Double empowerment : the roles of ethnic-based groups in the Korean community in New Zealand : implications for social work practice

Summary: The current forces of globalisation facilitate the migration of people around the world. The purpose of this article is to explore the roles of ethnic-based groups and organisations in the Korean community in New Zealand. A qualitative approach was employed to collect data from in-depth interviews of Korean adults within the ethnic community. Fourteen participants served as key informants in this study. The data collected were analysed mainly using a concept-mapping technique in a bilingual context. Findings: There was a range of community groups in the Korean community in New Zealand. Those ethnic-based groups played important roles in not only enabling migrants to meet their needs but also connecting them with local communities. Some groups or organisations often served as ‘transnational’ bridges, promoting a range of interactions and exchanges between the host society and the homeland. The information and resources necessary for their survival were likely to be obtained from both the societies, which made the community becoming ‘double-empowered’ in the transnational context. Applications: This study highlights the claim that ethnic-based groups have vital functions, providing contact places for migrants and local people, and creating social and transnational influences in the context of modern migration. It is suggested that a community-empowerment approach would help social work practitioners work effectively with migrants and their community groups.