Free multicultural training for Armidale
14 March 2011
Service providers in Armidale and the New England region are being encouraged to ‘reach out’ to diverse communities and learn about different cultures at a FREE multicultural forum being held in Armidale on Tuesday 15 March 2011.
Fully subsidised by the Transcultural Rural and Remote Outreach Project (TRROP), the Reaching Out 2011 forum aims to assist service providers gain knowledge and skills to confidently engage with people from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities in the New England region.
TRROP Field Liaison Officer Sue Budden said representatives from mainstream health services, local businesses, local government and non-government organisations, schools and volunteer services are all urged to attend.
“The multicultural forum aims to break down stereotypes and provide examples of cultural similarities and differences in order to promote cultural harmony,” Sue said.
“Labels belong on jars, not people.
“The forum is a way of celebrating Australia’s diversity and increasing understanding of different cultures, traditions and beliefs. It provides an opportunity for services in Armidale and the New England area to learn practical tips on how to understand and engage with CALD communities in their area,” Sue said.
The forum program has an introduction to cultural issues and provides examples of cultural biases, stereotypes and assumptions. This is followed by an interactive workshop on how to access and use interpreters.
Later in the forum, a panel discussion has been organised to answer people’s questions on how to offer a welcoming ‘first point of contact’ for CALD community members to services in the New England Region, and discusses strategies for connecting with CALD clients
“The forum is free and we really urge people to come along, listen, get involved and learn.”
About TRROP
TRROP is a major NSW Health access and equity initiative and is a partnership between the Transcultural Mental Health Centre, Centre for Rural and Remote Mental Health and Hunter New England Local Health Network. TRROP aims to increase the workforce capacity to deliver culturally relevant services to the culturally and linguistically diverse populations in rural areas.
Contact: Frances Holz
Phone: 4939 2216