Participation by Chinese Australians in community group educational activities: Impact on life satisfaction and well-being

Abstract

While the proliferation of ethnic community groups suggests that they are meeting the needs of the community they represent, there is scant research on the impact of such groups. This study focused on the educational activities provided by 20 Chinese community groups and their impact on the life satisfaction and well-being of 600 Australians of Chinese descent migrants from Taiwan, Hong Kong, China, and Malaysia. Since most participants were aged from 40 to 70 years, and were unemployed, these community group instructor led educational activities provide opportunities for learning, socializing, and relationship building that may impact on their well-being. These migrants came to Australia across a 34-year period with the bulk (60%) arriving in the years 1989-1997. Results suggest that demographic variables such as migration year and employment status have more influence on their life satisfaction and well-being compared to educational activities and other more general community group activities. A Structural Equation Model (SEM) indicates the relative impact of different variables on the life satisfaction and well-being of participants