
Welcoming International is an expansion of the non-profit NGO Welcoming America. It aims to foster cultures and policy environments which create welcoming communities for newcomers of all backgrounds to fully participate in the social, civic and economic life of their place of residence. Welcoming International takes a local approach, working with institutions across a community to reduce barriers immigrants face to fully participating, rather than focusing on a single program or service.
The transformational change process pursued by the organization - which engages every sector in the community - is led primarily by the municipal government, civil society leaders, and immigrants and refugees themselves. By providing the tools and road map communities need to improve the welcoming nature of communities, the project seeks to create a measurable and practical set of steps, including national network building and national welcoming standards creation.
Welcoming International supports national partners through provision of access to a global network, innovations and coaching; supporting the development and management of the National City Network; supporting the development, piloting, and refining of national standards; and showcasing the economic benefits of immigration to cities and towns. Support is also provided to local institutions in some cases where a national partner has not yet been identifed.
Together with its partners, Welcoming International is currently active in the United States, Germany, Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom.