Boat People SOSBoat People SOS Year founded: 1980Year founded: 1980 Mission: to assist Vietnamese Mission: to assist Vietnamese refugees and immigrants in their refugees and immigrants in their search for a life in liberty and dignity. search for a life in liberty and dignity. Office: 15 branch offices. HQ in Office: 15 branch offices. HQ in Falls Church, VAFalls Church, VA Staff: Staff: 76 full-time staff and 12 76 full-time staff and 12 Americorps/ VISTA membersAmericorps/ VISTA members

BPSOS’s S&H ProgramBPSOS’s S&H Program Community Awareness Campaign on Community Awareness Campaign on

Occupational Safety (CACOS) funded by Occupational Safety (CACOS) funded by OSHA:OSHA: educates and trains Vietnamese both employers and educates and trains Vietnamese both employers and employees about Occupational Safety and Health issues, since employees about Occupational Safety and Health issues, since 2001.2001.

Katrina Worker Education and Training in Katrina Worker Education and Training in collaboration with OAI, inc.,collaboration with OAI, inc., funded by funded by NIEHS:NIEHS: recruits and trains Southeast Asian workers in hurricane recruits and trains Southeast Asian workers in hurricane hazards and mold awareness in Gulf Coast communities, since Nov. hazards and mold awareness in Gulf Coast communities, since Nov. ’05.’05.

Katrina MWT Supplement in collaboration Katrina MWT Supplement in collaboration with OAI, inc., funded by NIEHS:with OAI, inc., funded by NIEHS: provides provides outreach, recruit and transitional assistance to Vietnamese evacuees outreach, recruit and transitional assistance to Vietnamese evacuees in Texas.in Texas.

Some Figures From National Council of Asian Pacific

Americans Louisiana: over 50,000 Asian

Americans more than half were Vietnamese; most lived in Katrina/Rita affected areas; estimated 10,000 Vietnamese evacuees

relocated to Houston and to other states.

Southern Mississippi: about 7,000 Vietnamese and other Asian residents, many of them now displaced.

Vietnamese Evacuees Seeking Help

at Hong Kong Shopping Center

What did we do after What did we do after Katrina?Katrina? Worked with Vietnamese Temples, Churches Worked with Vietnamese Temples, Churches

and other local agencies to provide emergency and other local agencies to provide emergency aids such as food, housing, etc.aids such as food, housing, etc.

Recruited 10 volunteer staff to work in Houston Recruited 10 volunteer staff to work in Houston office.office.

Set up a temporary office in Bayou with 3 Set up a temporary office in Bayou with 3 volunteers.volunteers.

Partnered with OAI to conduct a series of Partnered with OAI to conduct a series of hurricane hazard training to Southeast Asian hurricane hazard training to Southeast Asian evacuees in Bayou, Biloxi and New Orleans.evacuees in Bayou, Biloxi and New Orleans.

Emergency Aids From BPSOS

BPSOS – Houston Office BPSOS – Houston Office

Bayou La Batre, ALBayou La Batre, AL

Many Vietnamese non-profits & volunteers Many Vietnamese non-profits & volunteers across across

the country come to helpthe country come to help

Challenges of Vietnamese Challenges of Vietnamese Population In GeneralPopulation In General

English DifficultiesEnglish DifficultiesA survey in 2001 shows that 56% of Vietnamese parents A survey in 2001 shows that 56% of Vietnamese parents over 45 spoke little or no English. 54% of these parents over 45 spoke little or no English. 54% of these parents needed interpreters when going to doctors and social needed interpreters when going to doctors and social services. services.

Limited Infrastructure and ResourcesLimited Infrastructure and Resources No Vietnamese-speaking staff in most of the agencies in LA, No Vietnamese-speaking staff in most of the agencies in LA,

MS and AL. A few Vietnamese staff in FEMA. Reliance on MS and AL. A few Vietnamese staff in FEMA. Reliance on faith-based and community organizations to provide faith-based and community organizations to provide assistance.assistance.

Cultural DifferencesCultural DifferencesMost evacuees prefer coming to Vietnamese community Most evacuees prefer coming to Vietnamese community center because they’re comfortable to address their health center because they’re comfortable to address their health problems.problems.

Lessons Learned In Lessons Learned In General General 1. 1. Lack of CapacityLack of Capacity

No infrastructure for Vietnamese community exists in No infrastructure for Vietnamese community exists in Gulf Coast areas with enough resources.Gulf Coast areas with enough resources.

Staff & community members were NOT trained to handle Staff & community members were NOT trained to handle evacuation process.evacuation process.

No safety & health trainings have been provided to staff.No safety & health trainings have been provided to staff. No mass media such as radio in LA, MS or AL. (BPSOS No mass media such as radio in LA, MS or AL. (BPSOS

starts providing radio programs to Vietnamese families.)starts providing radio programs to Vietnamese families.)

2. 2. No Linkage SystemNo Linkage System No linkage system between Vietnamese communities No linkage system between Vietnamese communities

and mainstreamand mainstream agencies.agencies.

3. 3. No Supportive Transitional ServicesNo Supportive Transitional ServicesExample: Example: transportation, childcare, housing, job transportation, childcare, housing, job placement, for returned evacuees.placement, for returned evacuees.

Lessons learned Lessons learned regarding S&Hregarding S&HPROBLEMS:PROBLEMS:

Lack of Resources: No PPE, no Vietnamese materials, Lack of Resources: No PPE, no Vietnamese materials, no Vietnamese-speaking staff.no Vietnamese-speaking staff.

Lack of appropriate materials and training.Lack of appropriate materials and training. Meeting basic needs has priority over safety & health.Meeting basic needs has priority over safety & health.

SOLUTIONS:SOLUTIONS: Target hard-to-reach workers.Target hard-to-reach workers. Provide PPE to those in need.Provide PPE to those in need. Develop culturally and language appropriate training Develop culturally and language appropriate training

materialsmaterials Provide training at accessible locations—e.g., BPSOS Provide training at accessible locations—e.g., BPSOS

office, temples, churches, grocery stores, relief centers office, temples, churches, grocery stores, relief centers and on radio.and on radio.

Incorporate S&H trainings into other Incorporate S&H trainings into other programs/services.programs/services.