Engaging and uplifting multilingual voices: Strategy and methodology for a language access needs assessment

Abstract Information: Under contract, the Institute for Families (IFF) at the Rutgers University School of Social Work conducted a needs assessment to examine the language and cultural accessibility needs and gaps for connecting communities with limited English proficiency (LEP) to state services and programs. The goal of this needs assessment was to identify the needs of the LEP community and support an entity as it works to increase access to services for serving newly immigrated families, refugees, and individuals with LEP. IFF recognized the importance of engaging the voices and hearing the lived experiences of individuals with LEP and those who speak languages other than English (LOTE). To assist with this effort, IFF consulted with the American Immigration Council (AIC) to analyze data, a language access expert from Language Access & Equity and Access Partners (LEAP) to prepare the language access plan and policy, and CQFluency to provide translation and interpretation services. The needs assessment used mixed methodology including analyses of the American Community Survey (ACS) to identify and locate the most frequently spoken languages in the state by county; interviews, focus groups, and surveys with community members with LEP; a scan of community organizations and houses of worship supporting the multiple language communities; interviews with community leaders; surveys of State and community agency frontline and outreach workers; reviews of thought leaders and nationally recognized experts; and data collected from state departments and organizations that serve communities with LEP. CQFluency translated all data collection instruments from English into the top nine languages identified by AIC’s analysis of the 2019 ACS: Spanish, Korean, Polish, Arabic, Mandarin, Portuguese, Gujarati, Vietnamese, and Haitian Creole. To recruit participants, IFF developed, designed, and translated recruitment text for emails, flyers, community websites, social media posts, and newspaper advertisements in language-specific newspapers. IFF also used community organizations and other entities to email and post flyers in public-facing offices. IFF incentivized interview and focus group participants with $20 VISA gift cards. IFF encountered some challenges in reaching communities with LEP. Outreach was expanded through multiple channels over several months. This effort was successful in recruiting participants from 14 language groups, giving community members with LEP the opportunity to advocate for their needs and ensure they had a voice in the narrative an entity was using to make change. Needs assessment findings then informed the development of a department language access policy, plan, and toolkit. However, the total number of respondents from the communities with LEP was lower than the target. This roundtable discussion will provide a forum for researchers and evaluators to learn strategies for reaching and engaging multilingual communities in the United States to ensure their perspectives are considered in decisions that will affect them, as well as challenges they may encounter. Without purposeful outreach, individuals with LEP cannot have input on program development, service satisfaction, and areas of need and growth for their communities. Efforts to engage and lift the voices of multilingual individuals reflect AEA’s guiding principles for respect for people and common good and equity.