Friendship Across Cultures
As our country becomes increasingly diverse in terms of age, race and ethnicity, fostering cross-age and cross-cultural relationships is a powerful way to create welcoming communities for immigrants and refugees. Friendship Across Cultures, a collaboration between the Intergenerational Center at Temple University and Lutheran Children and Family Services, seeks to foster these relationships through connecting refugee women from Burma, Bhutan and Iraq with American women age 55+ who are seeking opportunities for meaningful community engagement and cross-cultural learning. The program recognizes that although most refugee women are responsible for managing household finances, securing healthcare, supporting children in school, and maintaining cultural traditions, many feel isolated and often lack the necessary life and language skills to navigate complex systems and access services. Friendship Across Cultures taps the life experiences of older women volunteers to help refugee women build supportive networks, better understand American culture, communicate in English, and move towards self-sufficiency.
Over the past year, approximately 25 older volunteers met weekly with over 60 refugee women at sites in South Philadelphia and the Northeast to strengthen English language and life skills, as well as build trust, connection and friendship. The weekly groups include discussion about how to make medical appointments, communicate with children’s teachers, access social services, and deal with community violence, as well as visits to local sites such as libraries, dentists, pharmacies and groceries. Outside of the groups, volunteers have:
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