Engagement

Information dispersal and consultation are the most common forms of engagement undertaken by this department with Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) communities. Focussing on these practices supports and empowers CALD communities by:

Ensuring they are comprehensively informed about issues and initiatives that will affect them.
Making certain that the needs of CALD communities are met during the development, implementation and evaluation of policies and programs.

When Engaging with CALD Communities

Do

Think about what you're planning – will it impact differently on people from CALD backgrounds than others? If yes, then think about how you’ll engage specifically with CALD people.
Build relationships with communities through their representative bodies or those agencies that work closely with them. Like all good relationships it needs the investment of time and effort, think of it as a long term courtship rather than a one night stand.
Consider that you may need to consult more than once – early to define the problem that the policy/program seeks to address, then later for feedback.
Make sure that people know what happened as a result of their input – 'you said – we did'.

Don't

Treat people from CALD backgrounds as an afterthought.
Leave engagement to the last minute, swan in, ask questions and never be seen again.
Assume that all CALD people are homogenous between and within groups and that 'one CALD size fits all'.
Always talk to the 'usual suspects'.
With the best of intentions treat all communities the same. Their infrastructure, understanding of government processes and capacity to respond differs.
Think you need to talk to everyone – sometimes it's better to talk to representative or peak bodies or agencies that work closely with CALD communities.