VICSEG New Futures

DiverseWerks - Capacity Building

cultural competency training

Issue: 
DiverseWerks was engaged by VICSEG New Futures to undertake the development of four half day training modules, designed to deliver issue specific cultural competency training for Children's Services organisations.

Solution: 
DiverseWerks developed a cultural competency training package for a range of staff working in the child and family services sector in Victoria. This involved an initial focus group with potential recipients of the training to understand where the nature of the cross-cultural challenges were within the sector, followed by further in-depth interviews to help craft real world scenarios into practical exercises for training participants.

Results: 
DiverseWerks considered and developed four half day training modules on cultural competency issues, customised to the researched needs of VICSEG. The provisions of cleared and finalised training modules were then delivered to VICSEG's CALD specialist Training and Support service for wider distribution. Over the year, the program provided:

• Customised training to 185 professional staff across nine workplaces;
• Six two-day training programs to over 120 child and family welfare workers;
• Four training sessions on culture and disability to 100 early childhood practitioners and youth workers; and
• A targeted program of subsidised family violence training to 30 nurses from metropolitan midwifery, maternal child health and refugee health services.

Four additional training programs focusing on cultural competence in family violence context are scheduled in metropolitan and regional Victoria in early 2017.