About #NoJudgment

#NoJudgment is a toolkit that offers resources and tools to help de-escalate the often polarized conversations that are taking place around the COVID-19 vaccine among young people. To do this, we provide trustworthy information on common vaccine concerns and conversation strategies to engage young people.


These tools are especially designed to take into account the unique needs and concerns of young people belonging to refugee, immigrant, and migrant communities in the US. We worked alongside a Youth Design Collective made up of youth who identify as from refugee, immigrant, and/or migrant communities to create and test all materials.


This work was done in partnership between IDEO.org and the University of Minnesota's National Resource Center for Refugees, Immigrants, and Migrants (NRC-RIM), and is funded by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).




What makes these tools unique?

These tools use a unique approach that resonates and is relevant to young people.

Relevant Language

These tools adopt language that speak to younger populations and normalize open conversations. The language is casual, inclusive, and inviting.

Culturally-Affirming

These tools take into account needs specific to refugee, immigrant, and migrant youth. For example, taking into account immigration status, families being part of the conversation, and the impact of their lived experience of marginalization.

Youth-Focused

This was made for youth, by youth. The tools were edited and created together with the Youth Design Collective, as well as Youth Ambassadors from the International Rescue Committee.


Honoring Multiple Perspectives

Our hope is to engage everyone with various vaccine perspectives in conversations. To help shift mindsets, we need tools that make everyone feel heard and validated.



Why conversations?

After spending time talking with young people, one thing became abundantly clear — the more we try to change someone's mind, the more they become stuck in their thinking. Young people are sick and tired of being shouted at, shamed, and blamed from across the divide of their phone screens.


The key: a compassionate dialogue between young people!

Young people are more likely to shift attitudes about the vaccine when offered face-to-face, human connection: from listening, validating, asking, and offering support.




What we heard from young people

01

Recognize that my struggle has been very real

02

Don't put me in a box

03

Recognize that it's my decision

04

Have a complete dialogue with me

05

Give me a break from all the heavy

06

Yes it's scary and that's okay


Hear from our

Youth Design Collective

This work spans eight months, three phases, and 40+ young people from refugee, immigrant, and migrant communities, from July 2021 through February 2022.

"I joined this effort because I believe in the importance of giving people our age the space to ask the questions they have and be listened to thoughtfully so they’re able to make the best decisions for their health."

Mariama Ndiaye

"I joined this youth collective because I believe that open and honest conversations provide a space for growth and learning and allow us to make informed decisions about our health in a supportive environment.."

Marali Singaraju

"I am one of the young contributors of this program. The reason I stayed here is, [the team is] trying to provide adequate information from accredited resources about the COVID vaccine!"

Mehmet Fatih Onur

“This program has helped me learn about how to talk to others about complex public health issues in ways that validates them but also sends the message that vaccines are safe...”

Sahara Sharma

“Being a youth contributor for this program has allowed me to understand the complex reasons behind why people choose the health decisions they make, and how we as young people can help influence positive change within the communities we belong to, to help decrease the risk of COVID-19...”

Pragya Karmacharya

How to use these tools

These tools are meant to be flexible and work for you! Please feel free to explore, mix and match, and use them in whatever way helps you and your community.

Below are a few thoughts on how these tools might work together to create open, judgment-free conversations:

1. SOUP TO NUTS

Use all the tools, one by one.

  • Start by creating and posting a quiz, and add in a couple of other social media posts. End in a call to action to visit the website.

  • Provide the link to the #NoJudgment website and encourage your community to explore the interactive texting practice and to watch the example videos.

  • Then, organize an in-person or virtual gathering (following current COVID-19 protocols), and get the word out through our customizable social media post templates.

  • Plan and host your gathering using the tools on the website, and follow up with young people with direct referrals to health and vaccine resources.

  • Be flexible and ready to try out variations of this process as you learn what works for you!

2. GATHERINGS FOCUS

Use the tools for engaging gatherings.

  • Pick a date for your gathering (or your series of gatherings), then get the word out through our customizable social media post templates.

  • Plan your gathering using the tools on the website.

  • Choose one of the tools from the website to focus on as an activity during each gathering. For instance: during one gathering, youth could use the interactive text conversations tool and then discuss their experience as a group. During another gathering, youth could watch one or more of the videos, and then take turns sharing their own stories as a group.

  • Be sure to have direct referrals to health and vaccine resources ready as needed.

3. SOCIAL CONNECTIONS FOCUS

Spark conversations online.

  • Start by creating and posting either a quiz or a different social media post for your youth community.

  • Use the customizable templates to get into a rhythm of regular posting, and create interactive posts for your community to engage with. For instance, you could create a new poll every three days to gauge how your community is feeling in the moment, or gather and post new testimonial videos each week from a member of your community.

  • Experiment with different types of posts get the highest engagement to refine your focus.

  • Provide the link to the #NoJudgment website and encourage your community to spend time taking in the background concerns information, exploring the interactive texting practice, and watching the example videos.

  • Encourage them to let you know if they try out the judgment-free conversation techniques and how it goes.

  • Always offer direct support through DMs, phone calls, or in-person visits as you build a lively judgment-free conversation culture with your online community.


Together, we hope to shift the conversation from one that feels anxiety-inducing and polarizing, to one that is supportive and judgment-free.

FROM

Being seen as a refugee, immigrant or migrant

TO

Being seen for who I am

FROM

Take the vaccine and it's done

TO

One part of a bigger puzzle of healing

FROM

Erasure of historical mistakes

TO

Accountability and acknowledgement

FROM

Convincing and telling

TO

Asking and listening



Notes on our sources


WE'D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU

Share your feedback and what you've created with us!

Feedback Form

Email: nrcrim@umn.edu

Facebook: @nrcrim

Twitter: @nrc_rim

Youtube: National Resource Center (NRC-RIM)