Governments in the U.S. and elsewhere struggle with question of whether the needs of immigrants and their children are better met through targeted or mainstream service approaches. The benefits of targeted services are seen to include greater accountability for reaching and serving immigrant clients, and development of specialized service providers with a high degree of commitment to serving the target population. Mainstreaming acknowledges that immigrants and refugees have special needs, but seeks to meet these needs via services available to all residents. This session will feature candid reflections from senior analysts on how the tensions inherent in both approaches to integration services have unfolded in different countries, and insights on how to productively manage these tensions. Speakers:
- Dr. Demitri Papademetriou -- Demetrios G. Papademetriou is Distinguished Senior Fellow, Co-Founder and President Emeritus of the Migration Policy Institute (MPI), and President of MPI Europe. Dr. Papademetriou has published more than 270 books, monographs, articles and research reports on migration and related issues, and advises senior government officials, foundations, and civil society organizations in dozens of countries. He also convenes the Transatlantic Council on Migration and the Regional (North American) Migration Study Group, chairs the Advisory Board of The Open Society Foundations’ International Migration Initiative (IMI), and is Co-Founder and Chair Emeritus of Metropolis
- Dr. Justin Gest -- Dr. Justin Gest is Assistant Professor of Public Policy at George Mason University's School of Policy, Government and International Affairs. His teaching and research examines immigration and integration policy in the United States and internationally. Professor Gest previously held a Lectureship and Fellowship in the Department of Government at Harvard University between 2010 and 2014. In 2007, he founded the Migration Studies Unit at the London School of Economics and remains its Deputy Director.
- Westy Egmont -- Associate Professor of Macro Practice, Global Practice Director, Immigrant Integration Lab. Boston College Graduate School of Social Work