USA Resettlement Program Study

Objectives

• Understand the experiences of recent immigrants resettling in the United States
• Explore motivations, wellbeing, and settlement outcomes over time
• Capture both practical and emotional aspects of resettlement, including work, education, and family life
• Gather sensitive feedback on displacement, conflict, and trauma in a structured and respectful way

Methodology

This is an annual tracking study combining quantitative and qualitative interviewing through CATI. Interviews are conducted by phone and can last up to 40 minutes, with multiple open-ended responses included to capture richer personal experiences. The study is designed to support discussion-based interviewing, allowing interviewers to probe sensitively and collect more nuanced insight on complex and often emotional topics.

Challenge

The study involves a highly sensitive audience speaking a wide range of languages and dialects, including lesser-known languages. Many interviews cover distressing personal experiences, so fieldwork requires exceptional care, cultural sensitivity, and appropriately trained interviewers. Recruiting suitable interviewers and preparing them to handle emotionally complex conversations is a critical part of the project.

How RONIN approached it

RONIN recruited native-speaking male and female interviewers to reflect both linguistic needs and cultural sensitivities. Interviewer recruitment included outreach to religious organisations, refugee community groups, universities, and embassies. A comprehensive face-to-face training programme was developed to build confidence quickly and prepare interviewers for empathetic interviewing, sensitive topic management, and qualitative probing. Training and development continued throughout the three-month fieldwork period, with regular debriefs and ongoing support to maintain quality and interviewer wellbeing.

Results

The study provides the client with a detailed annual view of refugee resettlement experiences in the United States, combining structured tracking with rich open-ended insight. By pairing multilingual CATI delivery with extensive interviewer training and continuous quality support, RONIN has built a high-quality and sustainable long-term research programme around a particularly sensitive and complex audience.