A couple of times this summer I’ll have a chance to help some sharp people explore the immigrant populations in a few cool cities. The training times will be brief and intense and the output used in the real world, so the key concepts need to stick in the minds of the explorers. To describe what we’re doing, I’m kicking around the acronym, DELVE: Discover, Explore, Learn, Verify, and Express.
The “Express” part happens after the study, as the explorers find ways to get what they’ve learned into the hands of people who will act on it. “Explore, Learn, and Verify” take place on site, with explorers walking the streets and talking with immigrants about their lives.
The part that’s got me stressed is the “Discover” component. I know that tons must already be known of the peoples our explorers will learn about, but how do we find that out ahead of time?
This is where I’d like to borrow your brain again. If you wanted to know what was already known about a specific immigrant group, for instance the Afghans in an American city like Baltimore, or all the immigrants in a European city like Berlin, how would you go about finding out? Who would you ask? What websites or other resources would you consult?
» Share your tips for info gathering.
… And if some training like that would help you, let’s chat.
