Introducing the Idea of Community Needs

• Remind students of the many ways that Dosan helped his community, including the formation of the Friendship Society (Chinmoke Hoe), the Korean Labor Bureau, and the Korean National Association. These organizations helped early Korean immigrants. Dosan spent time determining the needs of his community and acted to help individuals improve their lives.
• Ask students to identify needs of their community and how they might help individuals improve their lives. As needed, encourage them to consider a wide variety of needs by mentioning ideas from Civic Engagement Resource found in the Lesson teacher’s guide.

Introducing the Idea of Civic Engagement

• ​Review the two slides on civic engagement, making sure to discuss the four constructs of civic engagement. Show the short video, What Is Civic Engagement?(1.52 minutes).​

Completing the Civic Engagement Project

• Review the slides on the Civic Engagement Project. Have students complete and share their top five Civic Engagement Choices Worksheet.
• Have students choose groups (or work individually) to complete theCivic Engagement Options Worksheet. Some of this can be completed during class, but contact must be made by phone or email to confirm the possibilities.
• Approve their final choices and give them time to complete the activities. Remind them to track their hours on the Civic Engagement Time Log Sheet.
• Finally, have students prepare their report. Review the Civic Engagement Report Scoring Guide and have them deliver presentations during class.

​Resources

• See also Lesson 2 Teacher’s Guide and Presentation found under Activity 2.
• Video: What Is Civic Engagement?
• Civic Engagement Choices Worksheet
• Civic Engagement Options Worksheet
• Civic Engagement Time Log Sheet
• Civic Engagement Project Scoring Guide

CIVIC ENGAGEMENT RESOURCES

Possible Activities

• Mentor/tutor elementary through high school students
• Advocate for change and social justice
• Restore natural areas, parks, rivers, and beaches
• Teach literacy or English as a second language
• Provide shelter for those in need
• Enhance health and well-being
• Help the visually impaired complete everyday tasks with Be My Eyes or some other resource
• Assist public health efforts and seniors
• Volunteer with the National Park Service
• Volunteer to register voters or at an election poll
• Volunteer for translation services
• Volunteer at a museum or public library
• Volunteer at a pantry, soup kitchen, or food bank
• Volunteer at a community garden
• Volunteer to coach a youth sports team or lead a youth group
• Volunteer at a community center or to help seniors, immigrants, or those with special needs
• Volunteer to help teachers
• Help researchers advance science on Zooniverse.org, CitizenScience.org, or some other resource
• Volunteer for a political party or candidate
• Identify a problem in your community and work with neighbors to fix it

​Organizations

• Council of Korean Americans, Washington, DC: The Council of Korean Americans (CKA) is a national nonprofit organization. Our mission is to advance the national voice and influence of the Korean American community. Our vision is to serve as the celebrated national leadership organization representing the voice, interest, and future of the Korean American community.
• ​Korean American Coalition, Los Angeles: The Korean American Coalition (KAC) Los Angeles is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization established in 1983 to promote the civic and civil rights interests of the Korean American community. KAC endeavors to achieve these goals through education, community organizing, leadership development, and coalition-building with diverse communities.
• ​Korean Community Center of the East Bay, Oakland, CA: Our mission is to empower immigrants in the Bay Area through access to education, services, resources and advocacy. We are a bridge helping individuals get needed resources at critical moments in their lives. Our vision is a world where immigrants and refugees thrive in an inclusive and equitable society and everyone has access to basic health care, housing, work and can be part of a safe, healthy and thriving community.
• Korean Community Services, Los Angeles: Korean Community Services began in 1975 to provide social services and community outreach to the influx of Korean immigrants coming to Southern California. The organization was birthed under the vision of St. Nicholas Episcopal Church in Los Angeles and its pastor, Father Matthew Y. Ahn, and for over four decades Korean Community Services has experienced exponential growth and has broadened its scope to serve the general population with behavioral health services and into seven other sites in Orange County. At present, Korean Community Services is a multi-service agency providing an array of social services to Korean Americans as well as the community at large.
• Korean Resource Center, Los Angeles: The Korean Resource Center (KRC) was founded in 1983 to empower low-income immigrants, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, and communities of color in Southern California. Using a holistic approach, KRC strives to empower our community by integrating services, education, culture, organizing, and coalition building to improve the life of the individual and the community.​

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