Welcome to the first annual National Newcomer Navigation Network (N4) Conference held March 1 – 3, 2022. ​The theme of this year’s conference is The Past is Practice: intersectoral lessons learned from the dual pandemic of COVID-19 and systemic racism. We invite newcomer-serving professionals and organizations to submit abstracts that address the root systemic causes of health and social service inequities for newcomers, including learnings from the COVID-19 pandemic and racial justice movement over the past 2 years.

The abstract submission deadline is Monday, November 15, 2021, 11:59 PM ET

Formats for submission include:

- Oral presentations: consisting of 45 minutes of speaking time and 15 minutes for Q&A. Sessions should be interactive and engage participants in discussion and/or activities beyond the Q&A.
- Poster sessions: graphic presentations visually-highlighting proven practices, sharing successful ideas, offering problem-solving solutions or outlining an innovative program. 

Topics of interest to our members include:

• Overcoming linguistic barriers (interpretation and translation)
• Cultural awareness and training
• Supporting newcomers with mental health issues
• Engagement strategies for newcomers in improving service delivery
• Access to primary or acute care
• Health and social system navigation models and tools
• Data collection strategies 
• Trauma- and violence-informed care
• Afghan refugee resettlement
• Use of technology in providing service or support to newcomers
• Vicarious trauma and provider well-being

Accepted submissions are not exclusive to this list. Priority will be given to submissions that are relevant to an intersectoral audience and include the voice of lived experience.

Submission Guidelines:

• We encourage submissions from healthcare, settlement, social, academia, and legal sectors
• Authors may only submit one abstract as first author, but there is no limit on the number of abstracts as a co-author.
• The submitting author must be a presenter or moderator and serve as the main contact for the abstract.
• Abstracts must be submitted using the online abstract submission process (Pheedloop) and should include a title, speaker name(s) and affiliation, summary (maximum 500 words), and an attendee key take away or learning objective.
• Abstracts may be submitted in either official language, and will be peer-reviewed according to the language of submission.

Key Take Aways/Learning Objectives:

• Leading and proven practices from intersectoral settings that you can apply in your own organization
• Skills to ensure an equitable experience for newcomers in health/social services
• Lasting connections with intersectoral peers to support on-going connections
• Strategies to ensure equity is not a goal but embedded in service delivery

The N4 Conference Review Committee will use a scoring tool for submissions. Priority will be given to submissions that are relevant to an intersectoral audience, best represent the conference theme,  include the voice of lived experience, and will attract and engage attendees. Should your abstract not be selected as an oral presentation, you may be invited to present your work as a poster.

Notification from the Review Committee will be sent by December 8th.

Have questions about your abstract? Contact Colleen Drake, Conference Project Coordinator.