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Docslide - Us - Tlig707b Work in A Culturally Diverse Environment Learner Guide PDF
Docslide - Us - Tlig707b Work in A Culturally Diverse Environment Learner Guide PDF
a culturally diverse
environment
Learner Guide
Contents
What this Learners Guide is about ........................................ 3
Planning your learning ........................................................... 4
How you will be assessed ...................................................... 6
Section 1............................................................................................. 7
Communicating with customers and colleagues from diverse
backgrounds........................................................................... 7
Section 2........................................................................................... 26
Dealing with cross-cultural misunderstandings .................... 26
It
is
important
to
plan
your
learning
before
you
start
because
you
may
already
have
some
of
the
knowledge
and
skills
that
are
covered
in
this
Learners
Guide.
This
might
be
because:
you
have
been
working
in
the
industry
for
some
time,
and/or
you
have
already
completed
training
in
this
area.
This
Learners
Guide
is
written
with
the
idea
that
learning
is
made
more
relevant
when
you,
the
learner,
are
actually
working
in
the
industry.
This
means
that
you
will
have
people
within
the
enterprise
who
can
show
you
things,
discuss
how
things
are
done
and
answer
any
questions
you
have.
Also
you
can
practise
what
you
learn
and
see
how
what
you
learn
is
applied
in
the
enterprise.
If
you
are
working
through
this
Learners
Guide
and
have
not
yet
found
a
job
in
the
industry,
you
will
need
to
talk
to
your
trainer
about
doing
work
experience
or
working
and
learning
in
some
sort
of
simulated
workplace.
Section 1
Section outline
Further
more,
the
percentage
of
overseas
born
persons
has
risen
from
22.9%
in
1991
to
23.6%
in
2000.
This
means
that
one
in
four
people
in
Australia
were
born
overseas.
The
percentage
born
in
the
UK
and
Ireland
was
just
over
6%.
This
means
that
over
17%
of
our
population
were
born
overseas
in
a
culture
that
is
not
Anglo-Saxon.
Add
to
this
figure
family
members
born
in
Australia
but
living
and
following
the
culture
of
their
parents,
and
you
can
arrive
at
a
figure
of
one
in
five
or
one
in
four
people
living
in
a
culture
different
to
that
traditionally
seen
as
Aussie.
Australia
has
seen
different
cultural
and
ethnic
groups
arrive
on
our
shores
as
a
result
of:
changing
immigration
policies
Australia
eliminated
the
White
Australian
policy
which
was
a
fundamental
change
in
Australian
society
and
subsequently
changed
the
ethnic
population
of
this
country
labour
shortages
in
Australia
both
skilled
and
unskilled
economic
and
humanitarian
hardship
in
overseas
countries
(e.g.
Vietnam
after
the
Vietnam
War).
Activity 1: Responsibilities
Some
of
the
ways
that
enterprises
can
make
their
services
more
accessible
or
user-friendlier
include:
having
signs
in
other
languages
providing
wheelchair
access
through
ramps,
lifts
and
with
facilities
set
a
the
height
appropriate
to
people
in
wheelchairs
(public
phones
or
service
counters
set
at
a
lower
height)
employing
staff
of
a
socially
diverse
background
(e.g.
speaking
a
community
languages,
wheel-chaired,
Auslan
abled)
having
and
providing
access
to
telephone
interpreters
translating
information
into
community
languages
training
staff
not
to
make
assumptions
based
on
religion,
race,
sexuality,
marital
status
(e.g.
Madam,
would
you
like
to
take
home
the
details
and
discuss
these
with
your
husband?)
taking
account
of
cultural
taboos
and
accommodating
these
with
sensitivity
(e.g.
in
some
cultures
a
man
cannot
interact
with
a
woman
unless
another
woman
is
present)
providing
graphic
images
for
public
information
rather
than
using
words
(e.g.
using
a
symbol
for
a
phone/lift/etc
rather
than
the
words
phone/lift/etc).
These
strategies
consist
of
both
using
positives
measures
and
removing
negatives
or
deterrents
to
customers
or
clients.
Further
information
about
the
issues
you
might
address
in
working
with
customers
of
different
cultural
backgrounds
can
be
found
on
the
Queensland
Health
web
site
at:
http://www.health.qld.gov.au/hssb/cultdiv/cultdiv/home.htm
Use the web site reference given to you above or talk to friends
who have come from other cultures or are from a different social
and/or cultural environment to yourself. Use tact and try to read
your friends body language (signs of discomfort, unease with your
questions, etc) if you talk directly to people about this activity.
Summarise ways in which you would work with customers from a
different background.
Activity 3: Resources
No. Statement A S N
This
model
provides
the
assumptions
for
a
workplace
that
means
that
only
those
who
match
this
model
can
succeed.
Even
where
an
organisation
actively
recruits
individuals
who
do
not
meet
this
model,
success
is
limited
within
the
organisation
and
if
left
unchallenged
the
culture
will
end
up
forcing
those
outside
the
model
to
leave
to
get
promotion,
equal
pay
for
equal
work
and
basic
rights.
For
instance,
imagine
you
are
a
person
serving
behind
the
counter
of
a
shop
that
sells
expensive
goods
and
a
person
enters
who
has
not
shaved
and
has
odd
footwear
one
foot
is
in
a
soft
slipper
or
shoe
with
a
hole
in
the
big
toe
and
the
other
foot
is
in
a
normal
shoe.
When
the
person
asks
you
for
some
assistance,
their
voice
is
affected
in
some
way
and
not
very
coherent.
Think again!!!!!!
How
about
this
for
an
explanation
the
person
is
able
to
afford
the
goods
in
your
shop
and
is
coming
in
to
buy
some
things.
Recently,
the
person
was
involved
in
an
accident
which
left
him
with
a
broken
toe
(hence
the
odd
footwear),
a
broken
jaw
(hence
the
odd
voice)
and
a
sprained
wrist
that
meant
that
he
was
unable
to
shave.
In
the
Case
Studies
that
follow,
you
are
asked
to
check
your
own
thinking
for
assumptions
and
stereotyping.
Case Study 1
As you walk along the street near your home, a young child runs
out of her house with blood coming from her nose. An adult then
follows the child out the door and runs after her calling out, You
come back here immediately in an angry voice.
Case Study 2
Case Study 3
A young woman dressed in goth gear (dyed black hair, thick black
mascara, long fingernails with black nail polish, black clothes, white
face powder, etc) walks out of a house with her long fingers circled
around an old womans arm and looking as if she is trying to hurry
the old woman along. The old woman seems resistant to moving
quickly and is shuffling along slowly.
Case Study 4
Case Study 5
Two young men meet in the street and greet each other with a kiss.
Section 2
Section outline
Case Study 1:
Case Study 2:
Sheila
was
born
and
raised
in
the
Northern
Territory
before
moving
interstate
and
taking
up
a
job
in
a
transport
company
in
Sydney.
After
a
stocktake
it
is
discovered
that
stock
losses
are
occurring
that
cannot
be
explained
by
any
other
means
than
theft.
The
manager
of
the
company
questions
all
staff
members
including
those
with
or
without
authority
to
access
the
stock
storage
area.
When
questioned
by
the
manager,
Shelia
does
not
make
eye
contact
with
the
manager.
She
explains
that
she
has
no
access
to
the
storage
area
and
says
she
loves
her
job
and
is
pleased
to
be
given
an
opportunity
to
work
in
the
City.
The
manager
does
not
trust
her
answers
and
suspects
her
of
theft
because
she
does
not
appear
honest.
Others
in
the
company
have
noticed
that
Sheila
does
not
make
eye
contact.
Together
with
the
fact
that
she
is
new
to
the
company,
she
is
suspected
of
stealing
stock.
Case Study 3:
Aziz
never
attends
social
functions
put
on
by
the
company
social
club.
These
involve
events
such
as
a
summer
BBQ,
a
night
at
an
Irish
Pub,
a
wine
bottling
and
a
visit
to
a
country
horse
race
meeting.
His
excuses
vary
from
family
commitments,
his
wife
being
ill
that
weekend,
being
away,
having
to
take
his
children
to
a
Saturday
morning
language
school.
When
invited
to
join
his
mates
for
a
drink
after
work,
he
again
makes
excuses.
Although
he
is
a
good
worker
and
joins
in
conversations
at
lunchtime
in
the
lunchroom,
he
is
seen
to
be
a
bit
stand-offish
because
he
does
not
go
to
the
social
club
functions.
Case Study 4:
Case Study 5:
Each
time
the
topic
comes
up
at
work,
Hannah
seems
to
disappear
and
go
off
to
the
toilet
or
go
for
a
cigarette
or
go
back
to
work
before
her
break
is
finished.
Opinion
is
divided
around
the
workplace
but
most
people
feel
that
the
author
of
the
statement
is
racist
and
ill
informed.
Her
work
mates
gradually
realise
what
is
happening
and
accuse
her
of
being
a
racist
follower
of
the
author
of
the
statement.
Case Study 6:
Paola
has
attended
every
training
program
and
each
of
the
team
meetings
over
the
first
two
months
of
the
program
but
while
she
was
attentive
in
the
training
and
completed
all
activities,
she
has
not
asked
one
question
during
the
training,
offered
to
share
her
ideas
or
make
a
comment
and
has
made
no
verbal
contribution
to
the
team
meetings.
Her
supervisor
feels
that
her
time
would
be
better
spent
being
back
at
work
while
the
others
meet
and
discuss
improvements.
The
supervisor
raises
the
matter
with
the
production
manager
of
the
company
with
the
view
to
suggesting
that
Paola
attends
to
the
phone
and
other
work
duties
while
the
others
meet.
Your
roles
and
responsibilities
in
this
area
need
not
stop
there.
Your
role
modelling
can
be
taken
further
and
you
might:
learn
a
community
language
or
some
basics
to
help
communicate
in
the
workplace
invite
speakers
into
the
workplace
to
talk
about
relevant
issues
arrange
a
special
event
that
honours
other
cultures
and
their
peoples
locate
resources
that
might
be
useful
in
the
workplace
to
support
others
and
for
educating
team
members
take
a
stand
against
racism,
sexism,
other
objectionable
practices
The
following
activity
asks
you
to
develop
a
project
that
models
the
behaviours
and
attitudes
explored
in
this
Learners
Guide.
You
might
do
this
project
with
others
in
the
workplace
as
away
of
spreading
the
work
load
and
the
message.
Make sure you choose a project that can be achieved and has
support from management in your workplace.
Additional
resources
Web
sites:
Diversity@work
http://www.work.asn.au/
Queensland
Health
diversity
web
site
http://www.health.qld.gov.au/hssb/cultdiv/home.htm
Diversity
Victoria
(government
web
site)
http://www.diversity.vicnet.net.au/
Diversity
Australia
http://www.diversityaustralia.gov.au/
RacismNoWay
web
site
http://www.racismnoway.com.au/library/cultural/
Centre
for
Workplace
Communication
and
Culture
http://www.edoz.com.au/cwcc/docs/cwcc/diversity.html
Workplace
diversity
in
the
Australian
Public
Service
http://www.apsc.gov.au/publications01/diversityguidelines.htm
Attorney
Generals
Department
(relevant
legislation)
http://scaletext.law.gov.au/html/pastereg/1/617/0/PR000170.htm
University
of
Newcastle
web
site
(legislation
and
other
resources
including
a
guide
to
working
with
persons
of
diverse
cultures
(Cultural
Sensitivity
Book)
http://www.newcastle.edu.au/services/equity/policy/cultural_sensit
ivity_book.doc
Cross-cultural
training
(Migrant
Resource
Centre,
North
East
Melbourne)
http://www.mrcne.org.au/training.html
Queensland
University
of
Technology
Equity
Plan
http://www.equity.qut.edu.au/plan/2002/equity_plan_2002.doc
Feedback on
activities
The responses provided in this section are suggested responses.
Because every workplace is different, your responses may vary
according to your specific workplace procedures, the equipment
available and the nature of the business.
Activity 1: Responsibilities
The key will be to try to understand what the values of the group
are and what is considered acceptable/normal practice in their
culture that might be considered unacceptable/abnormal in your
own culture and vice versa. Some key differences may be:
form of address
eye contact
respect for elders, religious figures
forbidden topics of conversation and topics uncomfortable to
discuss (e.g. sex, religion, politics)
interactions between males and females.
Activity 3: Resources
Case Study 1
The child is from next door and has a blood nose. She is
attempting to run home to her own parent. The adult knows that
no-one is at home and is anxious that the child has panicked and
run into the street.
Case Study 2
Case Study 3
Case Study 4
The group were just chatting about nothing much but realised as
you came in that their break was up and moved back to work. (You
might assume that you were being talked about!!!)
Case Study 5
The two young men are cousins and coming from a European
background, always greet each other with a kiss.
Case Study 1
Showing the benefits of the process and talking about how the
assessment will be carried out can often be useful strategies to
address peoples suspicions. Special consideration could be
applied to Boris so that he can select assessment methods that are
less threatening than questioning. He might take a support person
with him during assessment. Talking to others who have been
assessed (especially people of a similar background) might also
help.
Case Study 2
The manager should not assume that lack of eye contact implies
guilt. Further investigation of ALL staff is required to clear up the
matter. The question of theft that is internal to a company is
probably the most uncomfortable situation that occurs in a
workplace and also leads to misunderstandings. Stereotyping can
also affect peoples judgements in such situations. The manager
should be careful to presume innocence until otherwise proven and
has a responsibility to take this message to all staff.
Case Study 3
Case Study 4
The company is not a closed shop and Houng can make a choice
of belonging to the union or not doing so. Some unions have
encouraged the donation of a days strike pay to fighting funds
where members cannot join in with the action taken. Houngs
colleagues might suggest he does this to show his support for the
issue while maintaining his own beliefs. This may present an
option that results in preventing the issue escalating.
Case Study 5
Some situations are better left alone and this might be one of them.
Perhaps a friend at work could have a quiet word with her and
raise the fact that some people think she is a supporter of the view
given because she avoids talking about it with her fellow workers.
Case Study 6
Just because Paola does not speak up, this does not mean that
she is wasting her own and everyone elses time in being involved
in the program. She may have valuable ideas to contribute but the
forum of an open meeting and the style of training delivered may
not have suited the way she contributes and learns.