NPO Community Engagement: How an Organization Can Reach Out to the Communities It Wishes to Serve
Written by Maria Lisak
Non-profit organizations (NPOs) are especially proliferative in Gwangju. There are many NPOs that can help the international community: Gwangju International Center, Universal Culture Center, and several multicultural centers associated with various churches around the city. However, there tends to be an exoticism and essentialism to many of the outreach efforts, which fosters a paternal and slightly condescending relationship between host city and guests from abroad. The opportunities to partake of traditional cultures of costume, food, and performance arts are extensive, especially in a city well known for its food and art scenes. But one famous element of Gwangju’s legacy, its 5.18 Democracy Movement, is also about experiencing peace and human rights. Instead of celebrating diversity and encouraging inclusion in everyday life, many of the projects and programs for “foreigners” only keep us separate and “special,” seeing only how different we are, instead of how much we have in common. Don’t get me wrong. These cultural programs are great ways for newbies to experience traditional Korea. However, for myself and other long-term “foreigners” living in Gwangju, there are many other ways that we can both serve NPOs and ways for them to extend their services to us.
Forbes Nonprofit Council in “Nine Ways Nonprofits Can Increase Community Engagement” offers recommendations to increase community engagement that could be beneficial to Gwangju, its five districts, and the numerous neighborhoods with their local culture centers.[1] There are many NPOs in the city, as well, that could bridge the gap and be more inclusive. More and more international residents and students have enough Korean language skills to give assistance to NPOs. Konglish and translanguaging can help as well, as most NPO workers have had some kind of study of foreign languages.
So, how can Gwangju NPOs increase community engagement? They can tap into some of the hashtags that might be relevant, like #CleanGwangju or #KindGwangju, and give some shout-outs of support. Gwangju International Center has long acted as a liaison between foreign residents and other institutions like City Hall as well as smaller NPOs. Perhaps hosting a GIC Talk to encourage discussion and forge relationships might be a good start to see how to be more inclusive of the internationals living in the city.
NPOs could also participate in local events like the FreeCycle, a special event where participants donate and take what they need. Or they can let the language and culture of community theater be a fun, yet thoughtful, event to connect to expat groups like the Gwangju Performance Project. NPOs could also partner with local international communities, like veterinarians and Gwangju citizens are, by walking dogs with the Gwangju Animal Shelter.
As many NPOs may balk at the language gap when interacting with foreign residents, perhaps connecting to leaders in the community like those in a long-running organization like Korea TESOL, a professional development group for English teachers, might help. Long-term internationals often have become Korean citizens and can be great leaders to help you connect to expat communities.
Another lower-key way to connect with internationals in the community is to offer signage in your location or advertisements. Looking for an Arabic tutor or to create a space at your organization for your team to practice its Japanese? Put up some signs in those languages to connect and include the many languages that are spoken in Gwangju these days. Inform your neighborhood this way, and pull in the people you are seeking to connect with or help. Your organization could also leverage the international community by collecting their unique knowledge in return for offering membership freebies for surveys they fill out. Diverse viewpoints help innovation, something every organization can use.
Also, Koreans are incredibly well traveled, especially within the NPO community. Find your employees who are ambassadors – those who speak other languages or have lived overseas – and let them find ways to connect with the local international community. Assess your current team for how it connects to the larger community. Many internationals have a wide variety of experiences and skills that they can share with you. How can you support them to be brand advocates for you?
In the expat world of attrition, one-year contracts, and short-term travel hopping, NPOs need to be attentive and consistent by offering more short-term benefits to these multicultural communities. But most of all, NPOs need to remember that they are working with and for people. Creating mutually beneficial opportunities and a reciprocity of exchange fosters independence and risk-taking for a host of people who may need a leg up somehow. These untapped local resources can be an asset to NPOs that are struggling to get their message out.
The Author
Maria Lisak is celebrating the 22nd anniversary of her first steps in South Korea this year. From the Midwest in the US, her Chicago accent still plagues her Korean pronunciation. She has been teaching public administration and social welfare at Chosun University since 2012. You can check out her degree pedigree on her blog: koreamaria.typepad.com/gwangju
[1]Forbes Nonprofit Council. (2017, October 17). Nine ways nonprofits can increase community engagement. Forbes Community Voice. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesnonprofitcouncil/2017/10/17/nine-ways-nonprofits-can-increase-community-engagement/#478ae6d7799d