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Ethnicity Based Volunteerism: Student Service in Chinatown

Ethnicity Based Volunteerism: Student Service in Chinatown. By John Hsu Presented 5/10/02 At the Chinatowns Interdisciplinary Student Conference. Project Outline. Background information The Harvard Chinatown Committee The Chinatown Committee History Big Sib Program

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Ethnicity Based Volunteerism: Student Service in Chinatown

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  1. Ethnicity Based Volunteerism: Student Service in Chinatown By John Hsu Presented 5/10/02 At the Chinatowns Interdisciplinary Student Conference

  2. Project Outline • Background information • The Harvard Chinatown Committee • The Chinatown Committee History • Big Sib Program • Research methods and questions • Results

  3. Background Information • Ethnic Philanthropy, USF (1994) • Asian American volunteerism based on kinship and duty to community • Volunteering in the…Asian American Community, United Way (1996) • Importance of sense of kinship • Importance of tapping the student population for volunteers • Manuals for ethnic volunteerism published by Big Brothers and Big Sisters

  4. Boston Chinatown • “The ethnic urban ghetto” • 54% Chinese • 26.6% poverty rate • “Home” or “Hub” • Community • Geographically bounded • Or a “Chinese community” • Immigrant population

  5. Chinatown Committee History • Created in 1976 • Constitution lost, founders unreachable • Changing mission • With changing leaders • With changing social moments • Presently a volunteering force at Harvard • Over 150 volunteers serving 1000 residents

  6. Chinatown Big Sib Program • Began in late 80’s to provide a more cohesive support network for volunteers • 23 big sibs • 17 female, 6 male • 18 Chinese, 3 Caucasian, 2 mixed • All 3 Caucasian big sibs are female • Minimal turnover

  7. Project Outline • Background information • The Harvard Chinatown Committee • The Chinatown Committee History • Big Sib Program • Research methods and questions • Results

  8. Interviews • Students • 5 female, 2 male, 2 program directors, 2 former Chinatown After-school volunteers • Little Sibs • 2 female, one male • Parents • none • Others • Professor Tseming Yang, Varsha Ghosh * Self-selecting group of interviewees

  9. Results • Motivation • Chinese big sibs • Were all looking specifically to work in Chinatown • Some looking to help Chinese Americans • Some looking to help underprivileged Chinese Americans • Mostly 2nd generation • Felt they were better equipped to serve the community • Non-Chinese big sibs • was just looking to volunteer, heard from a friend

  10. Results • Role of ethnicity • Its importance appears to depend on the individual • Non-Chinese big sibs have little sibs in single mother families • Most Chinese big sibs feel that it is an asset to be Chinese • Cultural understanding leads to a higher comfort level

  11. Results • Growing up in and understanding the Chinatown community • Some feel that growing up in Chinatown would have helped them be better big sibs, others don’t think it is as important as being Chinese • Most feel that understanding the issues is important to being a big sib • Some feel that socioeconomic issues are more important than ethnicity • Directors feel that not enough volunteers are aware of the issues facing Chinatown

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