Action Plan | Single Vehicle Mobility team

Written by: Vincent Liu, Jainesh Kothari and Jayaditya Chawla

Introduction:

Through upgrading the digital footprint of Rides4Refugees, people in need of our services would be able to have easier and better access to the information that they need to acquire and maintain their own vehicles. The action plan that we have drawn up is a three part plan that can be implemented based on the available resources throughout the short, medium, and long term. Our plan also focuses on utilizing existing communities and the people that have benefited from the Rides 4 Refugees program to further solidify our connection with the communities that need our services the most. Keeping in mind the current conditions and impact of Rides4Refugees, we have analyzed and discussed potential solutions that could help advance the current scope of Rides4Refugees. The possible solutions can be split into 3 different areas of ease and implementations.

• Solution Statement — Improving the current digital footprint of Rides4Refugees will address the need to create a better digital footprint and flow of information to Refugees. This will help empower the refugees by providing them with the means to purchase their own vehicles, thereby enhancing their mobility, independence, and overall resettlement experience.
• Near Future/ Low effort Improvements

1. Testimonials:

Purpose: Build trust within refugee communities and beyond.

Implementation:

• Collect and showcase testimonials from refugees who have successfully utilized Ride4Refugees(R4R) services.
• Include diverse stories to highlight the impact on individuals and families.
• Emphasize positive experiences, successful settlement stories, and improved mobility.

2. Partnership/Outsourcing Program:

Purpose: Leverage existing networks to enhance services and outreach.

Implementation:

• Establish partnerships with established charities and volunteer non-profit organizations.
• Collaborate for resource sharing, knowledge exchange, and a more extensive reach.
• Highlight the collective impact and how partnerships strengthen the support system for refugees.

3. Community Upliftment through Work Experience:

Purpose: Contribute to community development by providing work experience opportunities.

Implementation:

• Identify individuals within the refugee community who are seeking work experience.
• Develop a program that provides training and work opportunities within the R4R initiative.
• Showcase success stories of individuals who have benefited from the program, emphasizing skill development and community upliftment.
• Large scale Future/ Moderate level effort improvements

1) Upgrade the website by outsourcing -

Various volunteer/non-profit coding organizations, such as Code4Community club at OSU, morweb.org, or DNL Omnimedia are always eager to help community driven initiatives. Partnering with them can be a potentially powerful resource, especially in software and when it comes to the larger digital footprint and impact of Rides4Refugees.

Some ideas for website upgrades are:

• Adding testimonials (low effort, uses existing impact of Rides4Refugees)
• Adding quality translations for target communities. (helps develop crucial trust within Refugee communities)
• Adding starter guides/ what to expect — Having information readily available on the website on what to expect, paperwork, steps, resources will help in becoming more transparent and impacts the community around the clock through digital media. (allows for the younger, more tech-savvy people in the household to help with the process of securing a single vehicle)
• Assessment and analysis — mainly conduct surveys and understand the places where the website currently lacks and fill in those gaps. (continues to build on the current system of Rides4Refugees)

2) Hiring bilingual refugees for quality translations -

A lot of refugees are looking for employment through processes. Hiring them in groups of three in internship programs will ensure, not only more trustworthy translations, but also give valuable work experience to those in need, satisfying multiple objectives and improving the quality of life for the Refugees. Some existing partners to potentially look towards are Ohm Advisors for outsourcing or CRIS for Refugee led language translation solutions.

3) Community outreach -

Conducting more and more outreach programs within the refugee community to ensure awareness of the project and its benefits. Reaching out to various groups at places of worship, attending their events, international markets, or anywhere that refugees are known to congregate are great ways to help build a supportive network. We can also contact various other kinds of non profit organizations, like a non profit helping refugees find employment via social media or email/phone.

• Long term improvements/ Intensive level effort implementations

1. Refinement and Optimization: Completing the comprehensive guide in multiple languages for the different processes involved in securing and operating single vehicles

• Reach out to people who have benefited from the R4R program, people in need of work experience in the underprivileged communities or hiring college students in need of work. This will potentially help in uplifting and gaining more involvement in the different communities.
• Areas including:
• How to apply for a drivers license
• How to apply for a car loan
• Alternative financial options that does not incorporate debt
• Vehicle Match Grant
• Referrals
• Insurance Application and payment options
• Roadside Assistance
• Other services R4R offers.

2. Further Applications: Extending the functions of the R4R website to a mobile application so people can have easier and mobile access to the information necessary. Possible outsourcing options include: Grey Chain, TheNine Hertz, and HyperlinkInfosystem, all of which are non-profit app development companies that could help bring Rides4Refugees’ vision to fruition.

• Potentially outsource to a software company, or provide an internship opportunity to college students in web development in partnership with OSU.
• This application should be able to give real time updates on traffic congestion, redirections, and/or construction to minimize the problems refugees might run into while operating their individual vehicles.
• The application should also give people mobile access to the contact information with the proper resources when they encounter issues on the road, or provide directions to the nearest facility that could provide assistance for them.
• The application could also include destination recommendations for those new to the city to find restaurants that serve familiar cuisines, local places of worship, or congregate settings for refugees, to allow new refugees to find a sense of community with ease.
• Potential applications could be modified after applications such as: Waze, Google Maps, Mapquest, etc.

Conclusion:

By upgrading the Rides 4 Refugees website and digital footprint, our services and the information necessary for refugees to attain their own vehicle will be more accessible than ever before. This will allow them to conduct clear and credible background research on their own and to have a clear goal to work towards. Through cooperation with local communities and those who have benefited from the R4R program, we will be able to ensure a smooth transition from physical data to a credible online presence. This presence could then be implemented into a mobile application that would allow easy access to all of R4R’s services wherever they may be needed. This plan will maximize the benefits for both the R4R and the refugees utilizing it, ensuring the longevity and success of this program.