Volunteering opens a gateway for new migrants, refugees and international students
The new Volunteering – A Gateway to Communities project has been exploring a big challenge that many community organisations in the State are facing.
That is, how do we go about approaching people from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds (e.g. migrants, refugees and international students) to participate in our volunteer programs, and to also help welcome them into the broader South Australian community.
Building on Surf Life Saving Australia’s successful model of engagement with CALD communities, the national ‘On the Same Wave’ program, the new Volunteering - A Gateway to Communities initiative has been working with a special advisory group to look into these very complexities.
Members of this advisory group included Surf Life Saving; Red Cross; South Australian Fire and Emergency Services Commission; Children, Youth and Women’s Health Service; and the City of Charles Sturt.
Together, the group has worked in partnership with the South Australian Government’s Office for Volunteers to develop tools and resources, aimed at helping community organisations increase their cultural awareness and to also get ready to start engaging CALD communities in their volunteer programs.
The result of this effort is this new web page, and list of free tools and resources, created specially for community organisations that are interested in engaging CALD volunteers.
Free tools for community groups
- Volunteering - A Gateway to Communities Project Report
The Volunteering – A Gateway to Community Project Report shares the learning’s of the advisory group and gives some “food for thought” and practical tips for community organisations on the topic of engaging people from CALD communities.
- Free online cultural awareness training module
The ‘Cross-Cultural Training for Volunteer Involving Organisations’ module for organisations and volunteers features a 'Training Facilitator Manual' complete with workshop materials, participant handouts and PowerPoint presentations. The module includes two introductory cultural training workshops:
- The 'Cultural Awareness in Volunteering Programs' workshop is for staff and volunteers within the organisation
- The ‘Volunteering in Australia’ workshop is for individuals and communities who are recent arrivals to Australia
Downloads:
- Training Facilitator Manual
- Workshop materials and participant handouts:
- Workshop Invitation Template: 'Cultural Awareness in Volunteering'
- Workshop Invitation Template: 'Volunteering in Australia'
- Workshop Feedback and Evaluation Sheet
- Workshop Adaptation Checklist: 'Cultural Awareness in Volunteering'
- Workshop Adaptation Checklist: 'Volunteering in Australia'
- Workshop Run Sheet: 'Cultural Awareness in Volunteering'
- Workshop Run Sheet: 'Volunteering in Australia'
- Workshop Facilitation Process: 'Cultural Awareness in Volunteering'
- Workshop Facilitation Process: 'Volunteering in Australia'
- PowerPoint Presentations:
- ‘FAQ on engaging CALD people by community groups’ fact sheet
Not sure how to go about engaging CALD people? Find out more in this frequently asked questions (FAQ) fact sheet.
- ‘Tell us your story’ interview form
Share with us your experiences engaging people from CALD communities in your volunteer programs. Selected stories will be featured in the Office for Volunteers The State Volunteering Online e-newsletter, which is emailed to more than 1,500 community groups, government agencies, businesses and volunteers across the State.
Further information and useful links
- Training Manual - Recruiting and Supporting Volunteers from Diverse Cultural and Language Backgrounds - As part of the Commonwealth's CALD Implementation Project, the State Volunteer Centres assisted the Australian Multicultural Foundation, Judith Miralles & Associates, and Volunteering Australia with developing this Training Program and Manual to help not-for-profits with recruiting and supporting volunteers from CALD backgrounds.
- Involving volunteers from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds - An information sheet about the many benefits of having a diverse volunteer program, and tips and advice for managers on how to engage and involve volunteers from CALD backgrounds.
- An Overview of South Australia’s Multicultural Population – Multicultural SA has prepared this overview of South Australia's multicultural population using the 2006 Census results.
- On the Same Wave – A living in harmony Initiative - On the Same Wave (OTSW) is a partnership between Surf Life Saving Australia (SLSA) and the Australian Government’s Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC), which provides support to young Australians of all backgrounds, to become part of the beach experience, and to engage with Surf Life Saving around Australia.
