Virginia Latino Pilot Project American Red Cross

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Virginia Latino Pilot ProjectAmerican Red Cross

Informing and educating immigrant residents about
emergency preparedness
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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.

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Virginia Latino Pilot Project Partners

• Universities
• High School students
• Community organizations
• Faith organizations
• Latino organizations, networks
• State agencies and offices
• Others

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Localities participating

• Greater Richmond (Richmond city, Chesterfield and
  
• Henrico Counties)
• Petersburg
• Fredericksburg
• Charlottesville and Albemarle
• Outreach planned for Hampton Roads, Williamsburg
• Surveys administered door-to-door, during focus
  groups, at community programs

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Logistics

• How we recruited
• How 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

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University of Virginia orientation and training
Fall 2008
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Surveying

• Where we went
• Bubbles (3 visits)
• Trophy Chase (with UVa Laws Latin American Law
  Organization)
• Soccer games (3 times)
• Southwood (2 visits)
• Surveys took about 20 minutes each
• Student experience.

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Who we surveyed/ Charlottesville results

• 140 surveys
• 136 surveys included in analysis
• Surveys took place in fall 2008

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Gender and Age of those surveyed
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(No Transcript)
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Education
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Marital Status
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What we found Disaster preparedness
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Perception of factors that were affecting their
health
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Access to Health Care
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Motives for Coming to the U.S.
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 Experience During Past 12 Months
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Is there a link between time here and experience
in last year?
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Plans to return
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(No Transcript)
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(No Transcript)
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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.

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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)
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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.

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Ideas for Future Survey Initiatives

• University and high school volunteers
• Madison House, Spanish classes, student leaders
• Designate student delegates
• Community-initiated input into future surveys
• Materials 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

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For more information

• Peter M. Von der Lippe
• Manager, International Services
• American Red Cross, Greater Richmond Chapter
• Tel. [phone]
• Fax [phone]
• vonderlippep_at_usa.redcross.org
• Amy Frazier-Yoder
• amf5t_at_virginia.edu
• Lecturer and Graduate Student/
• UVa Department of Spanish, Italian Portuguese
•