Reflecting on my year-long journey with the Jockey Club Multicultural Carer Support project under the Sau Po Centre on Ageing, the most profound lessons I have learned are about how we position ourselves in the field and how we initiate natural conversations.
1. Prioritize Human Connection Over Project Promotion.
It is natural for potential participants to feel hesitant or concerned when approached by a stranger. Initially, during outreach with our NGO partners, we used a direct opening line: “Hello, do you care for an elderly relative? We can help you.” While this straightforward approach might work for mainstream social work and research, it often raises suspicion among ethnic minority communities. We pivoted to simple, warm greetings like, “Hello, have a good day,” or “Enjoy your gathering.” This low-pressure approach broke the ice and naturally opened the door for genuine engagement.
2. Practice Sincere and Active Listening.
Building deep trust is essential for uncovering caregivers’ authentic needs. One of my familiar strategies is asking participants about the meaning of their names. Through these conversations, I learned that one participant’s Arabic name meant “Lord of the Full Moon,” while a Punjabi name translated to “Peacefulness.” Sharing the meaning of my own name in return created a powerful, reciprocal exchange. Starting with their identities and stories showed that we valued them as individuals, not just data points, laying a strong foundation of trust.
By: Kunyi ZHOU, Research Assistant
Email: kunyiz@hku.hk