Lifestyle

How social workers help refugees settle into their new lives

Published

3 years ago

November 8, 2022

Many people pursue social work qualifications and careers so they can directly impact communities and improve the lives of those they work with. Social workers don’t just work with children and families, they also support people such as refugees, who may be having a hard time settling into their new lives in unfamiliar environments.

Understanding the role that social workers play in helping refugees could help you decide whether you want to pursue a job in this field and make this kind of difference yourself. Below, we explore what a social worker is, what their duties involve and how they help refugees.

What is a social worker?

A social worker is a very important professional who helps society in various ways. They may be trained through formal education or an online course, such as an online social work graduate program, where they learn how to solve various problems for adults, children and families. Social workers assist people who need additional support to integrate with the rest of society, so their work can be highly varied, usually revolving around promoting wellbeing and human rights. Social workers work with various people at the same time, where they assess the individual’s needs and objectives and suggest ways of meeting them.

Social workers in children and family services typically work with children in care, or foster children, helping them overcome challenges and access their rights as citizens and people. They also work closely with immigrants to help them settle into their new lives in various ways, as this community may have economic and social difficulties due to language and cultural barriers. The refugee resettlement process is also quite complex in the US, as it involves various agencies and organizations. Social workers help refugees navigate this process, ensuring they have their basic needs met in terms of food, clothing and shelter.

How social workers help refugees with resettlement

Social workers support refugees in various ways when it comes to resettlement, as the experience can often be complicated and stressful due to potential language and cultural barriers. Here are some of the main ways social workers offer their help and guidance:

Ensuring physical and emotional needs are met

First and foremost, social workers must ensure the basic needs of refugees are met, such as food, clothing and housing. They do this by working closely with various service providers, such as The Department of Housing and other agencies. Due to the fact that refugees often don’t have access to banks and other services, they can be highly vulnerable. Social workers help to identify and address social and emotional issues associated with resettlement, as it can be a distressing and confusing time for refugees.

Protecting refugees from exploitation

Refugees can be vulnerable when they arrive in their new country, as they may be in a financially desperate situation. This can lead to them being exploited by employers, for example, who may be asking them to work for below the legal minimum wage or requiring them to work unfair hours. Refugees are unlikely to report these kinds of problems for multiple reasons. They may not even know they’re being exploited, as they need the money they’re receiving, and they may not know which channels to use to report such things. Social workers can help exploited migrants by reporting this kind of criminal activity and making sure the offending parties are dealt with.

Protecting refugees from other crimes

Refugees often fear deportation, as they may have fled their home country due to safety concerns. This can make them hesitant to report crimes, which they are significantly at risk of being victims of for numerous reasons. Social workers can act on behalf of refugees who are victims of trafficking, violence, sexual abuse or any other form of crime and report it to law enforcement agencies.

Protecting refugees from discrimination

Discriminatory practices and anti-immigration policies can put refugees at risk, and social workers play an important role in protecting them from these threats. The rights of asylum seekers can become threatened when they’re viewed as criminals, and social workers can help them by ensuring their human rights are met. Social workers protect the self-determination of vulnerable people by making sure their rights are fulfilled, especially when restrictions threaten their rights and wellbeing.

Lifestyle

Confronting Propaganda: Street Smart Documents Honest Reactions to Gaza Indoctrination Footage

Published

5 days ago

November 6, 2025

Michelle Langton

Photo Courtesy of: Street Smart

Byline: Michelle Langton

In a recent project, the Street Smart team gathered 20 strangers and presented them with propaganda footage from Gaza that has circulated widely online but remains largely unfamiliar to many audiences. The aim wasn’t to provoke outrage or test media literacy in a classroom setting. It was to capture raw, unfiltered emotional reactions to material that reveals how narratives are formed at the source. The resulting video offers a candid look at how people process shocking content and how their perceptions shift when they see what is rarely shown on mainstream platforms.

The Structure of the Experiment

The format was simple. Participants were seated and shown a series of clips from Gaza, including children’s programming and broadcasts containing intense ideological messaging. No background information was provided, and viewers were not instructed on how to interpret what they were seeing. After watching, they were asked for immediate reactions.

The footage elicited a wide range of emotions. Some viewers were stunned by the content, admitting they had never seen anything like it before. Others expressed disbelief, questioning why this kind of material isn’t more widely discussed. A few were visibly shaken, saying the experience fundamentally altered their understanding of the situation.

By presenting the footage without narration or added commentary, Street Smart allowed participants’ genuine responses to emerge. The experiment revealed how propaganda can affect an entire generation. It can shock, unsettle, and force people to reconsider their assumptions.

Why This Project Matters

Sage Fox and Dorani aligned the purpose of this experiment with Street Smart’s broader mission of challenging prevailing narratives and encouraging critical thought among younger audiences. In an environment where footage spreads rapidly across digital platforms, propaganda can shape public opinion long before context catches up.

By showing the Gaza Indoctrination footage in a controlled setting and recording uncoached responses, the team aimed to expose the emotional and cognitive impact of this type of content.

“The first reaction is often the most revealing, because it shows how powerful images can be without context.”

The Range of Reactions

While each participant brought their own perspective, several themes emerged. Some expressed sympathy with the imagery itself, saying it was emotionally powerful.

One participant said, “It makes me question what I see online every day. How much of it is shaped this way?”

Their comments highlight how propaganda resonates differently depending on prior knowledge and exposure. Many viewers have simply never encountered such footage directly.

Street Smart’s Approach

This project continues a pattern established by Sage Fox & Dorani’s earlier videos. Rather than relying on experts or lengthy analysis, Street Smart focuses on real people and their honest reactions. The approach is simple but effective. Present potent material, listen to what people say, and share those moments with a wider audience.

The Gaza Indoctrination footage experiment fits this model. It doesn’t attempt to draw final conclusions or offer political commentary. Instead, it documents how people respond when they’re exposed to narratives that are usually filtered through intermediaries.

Implications for Media Literacy

Beyond its viral potential, the video raises broader questions about how people interact with powerful imagery online. Propaganda operates on emotional reflexes. As this experiment shows, those reflexes are often unexamined until they’re brought to the surface.

Sage Fox & Dorani hope that projects like this push audiences to think more critically about what they see and share.

“The purpose is not to tell people what to believe. It is to remind them that every image comes from somewhere, and that source matters,” they said.

Next Steps for Street Smart

As Street Smart’s platform grows, Sage Fox & Dorani plan to conduct similar experiments in different contexts. They intend to use their direct, street-level approach to highlight how people react when presented with challenging material.

The Gaza footage project is one piece of a larger mission. The team uses simple methods to shed light on complex issues. By focusing on authentic reactions, they continue to build a unique space in online media that blends cultural investigation with raw human response.

A Window into Unfiltered Thought

“We showed 20 strangers real propaganda footage from Gaza — and filmed their unfiltered reactions” is not a dramatic exposé or academic study. It is a clear, unmediated record of how individuals respond when confronted with material designed to persuade. In that restraint lies its strength.

By documenting these moments, Street Smart shows how awareness can begin with a pause. A brief space between seeing and believing.