Refugee simulation takes place at Refuge Bowling Green

BOWLING GREEN Ky. – KY Steps, together with Bowling Green Refuge and the Red Cross, has gathered community members to take part in a Refugee Simulation.

This simulation gives participants various statuses, such as not being able to speak English or having certain religious restrictions that may affect how and whom they work with. Then the simulation participants are given a task, such as getting Medicaid, finding housing or getting their children into a school. 

In doing this, the participants are able to see the difficulties that many of their neighbors in Warren County face, sometimes on a daily basis, and almost always when they first arrive. 

Paige Coleman with KY Steps hopes this event can help people understand these difficulties and allow them to relate more to their neighbors. 

“I think it’s important that people take away how difficult it is for someone who is not from this country, does not speak the native language here and may or may not have an education, how difficult it is for them to navigate our system,” Coleman says.