self-Interests: They want their community to become stronger and better while providing opportunities for various underprivileged individuals. They care about providing resources and support skill building for new members of the community as well. 2. Situation Analysis: The focus of this public relations campaign will be to address the problem caused by the lack of awareness of what a refugee actually is and to eradicate the negative connotations that coincide with refugees. The Multicultural Refugee Coalition of Austins goal is to increase awareness of the issues and challenges that refugees face every day in American and to gain assistance through donors and volunteers. Viewing all the research, understanding, and examining the challenges that the MRC faces enabled us to come to the conclusion that the biggest weakness holding MRC back from obtaining their goal, is the fact that refugees are placed in a category that in Texas, at least, doesnt have the best connotation. Increasing the awareness of what a refugee is will assist the MRC in achieving their goal as well as giving the MRC the opportunity to expand the number of refugees they can help and programs they can create. A lack of resources and a small budget has kept the MRC from being able to address their problem in correcting the negative connotations. The task posed by this barrier can be overcome in several different ways. Allocating existing funds to address the MRCs core problem, unawareness of what a refugee is, would be beneficial in helping to achieve and maintain their goal of more awareness of the issue along with more donors. 3. Core Problem/ Opportunity: The Multicultural Refugee Coalition of Austin is a non-profit organization that needs the help of donations, but has lack of donors because of the negative connotations and lack of knowledge of what a refugee is. The focus of this public relations campaign will be address the core problem and increase the awareness of what a refugee is and how it differs from an immigrant.

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