Program & Policy Development / Improvement

The Changing Relations Project:  Newcomers and Established Residents in Philadelphia was one of six sites on a national Ford foundation study looking at the relationship between new immigrants coming from Asia, Africa, Eastern Europe and Latin America and established residents in workplaces, schools, and community based organizations in three diverse neighborhoods in Philadelphia.  Project findings were used to develop the Changing Relations Act, legislation introduced in the U.S. Senate to sponsor model programs to improve intergroup relations in neighborhoods and college campuses.  Two direct service programs also came out of the project. The Bridges Project brought together youth and adult mentors from low income racially segregated African American neighborhoods, low income Latino neighborhoods, and middle to upper middle class youth and adults associated with private schools and Quaker Meetings to learn to walk in each other’s worlds through participating in joint activities.  The Alternative Work Experience Program (AWEP) combined findings from the Changing Relations Project and research on workforce development in a welfare to work program that addressed crossing boundaries of race, class and culture in finding work and creating successful diverse workplaces.

In 2015,  Chrysalis Collaborations contributed  to development of policy recommendations and model programs for social integration and workforce development for European refugees as part of the Global Young Academy event Fresh Eyes on the Refugee Crisis.