Asian immigrant families face many layers of challenges. In Asian cultures where interdependence is valued above independence, intervention with families is important as they transition into a new culture. Immigrants are trying to build a new life or family in this country, but their educational level and work experience in their native home may not get them the same types of jobs in America. In particular, the lack of English proficiency limits job opportunities and awareness of available resources for many immigrants. Another layer of challenges immigrants face would be the intergenerational and intercultural differences between parents and their children. Children will adapt to the language and values of the new culture faster than their parents who are more grounded in their native culture. Lack of English proficiency limits job opportunities for many immigrants and often results in role reversals for children and their parents. Parents are often dependent on children to translate letters or verbal communications with doctors, teachers or employers. For children, rather than adults, to be purveyors of knowledge or information undermines the prescribed authority parents had in their native country. In recognizing the importance of intervention and promoting healthy families, we have strengthened and expanded programs to fill gaps and assist those in need.
Domestic Violence Intervention
Cameron House has been working with women and children who are victims of domestic violence for decades. It is only in the last 3 decades that the larger society has named and identified domestic violence as a major social problem. In the early 1900s, our records show that women knocked on our doors late in the evening, because their husband were “ill-treating” them and needed help. When we no longer provided refuge to women who were sold into prostitution or domestic servitude, women continued to come to us with issues of family conflicts, intergenerational conflicts, or domestic violence.
Cameron House provides assistance to Asian women and children who are victims of domestic violence. These services include case management, counseling, advocacy, accompaniment, and referrals to legal and shelter services.
We can provide service in Cantonese, English, Mandarin, and Vietnamese
Referrals for legal assistance, such as restraining orders and child custody, are provided in partnership with Asian and Pacific Islander Legal Outreach, which has a special emphasis on domestic violence, family law, and immigration.
Children Witnessing Domestic Violence
Cameron House offers counseling to children and youth who witness domestic violence. This program will help children and youth to increase their knowledge about identifying non-violent behaviors and enhance their capacity to promote better health and safety through their own decisions and behaviors.
Research has shown that a child who has witnessed domestic violence will have difficulty in a number of areas, such as cognitive development, social behavior, and healthy relationships with others. Also, as children and later as adults, they have a greater chance of acting violently towards themselves or others. Therefore, to decrease the chance of violent acts and to stop the cycle of violence from reoccurring in future generations, it is important that these children seek early therapeutic intervention and treatment.
Chinatown Kids’ Turn
The partnership between Cameron House and Kids’ Turn offers a six-session educational program that helps children and parents who are experiencing divorce or separation enhance their lives through improved communications. Workshops are held in Cantonese. For more information, call (415) 781-0401 Ext. 128.
Cantonese Women’s Support Group
Support group meetings generate emotional support, friendship and networking opportunities. They are tailored to the needs of Cantonese-speaking single women and mothers. This support group helps participants increase their self-esteem and promotes personal growth and healthy interpersonal relationships by teaching them practical living skills, providing information and community resources, and encouraging positive reinforcement so that they can feel good about themselves.
Members are also welcomed to bring their children. Cameron House provides coordinated and supervised activities for their children while the women meet.
Group meetings are on the 3rd Friday of each month, 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm.
Economic Self-Sufficiency
The Employment Program at Cameron House assists low-income immigrant men and women in finding employment. For more information on this program, click here.
Help to Families with Newborns
Thanks to donations from Presbyterian Women across the nation, layettes are available for
newborn infants.
Family Day
Family Day is an event through which we promote family harmony and wellness by providing information and resources that will help families build public and community awareness. We invite representatives from different organizations to be guest workshop speakers to talk about issues, such as health care, parenting, legal assistance, safety, mental health, communication with children and youth. Besides offering morning and afternoon workshops to adults, we also offer organized and supervised activities for families with children. Registering before the event is required.
June Outing
The June outing is an annual event offered to the active members of our Chinese Cancer Support Group and Cantonese Women’s Support Group. Many of our members are struggling and facing many challenges, such as fighting a life-threatening illness, working long hours to make ends meet, raising children in a society that they are unfamiliar with, dealing with trauma, and/or surviving the abuse of a domestic partner. This is an opportunity for families to get away from these worries for a day to enjoy, explore and learn new things outside of San Francisco, especially since the families do not have access to transportation or know how to access public transportation. It is a time for fun, relaxation, and fellowship.
|
