Motivation
Boston has become a much more racially and ethnically diverse place over the past decades. In 2021, more than 30% of Boston's population is foreign-born.
High social interactions and access to various information channels are important for immigrants to be more connected with the national system. However, little is known about why and how Boston’s immigrant communities to access, learn and share information. This project aims to understand the information needs of the immigrant community and what it means for the City of Boston.
The research aimed to understand:
- Who needs the information in what situation
- Why immigrant information matters
- How the current information connection works
- The gap between needs and supports
- The best practice to provide a better information communication experience
Desk Research
Information Connection Explained
In this research, I used the term "information connection" to indicate everyday information behaviours and activities to information satisfy information needs throughout the settlement process.
Who: Value and characteristics of target audience
Haitians* in Boston make up 3.7%** of Boston’s population and live predominantly in Mattapan, Hyde Park, and Dorchester.***
* people born in Haiti or who identify as Haitian
** or 24,955 people
Source: U.S. Census Bureau,2013-2017 American Community Survey, A Prosperous Boston for All: Haitians, BPDA (2020)
Data source: Foreign-Born Population: Haiti (Suffolk County by census tract, ACS 2019 (5-Year Estimates)) Visualized at Social explorer by Geunhee Lee
Haitian creole (1.8%) is the third most spoken foreign language among Boston residents*.
* Among all Boston residents aged older than five years old, 112,603 residents (17.3%) speak a language other than English at home and self-identify as speaking English less than very well.
Data source: 2015-2019 American Community Survey, Public Use Microdata Sample (PUMS), BPDA Research Division Analysis
42% of the Haitian foreign-born adult populations in Boston lack a high school diploma, English proficiency, or both.
Aged 45 or over in the foreign-born population of the Haitian immigrant communities is larger than that of other groups.
Data source: Imagine All the People: Haitians BPDA (2016), A Prosperous Boston for All: Haitians, BPDA (2020)
Why: Motivation & Needs
"Without information and the satisfaction of information needs, regardless of the channel used to satisfy them, full absorption cannot be achieved because the satisfaction of information needs is a basic element of life." (Shoham, S. & Strauss, S.K. , 2008)
The information needs and their satisfaction are basic human needs. Furthermore, the information needs satisfaction is also essential to the full absorption process.
To immigrant communities, it’s about “building confidence and a wish to stay. ” (Adler, S., 1977)
Referring to Shoham, S. & Strauss, S.K. (2008), I defined four key values of immigrant research as follows:
- COMPETENCE: Put down roots in the new home
- RELATEDNESS: Regain social network and sense of belonging
- AUTONOMY: Experience integration and freedom
- SELF-IDENTIFICATION: Cultivate a sense of new identity
What: Type of information
I reviewed previous research to identify the types of information that are particularly important to immigrant communities.
Division of recent/loger-established immigrant was adopted from Caidi and Allard(2005).
Source: Khoir, S., Du, J.T. &Koronios, A. (2015). Everyday information behaviourof Asian immigrants in South Australia: A mixed-methods exploration.
By grouping the types of information, I defined 8 information categories and used the categories to communicate the types of information with community partners/members.
- Settlement
- Cultural Heritage
- Legal Issues & Rights
- Entertainment
- Financial Literacy
- Career Development
- Education
- Social Networking
How: Information ground & Communication channels
Ground 1. Closed Small World; the inner circle
The information is exchanged based on mutual trust made in close relationships.
Ground 2. Dynamic small world
Ground 3. Formal World; Gateway to establishment
The gateway to connect immigrant community to national formal systems and accurate & official information
Survey Overview
Timeline
Artifacts and Analysis Methods
Preliminary Survey
I conducted online written surveys with 4 community partners speaking Haitians and Vietnamese and 3 city officials.
Results
The preliminary survey indicated that the cultural heritage is the keyword of their works, among others.
When asked to choose top 3 keywords to describe their works for the immigrant community, four out of seven respondents chose cultural heritage as one of their keywords, followed by social networking and youth.
Among the all immigrant community members they are serving, both community partners and city officials identified middle-aged immigrants and their families are the main audiences of their efforts. Although they have been here in Boston for a long time, they still feel more comfortable speaking in their native language.
Cultural heritage and legal issues & rights are the information most actively shared. The information that community partners and city officials most share with the main immigrant audience group was cultural heritage and legal issues/rights information, followed by education career development.
Cultural heritage and education are also the information that the immigrant community members most frequently look for/ask for help with.
The City of Boston is the primary information source both for community partners and city officials. Also, community partners with ethnic and local associations were important information sources.
Both respondent groups said Email and Facebook are the most active channels to communicate with community members.
Expert Interviews
I conducted semi-structured Interviews with community partners. The interviews were conducted remotely (video/email), and interview questionnaires were distributed before the interviews.
OBJECTIVES
To understand the community’s information needs and recent issues regarding the information connection identified by the organization
METHOD
Semi-structured video interview
DATE
July 20, 2021
DETAILS
Fifteen open questions/an hour
ANALYSIS
KEY TAKEAWAYS
#1: Haitian Culture and Language to bridge the gap
It can connect but also create gaps between different nativity and generations among community members.
“Those who were born in Haiti have a much more conservative cultural... So mostly transnational(Haitians) want to keep the culture, want to keep the language, want to keep the customs, the traditions just the opposite of the ones who were born here. ”
#2: Overcoming Multi-layered Communication Barriers
Although language is still the key component, affordability and accessibility for digital and online resources have become even important for information connection after covid-19.
“Language barriers, accessibility to the technology… not many have the opportunity choose to take primary education...”
#3: Promoting community-friendly communication channels and networks
It should reflect the information connection behaviours of the Haitian immigrant community that have been evolved with technology and cultural characteristics.
“We need that (the briefings of city resources) to be done in our own native language so that our people would be able not to be embarrassed to ask a question in their own language. And that definitely can guarantee they'll get the answers, the assistance, and the support they are looking for. ”
#4: Engaging the community at the table
Inviting community members as well as having city assistance and staff with cultural understanding and representation will further empower the community.
“Representation is extremely important... Having a representative at the table within the discussion, understand your culture, understand your issue what you've been going through is extremely important.”
Community Survey
OBJECTIVES
To hear and learn from direct voice of community members about information connection experience
METHOD
Online survey
DATE
August 13-20, 2021
DETAILS
Fourteen multiple-choice questions
Available in English/Haitian Creole
FINDINGS
#1: Top 3 Information Needs By Immigrant Status
Settlement and legal issues and rights are the most needed information types for newcomers, while education becomes more important for longer establishment.
#2: Top 3 Pain Points of Information Seeking
Determining reliability of information source is the biggest challenge. In addition, information only available in English and disclosing personal situations are creating barriers to access information.
Q. WHAT ARE THE DIFFICULTIES INFINDING THE INFORMATION FOR THE LONGER-ESTABLISHMENT?
1st | It is difficult to know which information sources/providers are reliable.
2nd | It is difficult to fully understand the information because it is provided only in English.
3rd | It is difficult to communicate with information providers due to problems other than language. (e.g., disclosure of personal information, legal immigration status)
#3: Access to city resources and supports
BOSTON.GOV is the key communication channel for the city information. Although the city’s online communication channels are generally receiving positive feedback, community members feel that direct communication through online channels are appealed to be less helpful than seeking information by themselves.
#4: City information outreach
Leveraging multiple channels -- from the boston.gov website to churches, from leaflets and flyers to ethnic media -- is important to ensure the best information outreach.
Q. WHAT WOULD DO YOU THINK THE CITYOF BOSTON SHOULD PRIORITIZE TO IMPROVE FOR YOU AND YOUR COMMUNITY'S INFORMATIONACCESS?
1st | Audio-based information access assistance service (e.g., phone, voicemail)
2nd | More information outreach in public spaces/local places (e.g., leaflets and flyers in comm. center/church)
3rd | More information outreach in local media (e.g., radio campaign on local radio)
4th | Web-based information access assistance service (e.g., chatbot, email)
5th | Community representative incubation / Text-based information access assistance service (e.g., text message, email)
#1 Higher Needs in Education Information
INFORMATION NEEDS IN EDUCATION INFORMATION SHOULD BE MORE ADDRESSED
In the survey, the community members said they needed information about education the most, and this need got stronger after a longer establishment.
This may suggest that the education-related information should be more addressed by the city, as the education information sharing has seemed to be less prioritized in the city’s efforts.
#2 Lower preference on direct communication with the city
NEEDS FOR NATIVE LANGUAGE SUPPORT & ANONYMOUS COMMUNICATION HAVE BEEN INCREASING
The relatively low preference for direct communication with the city may be related to their preference to communicate in their native language with where they have established trust.
Also, the burden of disclosing personal situations can interfere with their communication — building a trust relationship with the partnering organizations and with the community members should be prioritized.
#3 BOSTON.GOV as an information hub
BOSTON.GOV IS THE HUB FOR THE INFORMATION COMMUNICATION
boston.gov and email are the favorite communication channels both for information seekers and information providers.
FIGHTING AGAINST DISINFORMATION FOR AND WITHCOMMUNITY MEMBERS
Both community partners and membersmentioned determining reliability of information as one of the biggestchallenges of information connection.
“We are not dealing with an access issue. ... We are dealing with a messaging issue.”
- Comment made by an attendee during a virtual community meeting for Mattapan residents. Jul 21, 2021.Boston, MA
OVERCOMING MULTI-LAYEREDCOMMUNICATION BARRIERS
Although developing language skillsis still the key component, affordability and accessibility for digital andonline resources have become even important for information connection,especially after COVID-19.
“So that (digital barrier)definitely creates a whole barrier for those who are not familiar at all with this new technology... [W]e also get technological barriers because not all of them possess high- speed internet and the proper equipment to access the internet. ”
- Comment from a video interview with a community partner
PROMOTING COMMUNITY-CENTERED MESSAGE
Keeping cultural and social connections with the home country and leveraging multiple community-friendly communication channels
are important to promote a community-centered message for the foreign-born immigrant community.
“We have to respect the fact that the messages that work for the overall population ... may not work for Haitian residents, folks from the island. ”
- Comment made by an attendee during a virtual community meeting for Mattapan residents. Jul 21, 2021.Boston, MA
