EVOCA
EVOCA Issue: 157 February/March 2011 - Ethnic Communities ...
EVOCA Issue: 157 February/March 2011 - Ethnic Communities ...
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<strong>EVOCA</strong><br />
Issue: 157<br />
February/March 2011<br />
from the Chair<br />
Goodbye 2010 - many challenges in 2011<br />
Agnes M Whiten OAM<br />
Quote: We must accept finite disappointment but never lose infinite hope -<br />
Martin Luther King Junior<br />
We said goodbye to 2010 and as we say welcome to 2011, we are confronted with many<br />
challenges in Australia and countries around the world. The unrest in Tunisia, the ongoing protest in Egypt, the<br />
landslides in Brazil, and the devastating floods and cyclone in Queensland: they are events which will result in<br />
many changes around the world.<br />
The devastating flood in Queensland which received worldwide coverage showed the power of the media. The<br />
news bulletins kept all of us updated and Premier Anna Bligh demonstrated great leadership during the trying<br />
days of the flood and later cyclone Yasi with her regular press conferences and decisive actions.<br />
It was comforting to all of us.<br />
In my little corner of the world, we did not escape, although water inside the house was not as high as in 1974<br />
when we had over 5 feet of water then but it was still enough to damage carpets, book cases, wardrobes, and<br />
many books. Still, we consider ourselves lucky compared to many others who lost everything.<br />
Neighbours came and shifted furniture and many other household items to garages up the road. We spent a<br />
couple of nights in the very same house where we also took refuge in 1974. As the water receded the following<br />
morning, neighbours came and helped remove damaged carpets and many other things.<br />
Their wives and children came with buckets, mops and disinfectants and this scene was repeated in many<br />
places in Brisbane affected by the flood. Young people were going around distributing home-baked cakes and<br />
bottled water. Everyone had something to offer, and ordinary people became extraordinary in the aftermath of<br />
this great flood.<br />
To us who have been affected, we must rebuild - we recovered in 1974 and we will. We are resilient, we are<br />
strong. The offer of help and the messages we received from friends all over the world and Australia were heart<br />
warming and really appreciated.<br />
What is it in us that enables us to go on despite many trials, disappointments? Because we know we are not<br />
alone, we get support from everyone around us. The power of the media, the images on TV and the constant<br />
reports mobilized everyone to share and assist their neighbours.<br />
It will take many years for farmers, families and government infrastructures to recover. In those parts of the<br />
world with on-going people’s protests there will be big changes. In all of these, HOPE gives everyone the inner<br />
strength and the belief in oneself and in others that things will be better, and that somehow we will get over all<br />
these trials.<br />
There is no such thing as a good or bad year. All years are good because we care for each other.
- 2 -<br />
Guest Speaker:<br />
April Meeting:<br />
Guest Speaker:<br />
Dates to Diarise<br />
Members’ Meeting Wednesday 16 March 2011 - 7pm<br />
ECCQ House, 253 Boundary Street, West End<br />
(entry to Gumbaya downstairs conference room via Granville Street)<br />
Ms Sharon Harris<br />
National President of the Migration Institute of Australia and the<br />
Queensland/Northern Territory State President of MIA<br />
Wednesday 20 April<br />
Ms Queenie QR Balaba<br />
Multicultural Services Manager, Centrelink Area South & West Qld;<br />
Language Services Coordinator Queensland<br />
We look forward to welcoming you to the ECCQ Members’ meeting 16 March and at subsequent meetings<br />
throughout the year.<br />
Women’s Ethnic Network (WEN) March meeting<br />
Friday 11 March 2011 - 1pm to 3pm<br />
at Kurilpa Hall, 174 Boundary St, West End (next to Library)<br />
In celebration of International Women’s Day 2011<br />
Queensland Theme: Celebrating 100 years of women’s achievements<br />
International Women's Day (IWD), an important day for women all around the world when we can all celebrate<br />
the strengths and achievements of women, is celebrated on 8 March each year. IWD was first declared in 1910<br />
with the first IWD event held in 1911. 2011 sees 100 years of International Women's Day having been<br />
celebrated around the world.<br />
Minister for Women Karen Struthers has announced that the Queensland Government’s theme for International<br />
Women’s Day 2011 events held in Queensland will be Celebrating 100 years of women’s achievements.<br />
WEN’s guest speakers will be inspirational and interesting, so please note Friday 11 March in your diary ….<br />
come along, bring your friends, hear what our guest speakers have to say and enjoy a delicious afternoon tea.<br />
For catering purposes, please confirm your attendance by phoning the ECCQ office on 3844 9166 or email<br />
administration@eccq.com.au.<br />
WEN’s meeting day, time and location have been changed to tie-in with International Women’s Day 2011<br />
For more information about International Women’s Day, visit www.women.qld.gov.au or phone Women’s Infolink<br />
on 1800 177 577.<br />
WEN meetings are normally held at ECCQ House, 253 Boundary Street, West End on the second Thursday of<br />
every second month, commencing at 12noon. Members, new members and guests are most welcome at WEN<br />
meetings. For further information call the convenor, Irene Cayas, on 0407 145 000 or Laraine Brandon at ECCQ<br />
on 3844 9166.<br />
Welcome to:<br />
Individual Members:<br />
Association Member:<br />
New Members<br />
Mr Abel Abishai Sokifasi<br />
Mr Andrew Cooper<br />
Mrs Janeth Mumtaz Begum Deen<br />
Ms Annette Ruzicka JP<br />
Cook Island Northside Community Inc<br />
Membership of ECCQ is open to individuals and organisations. To join, or if you know of any organisation or<br />
person who would like to join ECCQ, call our office manager, Laraine Brandon, on 3844 9166, email<br />
administration@eccq.com.au or visit www.eccq.com.au.<br />
ECCQ meetings are an excellent opportunity for community members, family and friends to join with us<br />
and our guest speakers, be brought up-to-date on the latest information in our multicultural community<br />
and join in stimulating discussion on issues important to our cultural diversity.<br />
Evoca: Issue 157 - February/March 2011
- 3 -<br />
Is all fare in the taxi industry?<br />
ECCQ convened its inaugural Ethnic Taxi Advisory Committee (ETAC) meeting in<br />
November last year to establish a forum to address the needs of those from culturally and<br />
linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds working in the taxi industry in Queensland.<br />
ECCQ Executive Committee member Dr. Mustafa Ally, who chairs ETAC, says the<br />
primary aim of the committee is to improve networking and information sharing by<br />
establishing communication channels with CALD taxi industry workers - owners, drivers<br />
and interested ethnic community stakeholders.<br />
Dr Mustafa Ally<br />
This will enable ECCQ to consult with taxi industry stakeholders and effectively collate<br />
and analyse information and concerns, and then raise these matters through ECCQ’s representation on the<br />
Queensland Government’s Ministerial Taxi Industry Advisory Committee. Dr. Ally is also ECCQ’s representative<br />
on the Taxi Industry<br />
Advisory Committee.<br />
The meeting, attended by more than 20 people, established the structure of the Advisory Group and the<br />
mechanisms to identify and communicate ideas, concerns and issues relating to CALD taxi drivers and owners<br />
and to act as a conduit between ETAC and the Taxi Industry Advisory Committee through ECCQ.<br />
Meetings will be held quarterly with the next one scheduled for mid-February and are open to all interested<br />
persons and organisations who have an interest in the welfare of CALD drivers and operators.<br />
For more information about ETAC please contact Dr. Ally on 0402 026 786 or email mustafa.a.ally@gmail.com.<br />
Congratulations Nick Xynias<br />
On 19 November members of the Lord Mayor’s Multicultural Round Table were invited to a celebratory morning<br />
tea in honour of ECCQ Honorary President Nick Xynias.<br />
After stepping down as Chair of the Round Table, Nick was presented with his Honorary Ambassador award by<br />
Lord Mayor Campbell Newman.<br />
Dated and signed by the Lord Mayor on 27 September 2010, the plaque reads: “Mr Nicholas Xynias AO BEM is<br />
hereby appointed ‘Honorary Ambassador’ for the City of Brisbane. On behalf of the City of Brisbane I appoint<br />
you ‘Honorary Ambassador’ as recognition of your personal contribution in making Brisbane Australia’s most<br />
Livable City. As ‘Honorary Ambassador’ for our City you are called upon to promote Brisbane both Nationally<br />
and Internationally as one of the most dynamic cities in the Asia Pacific region, and to encourage whenever<br />
possible the economic growth and development of our City.”<br />
Nick, congratulations on this well deserved award in recognition of your achievements.<br />
Above: ECCQ Honorary President Nick Xynias (left)<br />
being presented with his Honorary Ambassador Award by<br />
Brisbane’s Lord Mayor Campbell Newman<br />
Right: Nick Xynias surrounded by Members of the Lord<br />
Mayor’s Multicultural Round Table<br />
Evoca: Issue 157 - February/March 2011
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ECCQ has much to celebrate at end-of-year gathering<br />
ECCQ Chair Agnes Whiten (2 nd from right) and ECCQ<br />
Honorary President Nick Xynias (left) welcome<br />
Multicultural Affairs Minister Annastacia Palaszczuk<br />
and Leader of the Opposition & Shadow<br />
Minister for Multicultural Affairs John-Paul<br />
Langbroek to ECCQ’s end-of-year celebrations<br />
From left:<br />
Halimah Azein, project officer with ECCQ’s<br />
AFL Multicultural Program; Lalita Lakshmi,<br />
ECCQ’s Statewide CAMS coordinator; Jebet<br />
Kipsaina, project officer, ECCQ’s Young<br />
African Women's Health Project; and<br />
Muhammad Musa, admin assistant under a<br />
Work Placement Project<br />
Over 100 guests came along to sample ECCQ hospitality<br />
and delicious multicultural food<br />
Evoca: Issue 157 - February/March 2011
Communications and Website News<br />
- 5 -<br />
The metamorphosis of Denise – or what?<br />
from Jeanette Shepherd<br />
After volunteering for five weeks towards the end of last year as an advocacy assistant<br />
working with ECCQ Policy & Advocacy Officer Fiona Caniglia I am now endeavouring to<br />
be ECCQ’s new ‘Denise’, after ECCQ’s Web Manager & Librarian, Denise Turner,<br />
accepted a job as librarian at Southbank TAFE. While we are all definitely sad to see<br />
Denise leave, I am also excited at the opportunity to be working at ECCQ.<br />
In my role as Communications Officer & Web Manager I am managing the e-bulletin and ECCQ website, while<br />
also supporting Lalita Lakshmi with CAMS’ communications (website, e-newsletter, promotional material etc.)<br />
and Fiona Caniglia in the area of advocacy.<br />
I also hope to start a Master of Communication for Social Change (just need to be accepted now!), which will be<br />
a great chance to use and develop these new concepts and skills in my work here at ECCQ.<br />
And now a quick plug for the e-bulletin: if you don’t receive the e-bulletin but would like to, just send an email to<br />
library@eccq.com.au or phone ECCQ to have your email address added to the list.<br />
Jeanette Shepherd is ECCQ’s Communications Officer & Web Manager<br />
Great outcome for ECCQ – Minister announces $274,230 grant for SECA program<br />
On 22 December 2010, in a joint statement, Community Services Minister Karen Struthers and Multicultural<br />
Affairs Minister Annastacia Palaszczuk said ECCQ would receive $274,230 over three years to continue the<br />
Strengthening Ethnic Community Associations (SECA) program.<br />
Ms Struthers said the program aimed to help key organisations train staff to get a better deal for Queensland's<br />
ethnic communities.<br />
"We're committed to creating a fairer Queensland for all Queenslanders," she said.<br />
"That's why we've funded ECCQ with more than $90,000 a year for three years to continue to deliver their<br />
Strengthening Ethnic Community Associations program.<br />
"It will benefit ethnic community organisations across Queensland, helping them to access ongoing training and<br />
skills development for their staff.<br />
"ECCQ will also be taking on a no-wrong-door approach to help improve collaboration between government<br />
agencies and non-government organisations to assist clients.<br />
"Under the program, a greater number of ethnic community organisations can learn about dealing with government<br />
departments and the non-government sector on a range of issues. I'm talking about issues like advice on<br />
aged care, law and order, health, education and employment."<br />
Ms Palaszczuk said the continued funding for the SECA program was a great outcome.<br />
"The program has been a great success since it was established," she said.<br />
"The State Government provided ECCQ with more than $240,000 in 2006 to get the program up and running<br />
and it's gone from strength to strength since then.<br />
"Since then, representatives from almost 170 organisations have attended 45 training workshops across<br />
Queensland to develop important skills and knowledge.<br />
"This is about creating a more inclusive Queensland where people from diverse backgrounds can access the<br />
services and supports they need in their own communities."<br />
News from Diversicare and Berlasco Court<br />
For information on ECCQ’s Diversicare and Berlasco Court Caring Centre visit the following websites to<br />
access their newsletters:<br />
• Diversicare – www.diversicare.com.au and click on ‘Resources & Publications’ then click on Newsletters<br />
to connect to MAS Newsletter.’<br />
• Berlasco Court Caring Centre – www.berlascocourt.com and click on ‘Newsletters’ then click on<br />
‘Berlasco Beacon.’<br />
Evoca: Issue 157 - February/March 2011
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Strengthening Ethnic Community Associations (SECA)<br />
from Shilpa Banerjee<br />
AFL Multicultural program for SECA<br />
We were overjoyed and much relieved when the State Government announced late last<br />
year that ECCQ would receive $274,230 over three years to continue the SECA program<br />
which supports Queensland's ethnic community associations (please see article on<br />
previous page)..<br />
The SECA program works with ethnic community associations and leaders to build the<br />
capacity of their management committees and members to effectively manage their associations and thus<br />
achieve better outcomes for their associations, members and communities.<br />
SECA has identified the need for ongoing professional support to establish and maintain ethnic community<br />
associations in order to sustain them, to articulate their needs, to secure resources, and to participate generally<br />
in Australian democracy. In the last three years, SECA through its training and information workshops has<br />
ensured community associations and NGOs have organisational tools and resources to help them operate<br />
effectively and encouraged sharing and collaboration between organisations and stakeholders in the<br />
community.<br />
SECA program will continue to support these associations to be effective, accountable and sustainable. Please<br />
feel free to contact me for information about the SECA program or to discuss your or your association’s<br />
organisational capacity building needs - email seca1@eccq.com.au.<br />
We are also pleased to announce that ECCQ is now a project partner with Australia Football League<br />
Queensland (AFLQ) on their multicultural project funded by the Department of Sports & Recreation.<br />
The AFL Multicultural Program aims to assist and encourage young people from CALD communities to access<br />
Australian Football.<br />
We welcome Halimah Azein who will be working with ECCQ as the Project Officer on this project. She will be<br />
involved in wide consultations to develop appropriate strategies to engage CALD youth into football coaching,<br />
umpiring and playing. For more information contact Halimah on 3844 9166 or 0402 321 368 or email her on<br />
seca3@eccq.com.au. See our flyers for ‘Come and Try’ day included in this issue.<br />
SECA’s Evaluation Group<br />
ECCQ’s community development program, the Strengthening Ethnic Community Associations (SECA) program,<br />
recently engaged a group of senior University of Queensland students to undertake an evaluation of the<br />
program. The SECA Evaluation Group feedback session in November was a great success. The students<br />
effectively and efficiently summarised the evaluation process and recommendations. ECCQ will keep them in<br />
perspective for the future development of the program. The photograph shows the group receiving their<br />
Certificates of Appreciation for their work.<br />
From left: Emma Heard, Lily Moult, Tess Reddel,<br />
Shilpa Banerjee from ECCQ, UQ supervisor Nicole<br />
George, Bethany Carey and Eadie Adams.<br />
Shilpa Banerjee is ECCQ’s Program Manager for the<br />
SECA program which is funded by the Department of Communities<br />
Evoca: Issue 157 - February/March 2011
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Evoca: Issue 157 - February/March 2011
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Evoca: Issue 157 - February/March 2011
Sexual Health program<br />
- 9 -<br />
from Zhihong Gu<br />
Workshops & Refresher Training for Bilingual Health Workers<br />
Welcome to the first issue of Evoca for 2011. I hope you all had a safe and relaxing<br />
holiday. My thoughts are with the people who have been affected by the floods and<br />
cyclones and best wishes for the rebuilding of your homes.<br />
Some of our bilingual health workers were kept busy during the holiday season because it<br />
was the best time to gather people together. More than 25 workshops were conducted<br />
with over 200 people attending.<br />
Thank you for your hard work!<br />
Refresher training for our bilingual health workers was held over two days in the first week of this month. I would<br />
like to thank Judith Dean and Anna Voloschenko from Queensland Health and Burglind Liddle from the Mater<br />
Hospital Liver Clinic for delivering valuable training to our workers. We also invited Adrian Buzolic who did<br />
training on evaluation skills which is very important for workers to know how to improve the quality of their work.<br />
The Queensland Health Communicable Disease Branch is working on the Viral Hepatitis Prevention & Control<br />
Action Plan. I’ve been invited to sit on the Reference Group to provide advice on developing the plan. Because<br />
of the increasing incidence of hepatitis infections in Queensland’s CALD population, especially hepatitis B, the<br />
action plan will be very important for controlling and managing hepatitis in our communities.<br />
If you have any concerns about this issue or would like to know more about it please contacts me.<br />
The Young African Women’s Project is nearly completed. If you are interested in knowing more about the<br />
Project and its results please contact Nava Moghbelpour, the Multicultural Youth Health Promotion Officer, at<br />
youth@eccq.com.au or Jebet Kipsaina, the project officer, at africanyouth@eccq.com.au.<br />
I mentioned in the last issue of Evoca that we held a very successful HIV Forum on World AIDS day. My<br />
colleague, Miad Jamali, has written more about this forum in this issue.<br />
Refresher Training for ECCQ<br />
Sexual Health program Bilingual<br />
Health Workers at ECCQ House<br />
Evoca: Issue 157 - February/March 2011<br />
Zhihong Gu is ECCQ’s Sexual Health<br />
Program Manager
- 10 -<br />
Sexual Health Program<br />
2010 Wrap Up<br />
from Miad Jamali<br />
It’s been an exciting start to the New Year for ECCQ’s HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis & Sexual Health<br />
team. We ended 2010 with a bang culminating with World AIDS Day, which is held on<br />
December 1 every year all round the world.<br />
Our Sexual Health team, as a lead up to this event and a show of solidarity with those<br />
infected and affected by HIV/AIDS, held a World AIDS Day Forum. The event, held on<br />
November 26, was attended by about 40 people from many communities.<br />
The event was exceptionally well received with the highlight being presentations given by<br />
two men, one of Chinese background and other from Botswana, both members of the<br />
Queensland Positive Speakers’ Bureau. They were able to share their experiences of living with HIV.<br />
Participants had many questions for the speakers and a willingness to explore sensitive topics.<br />
For many of the participants it was the first time they had the opportunity to engage with someone with HIV. The<br />
speakers did a great job at dispelling some myths and encouraging discussion.<br />
We were also involved with helping organise numerous World AIDS Day events around the South East. These<br />
included an event in Logan and a number of activities around Brisbane ending with a stall and live performances<br />
in King George Square in Brisbane.<br />
Other World AIDS Day events included stalls at the West End Markets, Chermside Shopping Centre, Garden<br />
City, Virgin Blue domestic terminal, Fortitude Valley and Central train stations.<br />
Nava Moghbelpour, ECCQ’s Multicultural Youth Health Promotion Officer, and I were also involved in helping<br />
organise the annual poster competition linked to World AIDS Day.<br />
Mary Wellington, one of our bilingual workers, was also involved in organising World AIDS day events in Cairns.<br />
Mary Wellington (left) with Grace Guaigu, a PNG<br />
Postgraduate Student at James Cook University, at<br />
the World AIDS Day event<br />
organised in Cairns by Mary<br />
Miad Jamali BSocSc, MCommun is ECCQ’s Multicultural<br />
Strengthening Resource, Training & Community Development Officer<br />
Evoca: Issue 157 - February/March 2011
- 11 -<br />
Chronic Disease program<br />
from Nera Komaric<br />
Strengthening CALD communities’ access to national health programs<br />
ECCQ has launched a new initiative under the Queensland Health National Partnership<br />
Agreement and Preventative Health.<br />
The National Health Survey 2007-08 found that while 63% of those born in Australia were<br />
overweight or obese, the numbers are greater in some communities: 67% of those born in<br />
Oceania, 67% in Southern and Eastern Europe, and 65% born in Middle East and<br />
Northern Africa were overweight or obese.<br />
It also found that 71% of those born in Australia were sedentary or had low exercise, while 75% from Southern<br />
and Eastern Europe, 91% from Middle East and Northern Africa, 79% from South East Asia and 76% from all<br />
other countries were sedentary or had low exercise. CALD communities are even more at risk due to psychosocial<br />
and socio-economic risk factors that may include past experiences of trauma, racism and discrimination,<br />
alienation and isolation, and lack of cultural capital.<br />
A recent Queensland Health study on Pacific Islander health found considerable health inequities with between<br />
five to six times higher rates for all avoidable admissions; two and nine times higher rates for diabetes<br />
complications; more than double the rate of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease admissions in one<br />
community; more than double the rate of coronary heart disease in another community; and almost double the<br />
mortality rate for avoidable conditions in one community.<br />
CALD populations in Queensland with higher levels of chronic disease, smoking, obesity,<br />
physical inactivity and lower fruit and vegetable consumption.<br />
Communities<br />
South East<br />
Queensland<br />
Indian/Fijian √<br />
Indian<br />
Bosnian/Croatian/ √<br />
Serbian<br />
Spanish speaking √ √<br />
Arabic speaking √ √<br />
South Sea<br />
√<br />
Islanders<br />
Vietnamese √ √<br />
Samoan √ √<br />
Cook Islander √ √<br />
North<br />
Queensland<br />
Sudanese √ √ √<br />
Toowoomba<br />
Darling<br />
Downs<br />
Our Living Well Multicultural program, a Lifestyle modification program recently accredited by the Department of<br />
Health & Ageing, includes culturally tailored healthy eating sessions using our 'Healthy Eating for the Prevention<br />
and Maintenance of Chronic Disease’ manual. This manual is now available in Arabic, Bosnian, Filipino, Greek,<br />
Indian, Samoan, Spanish, Sudanese and Vietnamese.<br />
The physical activity module is designed to encourage active lifestyles within CALD communities to prevent and<br />
self manage chronic disease. The module incorporates an education session and a community development<br />
workshop. The education sessions deliver culturally appropriate information on how to plan for physical activity,<br />
how to make it a part of everyday life and how it can improve the overall health of the body and mind.<br />
ECCQ’s Multicultural Health Workers (MHWs) have been effective in delivering these programs.<br />
Phase one of our CALD Measure Up program in Queensland found that mainstream social marketing<br />
approaches did not effectively reach CALD communities.<br />
Recent piloted Measure Up sessions found that employing MHW’s to deliver culturally tailored Measure Up<br />
messages was successful in increasing participants knowledge about the campaign, including the intention to<br />
make positive lifestyle changes.<br />
>>>><br />
Evoca: Issue 157 - February/March 2011
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- 13 -<br />
Community Action for a Multicultural Society network<br />
CAMS Update<br />
from Lalita Lakshmi<br />
Disaster and Recovery Management<br />
With CAMS workers situated in communities across the state from Cairns to Toowoomba,<br />
few have not been affected by the natural disasters we have experienced recently. Many<br />
CAMS workers and their organisations have worked directly with CALD communities<br />
assisting them to prepare for the emergency, and assisting with recovery. CAMS workers<br />
hope to work together to document this and provide feedback and advice around best<br />
ways to support CALD communities during and after disaster situations. Although we are only at the start of this<br />
process, it would seem that the lack of translated materials, availability of audio materials, and appropriate<br />
support in recovery centres have been some of the issues identified.<br />
CAMS Advocacy Priorities<br />
The CAMS network continues to work jointly on many advocacy priority areas. This work is being done through<br />
established statewide working groups including Queensland Accessing Interpreters Working Group, Employment<br />
Advocacy for Cultural Diversity and Queensland Pacific Islanders Workers Network. These working<br />
groups are all convened and actively supported by members of the CAMS network. CAMS workers have also<br />
made the following priority areas a focus of joint work: ESL and culturally inclusive education; cultural<br />
responsiveness working with the Department of Communities; Pacific Islander issues; and police and justice<br />
issues.<br />
ESL and culturally inclusive education: the CAMS network will continue to consult with local communities<br />
including teachers, schools and parents to ascertain what the situation is for CALD students and families and<br />
what increased support is needed. The CAMS working group’s first task of the year will be to respond to the<br />
Federal Government’s Review of Funding for Schooling. The working group hopes to use and build on work that<br />
CAMS and our organisations have undertaken.<br />
Cultural responsiveness: the working group is aiming to further evidence and support increased cultural<br />
responsiveness of local NGO’s funded by the Department of Communities. The working group continues to<br />
collect case studies and hopes to provide a thematic analysis of these. They also plan to research examples of<br />
how other state government communities and human service departments implement cultural responsiveness<br />
and write a report on best practice, practices in other jurisdictions and data analysis. A first draft has been<br />
completed. Working group members are also mapping the culturally inclusive aspects of the Community<br />
Standards, and how they are applied to an NGO.<br />
Pacific Islander issues: the working group is looking at undertaking some research and is designing a draft<br />
research template and format. They hope to include a regional perspective and examine the effect of the<br />
Trans-Tasman agreement.<br />
Police and Justice: the working group hopes to focus on improvements to interpreter access; internal QPS<br />
cultural competencies; and QPS and CALD community relationships.<br />
Keeping up to date with regional CAMS<br />
Several CAMS workers in local regions have recently commenced their own regional email newsletters which<br />
include news of local CALD communities. If you would like to be added to their email lists its best to contact<br />
them directly at:<br />
• Sunshine Coast: contact Naomi Wiley, Multicultural Coomunity Worker, Nambour Community<br />
Centre at mcw.ncc@flexinet.com.au<br />
• Logan: Feli Lacorte-Gayat, CAMS Officer, ACCES Services Inc at felig@asi.org.au<br />
• Caboolture: Nooreen Harris, CAMS Multicultural Worker, Neighbourhood Centre Caboolture at<br />
camsnhc@tpg.com.au<br />
Established CAMS newsletters are:<br />
• Toowoomba: David Barton, Multicultural Community Worker, Mercy Family Services at<br />
david.barton@mfsq.org.au<br />
• Gold Coast: Nao Hirano, Multicultural Community Development Officer, Multicultural Community<br />
Council, Gold Coast at naoh@mccgc.com.au<br />
For more information on the CAMS program visit www.camsqld.org.au or contact Lalita on 3844 9166 ext 109.<br />
Lalita Lakshmi is ECCQ’s Statewide Coordinator for<br />
the Community Action for a Multicultural Society Program<br />
which is funded by the Department of Communities<br />
Evoca: Issue 157 - February/March 2011
Caroline<br />
Bouten Pinto<br />
Sandra Bennett<br />
- 14 -<br />
Partners in Cultural Competence<br />
from Caroline Bouten Pinto and Sandra Bennett<br />
Community Engagement: bridging cultures<br />
Community engagement and consultation are high on the agendas of many government<br />
departments and large corporations. These agencies realise that to serve their clients and<br />
communities, best practice requires frequent and effective community consultation.<br />
Before you embark on any type of community engagement process, it is important to be very clear<br />
why you are engaging with the community. Is it because you want to provide information? Is it<br />
because you want to gather information and share ideas? Is it because you want to include<br />
community perspectives in decision-making? Are you seeking community participation? Or is it a<br />
combination of all of the above.<br />
Being clear about this is incredibly important, as it will influence the overall strategy and success of<br />
the community engagement process.<br />
Any engagement is influenced by a number of assumptions we inherently tend to make as we take<br />
on such processes. For example:<br />
◊ the community wants to engage<br />
◊ the community conceptually understands what we want to engage them around<br />
◊ the community understands us and the context in which we operate<br />
◊ and we understand the community and the context in which they operate.<br />
For example, knowing the cultural context of your own organisation is as important as knowing the<br />
cultural context of each community. Take the time to explore, articulate and communicate the<br />
underlying values, beliefs and practices of all parties. In Western society and developed countries,<br />
organisations operate with a major emphasis on compliance, documentation, task completion, timing<br />
and quantitative outcomes.<br />
Yet ‘grass roots communities’, whether ethnic, indigenous or mainstream, will be valuing connection, relationships and<br />
qualitative outcomes. The polarisation of these perspectives can often lead to confusion, frustration and the breakdown of<br />
relationships in the engagement process.<br />
As communities are diverse in make-up, perspectives and opinions, making these assumptions without checking them out<br />
can have real consequences for the quality of engagement with any community. Thus the biggest challenges in community<br />
engagement lie in being inclusive and being able to recognise, acknowledge and draw on community diversity as a<br />
resource.<br />
Being able to do this effectively requires us to prepare and reflect on these assumptions before we even begin to engage.<br />
But we cannot do this preparation and reflection in isolation. For example, how can we really understand a community and<br />
the context in which they operate if we have never paid attention or interacted with members of this community? Also, how<br />
do we go about ensuring that a community understands us and the context in which we operate. True community engagement<br />
starts long before issues need to be consulted on or strategies need to be approved. It starts with the development of<br />
relationships and trust.<br />
So how do we go about that?<br />
This is where Culturewise Practice® may help. This community engagement strategy enables you to embark on a process<br />
that connects you and the community in more meaningful ways. The Culturewise Practice approach is action-research<br />
based and engages individuals and groups to consider each other’s perspectives and world views, focus on possibilities<br />
and, through engaging in creative processes, the development of shared outcomes. Rather than focus on contentious<br />
issues this process is about inclusion and possibilities. As building relationships with communities begins with being<br />
interested and showing a sense of respectful curiosity, it continues with engaging in Culturewise Practice and developing<br />
knowledge, attitudes, skills and behaviours in the following three domains:<br />
◊ Awareness: seeing beyond your own cultural interpretations<br />
◊ Communication: using creative ways to reflect, explore and ask questions<br />
◊ Leadership: taking personal responsibility, to guide people and processes into inclusive engagements.<br />
Through this process, everyone has the opportunity to:<br />
• understand they are a key player in what is created during interactions<br />
• develop the skills and knowledge to explore theirs and others’ perspectives<br />
• take responsibility for moving beyond the limitations of their own perspectives<br />
• explore with others, possibilities for meaningful outcomes.<br />
It is a process that has application beyond the intercultural field. It has been successfully trialed in professional and personal<br />
conflict resolution; organizational culture change; customer service; team building; diversity leadership and community<br />
consultation.<br />
For more information on this contact Caroline Pinto or Sandra Bennett at ECCQ’s training unit, Partners in Cultural<br />
Competence (PiCC) on 3844 9166 or email: training@eccq.com.au.<br />
Caroline Bouten Pinto is Consulting Manager of Partners in Cultural Competence<br />
Sandra Bennett is the PiCC Client Liaison Manager<br />
Evoca: Issue 157 - February/March 2011
- 15 -<br />
PiCC Program<br />
Your one-stop-shop for cross-cultural training and diversity management solutions<br />
30 Mar ; 16 Jun (MORNING)<br />
Working with Professional Interpreters<br />
This three and half-hour workshop, provides a comprehensive introduction to working successfully with<br />
professional<br />
interpreters. It is ideal for those who must use professional interpreters in their dayto-day<br />
work. This program is targeted to all levels of government, organisations and businesses. From<br />
9am to 12.30pm<br />
30 Mar ; 16 Jun (AFTERNOON)<br />
Communicating Effectively with Non-fluent English Speakers<br />
This three and half hour workshop provides participants with insights, understanding and skills to communicate<br />
more effectively with non-fluent English speakers in day-to-day interactions where the use of formal<br />
interpreters is not required. From 1pm to 4.30pm<br />
WHO SHOULD ATTEND? Anyone who works and/or interacts on a regular basis with individuals from<br />
29 Mar ; 15 Jun<br />
Providing Culturally Responsive Service<br />
This one-day workshop provides participants with insights, knowledge and skills to interact more effectively<br />
with a culturally diverse public WHO SHOULD ATTEND? - All staff who provide client services or<br />
22 Mar ; 7 Jun<br />
Culture and Conflict Resolution<br />
This one-day workshop provides participants with an overview of the interaction of culture and conflict and<br />
gives practical techniques on how to constructively engage with disputes in a culturally diverse context.<br />
WHO SHOULD ATTEND? Anyone who works or interacts with people from culturally diverse backgrounds<br />
23 Mar ; 8 Jun<br />
Culturewise Practice<br />
This one day workshop introduces you to the latest approach in developing cultural competence. It shows<br />
you how to expand your perspective and develop your capabilities to engage in meaningful ways with<br />
others.<br />
24 Mar ; 9 Jun<br />
Diversity Leadership<br />
This one-day program provides participants with the insights and skills to move self and others from an<br />
awareness of diversity to engagement in creative processes that result in effective and meaningful out-<br />
To register please contact: Ms Hedy Sri Munaswati on 3844 9166 or Email: training@eccq.com.au<br />
Half-day fees:<br />
One-day fees:<br />
$ 40 per person (+GST)<br />
$ 75 per person (+GST)<br />
VENUE: West End Qld 4101 areas. Details in registration. Website at www.picc.org.au<br />
“An initiative of the Ethnic Communities Council of Queensland”<br />
Evoca: Issue 157 - February/March 2011
- 16 -<br />
Culture and Conflict Resolution<br />
Time: 9am-4.30pm<br />
Date<br />
Code<br />
Tue 22 Mar 2011 CCR-03<br />
Tue 7 Jun 2011 CCR-06<br />
Venue - This course will be delivered at West<br />
End Brisbane. Details in registration<br />
Investment<br />
$75 fee (+GST) includes course materials,<br />
morning/afternoon tea and light lunch<br />
HOW to register?<br />
Register online or download the Registration<br />
Form from PiCC website: www.picc.org.au.<br />
For further information<br />
contact PiCC admin, Ph: 07-3844 9166<br />
or email training@eccq.com.au<br />
COURSE OVERVIEW<br />
The program focuses on the interface of conflict<br />
and culture and how our understanding of and<br />
ways of dealing with conflict are shaped by our<br />
cultural background. Participants are encouraged<br />
to reflect on their own cultural assumptions and to<br />
develop culture and conflict fluency to enable<br />
them to better deal with stressful and/or<br />
conflictual situations. They will also develop a<br />
deeper understanding of the cultural starting points<br />
of other people.<br />
The reflective component of the program is<br />
complemented by practical exercises and tools to<br />
enable participants to analyse a conflict situation<br />
and its underlying cultural components, and to<br />
make informed decisions on how to deal with them<br />
appropriately. The workshop is highly interactive<br />
and the learning activities will be suitable to deal<br />
with conflict in a variety of work-related and<br />
private environments.<br />
WHO should attend?<br />
• Staff and service providers who work in<br />
areas of high stress and potential<br />
intercultural conflict.<br />
• Managers, team leaders and supervisors<br />
who work with culturally diverse teams.<br />
• Conflict resolvers, social service<br />
providers and community workers who<br />
are looking for new tools to address<br />
intercultural disputes.<br />
WHY?<br />
♦ For individual staff and service providers: become more<br />
aware of how your personal assumptions shape conflict<br />
interaction and how you can better understand and deal<br />
with perplexing and frustrating situations of intercultural<br />
conflict.<br />
♦ For team leaders and managers: learn processes that help<br />
recognise intercultural conflict early and to support<br />
cross-cultural fluency amongst staff.<br />
♦ For conflict resolution and development professionals:<br />
gain awareness on how conflict resolution processes are<br />
shaped around cultural assumptions and how they can be<br />
tailored to better fit culturally diverse contexts.<br />
Culture and Conflict Resolution Core Segments<br />
• Conflict stories and what patterns we can recognise from them<br />
• What is conflict and how can we deal with it<br />
• Multiple layers of culture and how they can impact on conflict management<br />
• The interface of conflict and culture: developing culture and conflict fluency<br />
• Analysing the web of conflict and culture: a workplace situation<br />
• Creating a safe space for resolving intercultural conflict<br />
A RANGE OF CUSTOMISED PROGRAMS ARE AVAILABLE FOR DELIVERY IN YOUR WORKPLACE -<br />
please contact Sandra Bennett or Caroline Pinto on 07-3844 9166 or email to picc@eccq.com.au<br />
“An initiative of the Ethnic Communities Council of Queensland”<br />
Evoca: Issue 157 - February/March 2011
- 17 -<br />
Culturewise Practice®<br />
Time: 9am-4.30pm<br />
Date<br />
Code<br />
Tue 22 Mar 2011 CCR-03<br />
Tue 7 Jun 2011 CCR-06<br />
Venue - This course will be delivered at<br />
West End Brisbane. Details in registration<br />
Investment<br />
$75 fee (+GST) includes course materials,<br />
morning/afternoon tea and light lunch<br />
HOW to register?<br />
Register online or download the<br />
COURSE OVERVIEW<br />
This one day workshop introduces you to the latest<br />
approach in developing cultural competence. It shows<br />
you how to expand your perspective and develop your<br />
capabilities to engage in meaningful ways with others.<br />
WHO should attend?<br />
People who want to improve their ability to engage<br />
effectively with diversity in the workplace.<br />
HOW to register?<br />
Register online or download the Registration Form from<br />
PiCC website: www.picc.org.au. For further information<br />
contact PiCC admin, Ph: 07-3844 9166 or<br />
email training@eccq.com.au<br />
CULTURWISE<br />
PRACTICE<br />
- SYNERGY<br />
OUT OF DIVERSITY<br />
Taking responsibility for your own cultural worldview and how this influences<br />
the outcomes of interactions<br />
LEARNING<br />
OUTCOMES:<br />
Participants will have the opportunity to:<br />
• Understand they are a key player in what is created during (intercultural) interactions.<br />
• Develop the skills and knowledge to explore theirs and others’ perspectives.<br />
• Take responsibility for moving beyond the limitations of their own perspectives.<br />
• Explore with others, possibilities for meaningful outcomes.<br />
Culturewise Practice develops knowledge, attitudes, skills and behaviours in three domains.<br />
1. AWARENESS: Seeing beyond your own cultural interpretations<br />
2. COMMUNICATION: Using creative ways to reflect, explore and ask questions.<br />
3. LEADERSHIP: Taking personal responsibility, to guide people and processes into inclusive<br />
engagements.<br />
Culturewise Practice is a process that has application beyond the intercultural field.<br />
It has been successfully trialed in:<br />
• Conflict Resolution: professional and personal.<br />
• Organizational Culture Change.<br />
• Customer Service.<br />
• Team Building<br />
• Leadership Development.<br />
A RANGE OF CUSTOMISED PROGRAMS ARE AVAILABLE FOR DELIVERY IN YOUR WORKPLACE -<br />
please contact Sandra Bennett or Caroline Pinto on 07-3844 9166 or email to picc@eccq.com.au<br />
“An initiative of the Ethnic Communities Council of Queensland”<br />
Evoca: Issue 157 - February/March 2011
- 18 -<br />
Diversity Leadership<br />
Time: 9.00am-4.30pm<br />
Date<br />
Code<br />
Thur 24 Mar 2011 DL-03<br />
Thu 9 Jun 2011 DL-06<br />
Venue<br />
This course will be delivered at West<br />
End Brisbane. Details in registration.<br />
Investment<br />
$75 fee (+GST) includes course<br />
materials morning/afternoon tea & light<br />
lunch.<br />
COURSE OVERVIEW<br />
This workshop provides individuals (in leadership positions)<br />
with the skills, insights and knowledge to move self and<br />
others from an awareness of diversity to engagement in<br />
creative processes that result in effective and meaningful<br />
outcomes.<br />
WHO should attend?<br />
People in management and leadership roles with an<br />
interest in engaging with diversity as integral to leading<br />
and motivating people in organisations.<br />
HOW to register?<br />
Register online or download the Registration Form from PiCC website: www.picc.org.au.<br />
For further information contact PiCC admin, Ph: 07-3844 9166 or email: training@eccq.com.au<br />
LEARNING OUTCOMES<br />
Participants will have an opportunity to explore and gain insight and skills into:<br />
• Developing personal and professional insights into the dimensions of diversity operating in their<br />
own organisational context.<br />
• Engaging employees in processes that enables the development of shared meanings and<br />
understanding of organisational diversity directives.<br />
• Engaging self and others in working with creative processes to develop, implement and evaluate<br />
initiatives.<br />
INDIVIDUAL AND<br />
ORGANISATIONAL BENEFIT<br />
• Increased access and equity in service<br />
provision<br />
• Improved productivity and morale<br />
• Reduced complaints and grievances<br />
• Improved opportunities for all<br />
employees<br />
• Happier, less stressed employees<br />
• Reduced discrimination<br />
• Increased responsiveness, effectiveness & efficiency in<br />
serving culturally and linguistically diverse clients<br />
• Improved attraction, retention and development of<br />
employee<br />
• Enhanced reputation as an employer of choice<br />
• Wider range of skills available to you<br />
• Enhanced innovation and creativity<br />
• Improved work-team interactions & relationships<br />
A RANGE OF CUSTOMISED PROGRAMS ARE AVAILABLE FOR DELIVERY IN YOUR WORKPLACE -<br />
Please contact Sandra Bennett or Caroline Pinto on 07-3844 9166 or email to admin@picc.org.au<br />
“An initiative of the Ethnic Communities Council of Queensland”<br />
Evoca: Issue 157 - February/March 2011
- 19 -<br />
ECCQ’s Vision, Mission & Objectives<br />
Our Mission "that all people from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds have equal access to<br />
services and can fully participate in all aspects of a cohesive and harmonious Queensland" is<br />
achieved through a combination of targeted advocacy, representative and consultative functions,<br />
and service development and delivery. Our objectives and goals are to:<br />
• work with government and community agencies so that CALD people have equitable access<br />
to resources and services.<br />
• promote collaboration and cooperation on issues of common concern and ensure effective participation<br />
when needed.<br />
• initiate and promote research into CALD issues in Queensland.<br />
• advise and inform governments and other organisations of the needs and priorities of CALD<br />
communities.<br />
• support and encourage CALD communities to develop and deliver services which meet the needs of their<br />
members.<br />
• encourage CALD people to participate in the social, educational and economic life of Australia and<br />
activities conducive to good citizenship.<br />
Our activities and services:<br />
◊ Advocacy and policy development<br />
◊ Community development programs, such as The Strengthening Ethnic Community Associations (SECA)<br />
program<br />
◊ Statewide HIV/AIDS, hepatitis and sexually transmitted infections program<br />
◊ Statewide Sexual Health Network and support groups<br />
◊ Statewide Chronic Disease Program<br />
◊ Cross cultural training unit, Partners In Cultural Competency (PiCC)<br />
◊ Resource and reference library<br />
◊ Applied research<br />
◊ Grants auspicing and Letters of Support for funding applications<br />
◊ Special projects<br />
◊ Women's Ethnic Network<br />
Brisbane to welcome International students<br />
Saturday 5 March 2011 - King George Square - 11am to 4pm<br />
Lord Mayor Campbell Newman will again host and give the official welcome to the new students, representing over<br />
27 countries including China, Korea, Taiwan, USA, India, Colombia, Canada, France and many more destinations.<br />
Get all the information on life in Brisbane at the Brisbane Welcomes International Students event – the one-stop-shop<br />
for students starting life in Brisbane … information you need from accommodation, employment and entertainment, to<br />
banking, transport and things to see and do. The event will include live music and wildlife displays with more than<br />
3,000 students from across the globe attending - a fun, free day out and a great way to connect with the community<br />
and make new friends.<br />
And don’t forget to visit ECCQ’s HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis & Sexual Health program display for information and health<br />
brochures in various languages.<br />
For more information on this event visit www.studybrisbane.com.au.<br />
Evoca: Issue 157 - February/March 2011
The Ethnic Communities Council of Queensland Ltd<br />
ECCQ House, 253 Boundary Street, West End Qld 4101<br />
P O Box 5916, West End Qld 4101<br />
Phone: 07 3844 9166 Fax: 07 3846 4453<br />
Email: administration@eccq.com.au Web: www.eccq.com.au<br />
Next Members’ meeting<br />
Wednesday 16 March 2011 at 7pm<br />
ECCQ House, 253 Boundary Street, West End<br />
(entry to ‘Gumbaya’ downstairs conference room via Granville Street)<br />
Members’ Meetings are held on the third Wednesday of each month at ECCQ House West End<br />
Bus No 199 and get off at the Boundary & Vulture Streets intersection<br />
ECCQ’s mission “that all people from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds have equal access to<br />
services and can fully participate in all aspects of a cohesive and harmonious<br />
Queensland" is achieved through a combination of targeted advocacy, representative and<br />
consultative functions, and service development and delivery.<br />
If undelivered, please return to:<br />
ECCQ<br />
PO Box 5916<br />
West End Q 4101<br />
SURFACE<br />
MAIL<br />
Postage<br />
Paid<br />
Australia<br />
Contents:<br />
2 Dates to Diarise; New Members<br />
3 Is all fare in the taxi industry?;<br />
Congratulations to Nick Xynias<br />
4 ECCQ has much to celebrate at end-ofyear<br />
gathering<br />
5 The metamorphosis of Denise - or what?;<br />
Great outcome for ECCQ’s SECA program;<br />
News from Diversicare & Berlasco Court<br />
6 AFL Multicultural program for SECA<br />
7 Australian Football - A Game for Everyone<br />
9 Workshops & Refresher Training for<br />
Bilingual Health Workers<br />
10 Sexual Health 2010 Wrap Up<br />
11 CAMS Update<br />
12 Strengthening CALD communities’ access<br />
to national health programs<br />
14 Community Engagement bridging cultures<br />
15 PiCC programs for 2011<br />
19 ECCQ’s Vision, Mission & Objectives;<br />
Brisbane to welcome International students