FAQs – Connecting Worlds

Protecting Refugees

Why are refugees interested in using Connecting Worlds?

Refugees have told us that Connecting Worlds supports their emotional wellbeing by giving them an opportunity to tell their own story – in their own words – to a supporter who takes a genuine interest. This is an opportunity for refugees to portray themselves as they really are, not as the media might portray them.

Additionally, the funds raised as part of Connecting Worlds contribute to UNHCR’s cash-assistance programme in Jordan which is heavily underfunded. Donations from supporters allow UNHCR to continue to support some of the most vulnerable refugee families with a monthly cash grant that allows them to meet their basic needs with dignity.

Do refugees themselves decide if they want to participate in Connecting Worlds?

Participation in Connecting Worlds is voluntary, and refugees are provided with a full overview of the process before they decide to get involved. There are no rewards or incentives for participating and it in no way impacts the level of assistance they receive from UNHCR.

UNHCR also has a dedicated help desk in place to answer any enquiries refugees have before, during and after their experience.

Why is the gender choice binary?

Connecting Worlds has been created in consultation with refugees in Jordan, and they have told us that their preference is to connect with someone of their own gender. Although we acknowledge that there are multiple ways people may choose to identify - we have only included binary gender options to choose from.

Were refugees consulted in the research of this app?

The protection of refugees is the core of UNHCR’s mandate, which has guided our approach to developing Connecting Worlds. We have included the insights and perspectives of refugees at every stage of the app development process. This includes consultations with refugees, conducting hundreds of interviews and creating a Refugee Advisory Committee, which advises us on app functionality and refugee engagement as we continue to refine Connecting Worlds.

Your safety and data protection

How will UNHCR use my data?

We’ll use the data you provide via the app to help establish your connection with the person you’ve been paired with. Your match will only receive data that helps you to get to know each other better and you will not be able to make contact with them outside of the app. This includes:

• Your forename
• Gender F, M
• Your age range 18-24, 25-34,35-44, 45-54, 55-64, 65-74, 75-84
• Your family status
• Your profile photograph (optional)
• Data generated by you as messages in the live app

Your data will not be used for any marketing purposes and will be used in full compliance with your country’s regulations.

What happens to my data after the campaign?

UNHCR may use your personal data only for the purposes of:

• Creating a communication channel between you and a refugee in Jordan
• UNHCR may also use your data in an anonymized form (ie used in a manner that no one will be able to connect it to your identity) to assess the performance of the application.

By using the app you permit UNHCR to monitor your messages as part of a vetting process to ensure that you and the refugee family are protected from sharing sensitive information such as phone numbers, social media account addresses and physical location details.

Can I share photos or details of my connection on social media?

This personal connection is valuable and sensitive, so please treat all messages shared with you as confidential. We ask both supporters and refugees to treat this communication as if they are exchanging private communication with a friend and to comply with our Community Standards. Please refrain from sharing personal details such as:

• Names of refugees or their families
• Photos of refugees or their families
• Information about where they are based
• Any pictures that your match may share with you.
• Screenshots of messages or the Connecting Worlds app generally

Can I donate to the family with whom I’ve been matched?

Connecting Worlds is about facilitating connections between like-minded people living vastly different lives. And, based on conversations with refugees and donors, we decided it was the right approach for donations to be earmarked to our cash assistance fund rather than directly to individual refugees. The refugees using the app are all recipients of cash assistance from this fund. Your donation helps ensure UNHCR can continue to support families like them. You can choose to give an additional gift or donation via the app at any time.

Engaging with your match

How long will my match last?

You can choose the length of your match from between 4, 6 and 8 weeks of communication. During this time, you’ll be able to actively send and receive messages with your match.

Why has my message been returned?

Occasionally, our moderators may flag a message and return it when there has been a breach of our Community Standards. In this case, please review our Community Standards and send a new message that meets the requirements.

Why has my match not responded?

It can sometimes take your match a few days to respond to your message but if it has been more than 5 days please reach out to us via Support and we can look into it. If you are unsure about what to say to your match, you can find advice from previous participants in Your Community.

How long does it take for a message to be received?

Messages sent and received on Connecting Worlds can take between a few hours to a day to be delivered. This is because our in-house moderators translate each message and ensure that they comply with our Community Standards before they’re delivered to recipients.

What kind of messages can I send and receive?

If you have any questions about how to communicate on the app, you can take a look at our Community Standards or read through advice from previous participants in Our Community. But it’s simple – be open, honest and kind, and you’ll have the opportunity to build a genuine connection.

Technical issues

What do I do if the app stops working?

If you experience a glitch, don’t worry – these things can happen. If the app doesn’t start working as normal again, just contact us via Support and a member of our team will be happy to help you.

Why can’t I send a message?

If you’re having trouble sending or receiving messages in Connecting Worlds, it might be because you aren’t connected to the internet. If you’ve checked that you have a connection via Wi-Fi or your mobile network provider and still can’t access your messages, then, please contact us via Support and a member of our team will be on hand to support you.

Why is my phone stuck on the matching screen?

It normally takes 15-20 seconds to be matched with a refugee family. If you have been waiting longer than 3 minutes, please message us via Support and a member of our team will be on hand to support you.

I don’t want to use the app. How do I delete it from my phone?

We’ll be sorry to see you go. If you are certain you’d like to end your Connecting Worlds experience, please let us know by contacting us via Support. To uninstall the app, please follow the instructions below.

For iPhone: Press and hold the app icon on your home-screen. An x should appear on the top left of the app. Tap on the x to remove the app.

For Android: Select the Settings app from your home screen. Tap Apps & Notifications, then tap See all apps. Scroll down the list until you find Connecting Worlds and tap it. Select Uninstall.

Additional

My question wasn’t answered here. What do I do?

Please reach out to us via Support and a member of our team will be able to support you.

Where can I access the Terms and Conditions of Connecting Worlds?

You can access the Terms and Conditions via the Connecting Worlds website here.

Where is the Privacy Policy for this app?

The Privacy Policy of the app can be found here

Where can I learn more about UNHCR’s work?

You can learn more about UNHCR and its work at www.unhcr.org