Section 3 activities
Contents
Workplace activity: Meeting cultural expectations
Activity: Needs of diverse clients
Activity: Mapping cultural groups in your community
Workplace activity: Workplace signage and symbols
Workplace activity: Guidelines for engaging an interpreter
Workplace activity: Meeting cultural expectations
How does an organisation meet the expectations of clients and co-workers
from diverse backgrounds?
Provide examples of how your organisation is meeting the expectations of
clients and co-workers through the factors listed. (eg. hosting a crosscultural event where refugee groups can meet and socialise with others in
the community.
Don’t forget clients can be both external and internal.
Factor
Specific service example
Demographic factor(s)
Income
Psychographic factor(s)
Life cycle stages
© The State of Queensland (Department of Communities and Disability Services
Queensland) 2007.
Cultural background
Feedback
Your organisation may provide services such as those listed below.
Factor
Demographic factor(s)
Income
Psychographic factor(s)
Life cycle stages
Specific service example
Example: High ratio of older citizens
─ provision of aged care facilities,
respite care support, community
activities such as gardening, book
clubs, etc.
Example: High ratio of unemployed
─ job support programs, advisory
services on budgeting, provision of
social services.
Example: Rural areas ─provision of
a range of regular support services
such as health, counselling, aged
care. Assistance with travel to
larger towns for community and
health services.
Example: high ratio of families with
young children ─ assistance with
childcare; support systems for oneparent families.
Example:
Cultural background
High ratio of immigrants ─ provision
of interpreter services, English
language courses, multicultural
community events.
© The State of Queensland (Department of Communities and Disability Services
Queensland) 2007.
Activity: Needs of diverse clients
Complete the following table with what you may think (or have experienced to be) the
specific needs of the client groups listed.
Clients
Specific needs
Disadvantaged youth
Persons with a disability
NESB residents
Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islanders
Gender specific
Single parent families
Other
Activity: Mapping cultural groups in your community
Here are some ideas of how you can ‘map’ the cultural groups in your
community. This activity is ideal for workshop groups but could be easily
adapted.
1. Lists: make a list on butcher’s paper of all the cultural groups you
can think of in your community. Place a coloured dot beside the
groups you see yourself belonging to.
2. Mapping links: Construct ‘maps’ by placing a circle around each of
the cultural groups and then draw links between the groups with
words or images that depict the nature of the relationship. This can
be done as an extension of the above activity or as a separate
exercise.
3. Symbols: Place on the map symbols, words or pictures that, to you
best sum up each of the cultural groups.
This exercise helps you to see how many subcultures of a culture we have
in our communities.
© The State of Queensland (Department of Communities and Disability Services
Queensland) 2007.
Workplace activity: Workplace signage and symbols
Locate examples of signage in your workplace that is specifically designed
to communicate with CALD clients or that does not rely on knowledge of
English.
Make a list of the signage types and for each describe how or why it is
appropriate for CALD clients. For example, signs on toilets use male and
female symbols rather than words. All cultural and linguistic groups
understand these symbols.
Workplace activity: Guidelines for engaging an
interpreter
Find out about using interpreter services that are available through your
workplace or in your area.

Locate and print a copy of your workplace guidelines and/or
procedures regarding the use of interpreters.

Locate and print a copy of the interpreter request form used by
your workplace.

Collect examples, such as brochures or instructions describing
workplace or community interpreting services, or identify links to
online information that could help.
Keep a copy of this information for your Resource Folder for future
reference.
© The State of Queensland (Department of Communities and Disability Services
Queensland) 2007.