virginia latino pilot project american red cross – informing and educating immigrant residents...

Virginia Latino Pilot ProjectAmerican Red Cross –

Informingand educating immigrantresidents about emergency preparedness

Purpose/Goals

To increase Latino and other diverse Virginia residents’ ability to prevent and prepare for an emergency or disaster.

Administer survey to better understand demographics, emergency and disaster prevention and preparedness, underlying causes of immigration and health concerns of Latino and other diverse Virginia residents. 

To build trust with Latino and immigrant communities.

To provide students with service learning and leadership opportunities. (More on the student experience to come).

To distribute information to area Latinos on services available to them and their rights to an interpreter.

Virginia Latino Pilot Project Partners

UniversitiesHigh School studentsCommunity organizationsFaith organizationsLatino organizations, networksState agencies and officesOthers

Localities participating

Greater Richmond (Richmond city, Chesterfield and

Henrico Counties)PetersburgFredericksburgCharlottesville and Albemarle Outreach planned for Hampton Roads, WilliamsburgSurveys administered door-to-door, during focus groups,

at community programs

Logistics

How we recruitedHow we got the word out (wiki, emails,

word of mouth, recruitment in Albemarle County Schools, CJ)

Orientation session with CJ a sense of our community understanding of how to best do these surveys cultural sensitivity building enthusiasm

University of Virginia orientation and training

Fall 2008

Surveying

Where we went:Bubbles (3 visits)Trophy Chase (with UVa Law’s Latin American

Law Organization)Soccer games (3 times)Southwood (2 visits)

Surveys took about 20 minutes eachStudent experience.

Who we surveyed/ Charlottesville results140 surveys

136 surveys included in analysis

Surveys took place in fall 2008

1

19

114

81

1 114

4

Country of Origin

Gender and Age of those surveyed

Female, 22%

Male63%

Not indicated,

15%Gender

Female

Male

Not indicated

2% 13%

37%29%

8%

4% 1%

6%Age Less than 18

18-21

22-29

30-39

40-49

50-59

60+

Not indicated

Education

19%

43%

8%

0% 1%

29%

Level of education Primary

Seconday

University

Master's

Ph.D.

Not indicated

Marital Status

43%

37%

10%

2%

2%

1%

5%

Marital Status

Single

Married

Partner

Separated

Divorced

Widowed

Not indicated

What we found:Disaster preparedness

85

59

3339

22

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

Smoke alarm Disaster kit Disaster plan Fire escape plan Renter's insurance

Percent who answered "yes" to having....

Perception of factors that were affecting their health:

29%

6%15%

10%

Poverty, economic hardships

Inadequate housing

Immigrant status Violence

Percent who answered "yes" when asked if health was affected by....

Access to Health Care

12%

20%

21%

45%

2%

How concerned about accessto health care

Very concerned

Concerned

Somewhat concernedNot concerned

No answer

Motives for Coming to the U.S.

69%

44%

53%

14%22% 19%

7%3% 6%

Percent who gave the issue indicated as a reason for immigrating*

 Experience During Past 12 Months

9

4144

19

5

18

Very Positive Positive OK Difficult Very Difficult No Answer

In the past 12 months, how has your experience been living in the United

States?

Is there a link between time here and experience in last year?

2

3

1

1

1

11

7

6

7

6

2

1

12

9

6

7

5

1

3

7

5

3

3

1

1

3

1

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

<1-3

3-5

5-7

7-10

10-15

15-20

20+

Year

s in

Uni

ted

Stat

es

Experience in Past YearVery positive Positive OK Difficult Very difficult

Plans to return:

73

4 49

28

Yes No Maybe Don't Know To Visit

Are you planning to return to your country of origin?

24

19

12

9

5

21

1

1

1

1

4

12

1

1

1

1

1

1

5

5

56

5

1

1

Num

ber o

f res

pons

es

Years in United States

Do you plan to return to your home country? (some overlap)

To Visit

Maybe

Don't know

No

Yes

24

19

12

9

5

2

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

4

1

2

1

1

5

5

5

6

5

1

1

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

<1-3

3-5

5-7

7-10

10-15

15-20

20+

Proportion of responses

Year

s in

the

Uni

ted

Stat

esPlanning to return to home country versus

time living in the United StatesYes

No

Maybe

Don't Know

To visit

More information gathered

Whether they lived alone, with family, with people they worked with

Whether they came to the U.S. alone or with friends, family

Long-answer questions about why they came to the U.S. and whether they met their goals.

Other feedback….Slowing economy and jobs: Many reported an inability to get full-time

employment or told of us their recent unemployment.

Lack of English skills and lack of documentation were repeatedly mentioned as an impediments to their goals

Reports on success stories – businesses started, families supported at home.

Coming alone and with families.

The importance of community in getting the word out.

Other feedback and findings (Student findings):

Meeting Our Objectives?

To increase Latino and other diverse Virginia residents’ ability to prevent and prepare for an emergency or disaster.

Administer survey to better understand demographics, emergency and disaster prevention and preparedness, underlying causes of immigration and health concerns of Latino and other diverse Virginia residents. 

To build trust with Latino and immigrant communities.

To provide students with service learning and leadership opportunities.

To distribute information to area Latinos on services available to them and their rights to an interpreter.

Ideas for Future Survey Initiatives…

University and high school volunteersMadison House, Spanish classes, student leadersDesignate student delegatesCommunity-initiated input into future surveysMaterials to be distributed: upcoming events, information

on services, ….Your suggestions:

Is there a need for more information gathering? For the distribution of materials? How to best organize future initiatives…

For more information

Peter M. Von der Lippe

Manager, International Services

American Red Cross, Greater Richmond Chapter

Tel. (804) 343-2090

Fax (804) 649-2131

vonderlippep@usa.redcross.org

Amy Frazier-Yoder

amf5t@virginia.edu

Lecturer and Graduate Student/

UVa Department of Spanish, Italian & Portuguese