Overview
The My Refugee Claim initiative, a CAD 1.4 million project led by Kinbrace Community Society, aimed to scale access to critical legal information for refugee claimants across Canada. The project involved a complete overhaul of the website, translating its content into 13 languages for increased access. Recess Labs took the lead at a pivotal moment, streamlining operations, managing multiple vendors, and helping build-in efficiencies that saved over $100,000 in budgeted costs. Our focus on optimizing project management ensured the initiative’s long-term success and sustainability.
The Challenge
Kinbrace needed to:
- Update the content of the My Refugee Claim website and its accompanying orientation materials first in English and French and then translate them into 11 new languages.
- Effectively manage a range of vendors and coordinate translation efforts.
- Identify potential cost overruns and operational inefficiencies to deliver results within the set timeline and budget as the project.
- Seamlessly integrate the website with Ready Tours HubSpot CRM for continuous service delivery.
The Solution
Recess Labs led the My Refugee Claim project with a focus on strategic operations and project management, ensuring smooth collaboration between all stakeholders.
1) Vendor and Partner Management:
We coordinated with key partners, including Denman Digital for web development, Exchange Language Services for translation into 11 new languages, and Roadmap for CRM integration. By aligning everyone with the project’s goals, we kept the deliverables on time and on target.
2) Project and Budget Oversight:
Within the first few weeks, Recess Labs identified potential inefficiencies and optimized the project’s workflow, saving over $100,000 in anticipated expenses. With a CAD 1.4 million budget, Recess Labs meticulously managed both time and resources, ensuring the project progressed smoothly from initiation to launch.
3) Translation Process:
Recess Labs coordinated with and trained Exchange Language Services to use the WordPress Multi-Lingual (WPML) Plugin, streamlining the translation process for 11 new languages—Spanish, Haitian Creole, Arabic, Turkish, Persian/Farsi, Hindi, Punjabi, Urdu, Swahili, Lingala, and Amharic—after completing the initial updates in English and French. This approach ensured accurate, culturally appropriate translations for a diverse audience and saved over $100,000 compared to the previous spreadsheet-based translation process.
4) Ready Tours Integration:
We worked with Roadmap to ensure the seamless integration of the My Refugee Claim website with Kinbrace’s Ready Tours HubSpot CRM to allow both projects to operate seamlessly while providing critical services to refugee claimants.
5) Rebuilding Operations:
Beyond just managing the project, Recess Labs took every opportunity to rebuild and improve Kinbrace’s project operations and management procedures, creating long-term efficiencies and a more sustainable operational model for future initiatives.
The Results
The project delivered several key outcomes:
- Website Launch in 13 Languages: The My Refugee Claim website was successfully updated first in English and French, followed by the 11 new languages: Spanish, Haitian Creole, Arabic, Turkish, Persian/Farsi, Hindi, Punjabi, Urdu, Swahili, Lingala, and Amharic. This provided greater accessibility to refugee claimants across Canada.
- Cost Savings: By building in efficiencies early, we achieved over $100,000 in savings, keeping the project within the CAD 1.4 million budget.
- Improved Communication Tools: The integration of HubSpot CRM allowed Ready Tours to continue operating efficiently, ensuring refugee claimants received the support they needed in a timely manner.
- Operational Improvements: Restructuring of project management and operational procedures not only resolved existing issues but also laid the groundwork for more efficient project management in future initiatives.
- Multi-Vendor Collaboration Success: Thanks to Recess Labs’ coordination, the project’s multiple vendors worked together seamlessly, ensuring smooth, on-time delivery.
“Jamie Turner took over the My Refugee Claim project at a critical moment and immediately made an impact. Within the first few weeks, Jamie was able to build-in efficiencies that saved us over $100,000 in budgeted costs. Not only did Jamie manage the project with grace and expertise, but he also took every opportunity to rebuild and improve our project operations and management procedures. His leadership, strategic insight, and operational expertise were invaluable to the success of the project. Thanks to Jamie’s careful management, we were able to launch a website in 13 languages, greatly improving access to legal information for refugee claimants. Jamie’s ability to take control of the project and deliver such impactful results was truly exceptional, and we couldn’t recommend Recess Labs more highly.”
Loren Balisky
Director of Engagement
Conclusion
Stepping in at just the right time, Recess Labs worked alongside Kinbrace to tackle a complex project that called for expert project management. With 13 languages, multiple vendors, and plenty of moving parts, we streamlined and optimized, saving over $100,000 and keeping the project on budget. Who knew managing so much could run this smoothly?
5MinRecess
Take a bi-weekly break from the usual biz noise.
Non-dominant branding, people-centred ops, and regenerative growth marketing systems for people doing good things.
