Community Profiles

What form does Spectrum's Cross-cultural Training take?

Spectrum's method of Cross-Cultural Training is Immigrant Community Profiles, which take the format of visual PowerPoint presentations about a range of migrant and refugee populations that have recently settled in Victoria . The profiles are highly visual, interactive, informative, and are based on comprehensive literature reviews. Real-life examples are drawn from the communities themselves and all profiles are culturally accredited by using ethnic focus groups.

Why Community Profiles?

Spectrum developed its popular immigrant community profiles to prepare and support the general community in welcoming new settlers to Victoria . This is consistent with international best practice, which shows that this model has been successful in fostering positive attitudes towards the newly arrived migrants and refugees. Spectrum is keen to foster this environment in the northern region and across the state.

Spectrum's first community profiles were developed in 2000. Since then, these interactive profiles have been regularly updated to include new trends and relevant statistics. New country profiles are developed to reflect the ever-changing communities that are settling in Victoria .

We currently have profiles for:

 

China India Turkey
Eritrea Iraq Understanding Islam
Ethiopia Somalia West & Central Africa
Former Yugoslavia Sudan Youth (Refugee & Migrant)
West Africa Central Africa Samoan

 

Given the current Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) humanitarian and refugee intake of west and central African's from Sierra Leone , Liberia , Burundi and Rwanda and their newness as a community in Australia, Spectrum has developed a presentation that covers the historical and political context of these countries, cultural beliefs and values and current settlement trends and issues. Spectrum presents these profiles to community organisations and services who would like to gain some more information about how they might interact, communicate and understand people from these communities.

For more information please contact Sonia Vignjevic, Manager Settlement & Family Services on (03) 9496 0206 or email soniav@spectrumvic.org.au .

What exactly do the Community Profiles cover?
  • Achieving Cultural Competency
  • Historical & Political context of the country

Cultural behaviors and values

  • What does it mean to be a member of a certain tribe or clan?
  • What religions are practiced?
  • What food do they eat?
  • How do they dress?
  • How do people greet each other?
  • What are their experiences of overseas education and health?
  • How does their family function and what roles and responsibilities do family members have?
  • Settlement trends in Australia for this community
  • Presenting Issues of this new and established immigrant community
Who should attend these Community Profiles?

Frontline service staff

  • Receptionists
  • Administrative Assistants

Staff who have daily contact or work with CALD clients in metropolitan or regional/rural Victoria

  • Community Health Centre
  • Local Council staff (from the Parking Officer to the Leisure Centre Lifeguard)
  • Social/Welfare/Community Development Workers in a variety of fields
  • Job Network providers
  • Community & Neighbourhood Houses
  • Childcare workers
  • Police Officers
  • Teachers
  • Lawyers
  • Doctors / staff in the medical profession

Staff who research or develop policies for CALD clients

  • Public servants - Policy Officers/Advisers
  • Health Promotion Officers
  • Academics
What would your staff/organisation gain?

These short training sessions will assist your staff and your organisation to develop knowledge and skills and more specifically:

  • gain an understanding of the historical and political context of these new immigrant groups settling in Victoria to inform their practices
  • gain details of general settlement trends and issues facing new and established immigrant communities in Victoria
  • you can compare cultural behaviours and values of cross-cultural adaptation
  • you can ask questions regarding newly arrived migrants and refugees that you may have started to have contact with, and
  • you can meet an ethnic community member/leader of the immigrant community being profiled.
How long does it go for?

Approximately 1-2 hours, facilitated by an MRC staff member and an ethnic representative from the profiled community

How do I book?

For more information please contact Sonia Vignjevic, Manager Settlement & Family Services on (03) 9496 0206 or email soniav@spectrumvic.org.au .