Volunteerism in Immigrant and Refugee Communities

Upcoming Events:

Relationships Matter: Volunteerism in Immigrant Communities
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Golden Valley, MN

Watch for an upcoming workshop in St. Cloud!
                                      

Learn more! View the research summary. Check back for the release of our completed research Spring 2010!      

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Initiative Progress Updates: 

Minnesota has experienced dramatic changes in population diversity over the last 25 years with one of the highest rates in growth in diversity in the country.  Literature review indicates there are few resources or research on volunteerism in immigrant and refugee communities.  MAVA has contracted with Mai Moua of Leadership Paradigms to do original research on volunteerism in immigrant and refugee communities as it relates to building organizational capacity that fuels community development.

The research addresses:

• How can mainstream organizations recruit and retain volunteers (staff and board directors) from immigrant and refugee communities;
• How can organizations in immigrant and refugee communities recruit and train volunteers (staff and board directors) within their own communities;
  
• What types of support should mainstream organizations provide to help immigrant and refugee agencies in their recruitment of volunteers?
• What issues/challenges do communities face in volunteer management and leadership on a cross cultural level?
• What systemic issues (organizational, leadership, etc.) are barriers to the full engagement of volunteerism from immigrant and refugee communities?

When the research is complete, the aims are to:

• Use the findings from the research to build and deliver volunteer leadership resources and services to immigrant and refugee organizations so they may better serve their nonprofit organizations’ capacity building efforts.
• Use the findings from the research to provide ways for mainstream organizations build new skills on appropriate forms of training, support, recruitment and retention strategies for volunteers within immigrant and refugee communities. 

An Advisory Committee of community representatives will assist in the research and development of the project:  

The following are members of that Committee:

• Consultant: Mai Moua, Leadership Paradigms
• Tina Gonzales, MAP for Nonprofits
• Heather Cox, Science Museum of MN
• Saeed Fahia, Confederation of Somali Community in Minnesota
• Rodolfo Gutierrez/ Andreya Skarie, HACER (Hispanic Advocacy and Community Empowerment through Research)
• Pat Kiano, Hmong American Partnership
• Celina Martina, Girl Scouts of Minnesota Wisconsin River Valley
• Sue Moyer, Manager, Greater Twin Cities United Way
• Bao Vang, Minnesota Council of Nonprofits
• Yorn Yan, United Cambodian Association of MN

Check back for a completed research report Spring 2010!

Click here to view the results of our survey on Volunteerism Practices in Immigrant and Refugee Communities in Minnesota.

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update! MAVA Participates in Latino-Somali Resource Fair in Willmar

How do Somali and Latino cultures view Volunteerism? This and other questions were asked of participants at an August 15, 2009 resource fair in Willmar.  MAVA staff Katie Bull and VISTA member Helen Young staffed a booth to interact with resource fair goers. The results of this survey, which include interviews of Latino, Somali and Hmong community members, focus groups and a survey of MAVA members, will be released in Fall 2009 by MAVA as a preliminary research report on Volunteerism in Immigrant and Refugee Communities.  The research is being conducted by Mai Moua of Leadership Paradigms. For more information contact Mary Quirk, Volunteer Leadership Program Manager at mquirk@mavanetwork.org.