U.S. Refugee Resettlement: An Analysis of the Relationship between Available Community Assets in Chittenden County, Vermont and the Self-Sufficiency of Resettled Refugees

Each year, refugees enter the United States to establish new lives for themselves and their families in the local communities of a highly idealized western culture. Refugees are faced with the ultimate paradox-- become a self-sufficient member of a culture and nation of which they have limited knowledge while navigating through language barriers, unfamiliar cultural customs and discrimination. This research project examines the resources offered to refugees in Chittenden County, Vermont and the impact of available community assets on their ability to become self-sufficient within the first months of their placement in the US. This examination includes a thorough analysis of available resources and interviews with key informants directly related to the process of resettlement. This research aims to contribute to the literature on expected refugee well-being after resettlement in Chittenden County, local support for refugees, and how to define \u27self-sufficiency\u27 in the current social and political climate of the United States