Community Treasures Forum

The Temple University Center for Intergenerational Learning is facilitating national conversations on the civic engagement of older immigrants and refugees. In Southern California, we are collaborating with California State University at Fullerton, Center for Internships and Community Engagement and California Community Foundation. Together we are convening practitioners and policy makers in the fields of immigration, civic engagement and aging to discuss the findings and implications of a new report entitled, Community Treasures: Recognizing the Contributions of Older Immigrants and Refugees.

Join us! Participants will. . .

Hear highlights and research findings from the new report Community Treasures.
Learn about promising practices from programs such as WECARE that support and increase the engagement of immigrants and refugees 50+ in meaningful roles.
Hear personal stories from immigrant elders.
Network and Explore opportunities for mobilizing immigrants and refugees 50+ as resources to your organizations and communities.

August 3, 2009
9:00 – 12:30 PM
California Endowment
Center for Healthy Communities, Room CHC 1 Redwood
1000 N. Alameda Street
Los Angeles, CA 90012
Breakfast will be served

Agenda

Welcome
Keynote: National and Local Perspectives
Research Highlights from Community Treasures
Presentation of Promising Practices
Panel Discussion with Immigrant and Refugee Elders
Round Table Discussion
Closing Remarks

To R.S.V.P., e-mail us at forum@templecil.org

As America grows older and more diverse, people age 50+ from all cultural backgrounds represent a vast resource for communities. Many are seeking opportunities to contribute to their families and neighborhoods, remain connected to others, and leave a legacy for future generations. Though human service practitioners and researchers are beginning to recognize the benefits of connection and contribution, both for individuals 50+ and for the larger community, scant attention has been paid to the characteristics of civic engagement among foreign-born elders. In fact, it has been suggested that immigrant elders are minimally engaged in their communities. Research that has been conducted on immigrant civic participation has focused primarily on citizenship efforts, not the critical roles that older adults play or could play in their communities.

The purpose of this report is to gain a better understanding of why and how older immigrants contribute to their families and communities and to identify promising practices that support the engagement of immigrant elders in meaningful roles. The study documents the motivations and activities of 99 elders from diverse ethnic communities in Philadelphia, Atlanta, and Orange County, California. Data from focus groups, interviews with “engaged” elders, and discussions with organizations that have successfully supported older immigrants in civic roles allow the reader to hear the voices of immigrant elders and community leaders representing six ethnolinguistic groups: Latino, Chinese, Liberian, Vietnamese, Somali, and Ethiopian.

In many cultures, the U.S. concept of “volunteering” is an unfamiliar one. Therefore, in this report, “civic engagement” is broadly defined to include informal and formal helping, giving, leading, influencing, and participating, which more closely reflect the variety of ways in which elders assist one another, their families, and younger generations. When considering the civic engagement of foreign-born elders, words such as “volunteering” and “community service” may need to be replaced with more culturally appropriate language.

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Programs Training About The Center Resources What's New Contact	Community Treasures Forum The Temple University Center for Intergenerational Learning is facilitating national conversations on the civic engagement of older immigrants and refugees. In Southern California, we are collaborating with California State University at Fullerton, Center for Internships and Community Engagement and California Community Foundation. Together we are convening practitioners and policy makers in the fields of immigration, civic engagement and aging to discuss the findings and implications of a new report entitled, Community Treasures: Recognizing the Contributions of Older Immigrants and Refugees. Join us! Participants will. . . Hear highlights and research findings from the new report Community Treasures. Learn about promising practices from programs such as WECARE that support and increase the engagement of immigrants and refugees 50+ in meaningful roles. Hear personal stories from immigrant elders. Network and Explore opportunities for mobilizing immigrants and refugees 50+ as resources to your organizations and communities. August 3, 2009 9:00 – 12:30 PM California Endowment Center for Healthy Communities, Room CHC 1 Redwood 1000 N. Alameda Street Los Angeles, CA 90012 Breakfast will be served Agenda Welcome Keynote: National and Local Perspectives Research Highlights from Community Treasures Presentation of Promising Practices Panel Discussion with Immigrant and Refugee Elders Round Table Discussion Closing Remarks To R.S.V.P., e-mail us at forum@templecil.org As America grows older and more diverse, people age 50+ from all cultural backgrounds represent a vast resource for communities. Many are seeking opportunities to contribute to their families and neighborhoods, remain connected to others, and leave a legacy for future generations. Though human service practitioners and researchers are beginning to recognize the benefits of connection and contribution, both for individuals 50+ and for the larger community, scant attention has been paid to the characteristics of civic engagement among foreign-born elders. In fact, it has been suggested that immigrant elders are minimally engaged in their communities. Research that has been conducted on immigrant civic participation has focused primarily on citizenship efforts, not the critical roles that older adults play or could play in their communities. The purpose of this report is to gain a better understanding of why and how older immigrants contribute to their families and communities and to identify promising practices that support the engagement of immigrant elders in meaningful roles. The study documents the motivations and activities of 99 elders from diverse ethnic communities in Philadelphia, Atlanta, and Orange County, California. Data from focus groups, interviews with “engaged” elders, and discussions with organizations that have successfully supported older immigrants in civic roles allow the reader to hear the voices of immigrant elders and community leaders representing six ethnolinguistic groups: Latino, Chinese, Liberian, Vietnamese, Somali, and Ethiopian. In many cultures, the U.S. concept of “volunteering” is an unfamiliar one. Therefore, in this report, “civic engagement” is broadly defined to include informal and formal helping, giving, leading, influencing, and participating, which more closely reflect the variety of ways in which elders assist one another, their families, and younger generations. When considering the civic engagement of foreign-born elders, words such as “volunteering” and “community service” may need to be replaced with more culturally appropriate language. Learn More