EVOCA by The Ethnic Communities Council of Queensland

Issue 165

Autumn edition, March 2013

EVOCA

An Ethnic Communities Council of Queensland publication | www.eccq.com.au

Multicultural Health Workers

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ISSUE 165: FEATURES EVOCA, the newsletter of the Ethnic Communities Council of Queensland (ECCQ), is published quarterly.

EDITOR

Carrie Barnett

Agnes M Whiten, OAM

ECCQ BOARD OF DIRECTORS 3 CHAIR Agnes Whiten, OAM DEPUTY CHAIRS Serge Voloschenko Michael Yau HON PRESIDENT AND VOLUNTEER CEO Nick Xynias, AO CHAIR OF THE FINANCE, AUDIT & RISK COMMITTEE Alex Daniloff

DIRECTORS Dr. Mustafa Ally, OAM Surendra Prasad, OAM Chalani Gunasekara Irene Cayas Gail Ker, OAM Dr. Carla Tromans

EXECUTIVE MANAGER Ian Muil ianm@eccq.com.au

MEDIA & COMMUNICATIONS Carrie Barnett carrieb@eccq.com.au

GROUP HR MANAGER Chris Dougherty hr@eccq.com.au

SENIOR POLICY OFFICER Fiona Caniglia fionac@eccq.com.au

ECCQ STAFF SPOTLIGHT Grace Samuel Oryem is a multicultural health and community development officer

HIV IS STILL HERE

CANCER SCREENING

Demand for accessible information remains high

Imperative for early diagnosis in CALD communities

HIV/AIDS, HEPATITIS AND SEXUAL CHILD SAFETY POLICY OFFICER HEALTH PROGRAM MANAGER Gail Slocombe Zhihong Gu gails@eccq.org.au zhihongg@eccq.com.au

MULTICULTURAL HEALTH The workforce of tomorrow and why we need it

ECCQ OFFICE CONTACTS

CHRONIC DISEASE PROGRAM MANAGER Ella Ashley ellaa@eccq.com.au

FROM THE CHAIR

AUSTRALIA’S COMMUNITY DETENTION PROGRAM Providing much needed services to asylum seekers

PARTNERS IN CULTURAL COMPETENCE Hedy Nicolson hedyn@eccq.com.au

WHAT’S WORKING? Tips for practitioners when working with CALD background clients

ECCQ DIRECTOR PROFILE Irene Cayas: A life of service

ABOUT ECCQ ECCQ is Queensland’s peak body for culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities and the multicultural sector. ECCQ’s mision “that all people have equal access to services and can particpate in all aspects of a cohesive and harmonious Queensland” is achieved through policy work, consultative functions, cultural capacity, health workshops and service delivery.

BALANCED MEDIA

WORKPLACE DIVERSITY

Minorities must ’break the frames’

Shifting perceptions to attitude and worldview

ECCQ membership comprises new and emerging and established ethnic associations and CALD individuals. Members are supported through policy work and community support.

ECCQ POLICY

For more information on ECCQ’s policies and programs go to our website www.eccq.com.au.

MULTICULTURALISM IN QUEENSLAND

P.O. Box 5916 West End, Queensland 4101

Priority areas for 2013

The debate starts

MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR Changes abound at ECCQ Agnes M Whiten OAM

Welcome, 2013. This is the first edition of EVOCA for this year. EVOCA will now be published in its exciting new format every three months instead of bi-monthly. So we have this issue as the Autumn edition. And a reminder of further change – as we modernise, improve and upgrade our engagement with members – our members’ meetings are now held bi-monthly with an improved format. Our meetings will continue to provide a platform for members and others to report on the activities of their communities and issues facing them. Included in the information sharing activity are the reports of ECCQ’s Executive Manager and board members. These meetings are held on the third Wednesday of the month. The last members’ meeting – and first meeting for this year – was held on 20 February. ECCQ members and attendees had the opportunity to engage with representatives from the Australian Red Cross, Ms Keir Daley, Community Detention Program Coordinator, and Ms Kim Locklier, Stakeholder Engagement Officer who presented on available support services for asylum seekers and migrants in Queensland. Read more about this on page nine.

Committee on Migration report, Inquiry into Migration and Multiculturalism in Australia, released 18 March 2013 also confirms that Australia’s vibrant multicultural society has helped to shaped Australia’s identity. You may access the report on the Parliament of Australia website, www. aph.gov.au. FECCA CONFERENCE The Federation of Ethnic Communities Councils of Australia (FECCA) will hold the 2013 FECCA Conference at the Gold Coast Convention & Exhibition Centre on November 7 and 8.

FECCA’s biennial conference will draw together leading decision makers, thinkers and practitioners to discuss and debate key issues that relate to Australia’s cultural and linguistic diversity. These will be explored through a series of plenary addresses, panel discussions and presentations. Please check out the back cover for the conference flyer. FECCA conferences are held every two years in capital cities alternating with regional centres. The conference in 2011 was held in Adelaide and the previous regional conference was in Shepparton, Victoria in 2009.

CENSUS DATA AND MULTICULTURALISM I want to share with you some important statistics based on the 2011 Census.

This year is ECCQ’s turn, with the Multicultural Community Council Gold Coast, to jointly host the regional conference with FECCA.

At the time of the census, 888,636 people in Queensland stated they were born overseas – this represents 20.5% of Queensland’s population. And 1,057,879 people, or 26.3% of the population, reported that both parents were born overseas. Close to 10% of the population (423,841 people) speak a language other than English at home. The main languages other than English spoken at home are Mandarin (0.9%); Cantonese (0.5%); Vietnamese (0.5 %); Italian (0.5%); and German (0.4%). The top 5 source countries for migrants are: United Kingdom (4.9%); New Zealand (4.4 %); South Africa (0.8%); India (0.7%); and the Philippines (0.7%).

KEY APPOINTMENT Nick Xynias, Honorary President and Volunteer CEO of ECCQ, was recently appointed to the newly-formed Queensland Advisory Committee for the Commemoration of the ANZAC Centenary. He was appointed by Glen Elmes, Minister for Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander and Multicultural Affairs and Minister Assisting the Premier.

The census reveals what many of us in the sector already know – diversity in Australia is a reality. The Joint Standing

This committee will advise the Queensland Government on a program of state-based commemorative activities and events around the 100 year anniversary of the landing on Gallipolli. Nick has also been appointed by the Premier to sit on the recently established Queensland Multicultural Roundtable which is chaired by Assistant Minister for Multicultural Affairs, Robert Cavallucci.

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“Australia is a vast country, which can be both inhospitable and unforgiving at times. But it is still a lucky country.” AUSTRALIA DAY I attended the Australia Day lunch on 24 January, which is held yearly at the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre. The Australia Post Australian Legends Award, which honours living individuals or groups who made a significant contribution to the Australian identity. Special stamps featuring the recipients are issued each year in conjunction with the award announcement.

The Australia Day lunch honours these Australian legends. This year, the Australian Legends of Music are: AC/ DC; Cold Chisel; INXS; John Farnham; Kylie Minogue; Men at Work; Ian ‘Molly’ Meldrum; Olivia Newton-John; Paul Kelly; and The Seekers. BUSHFIRES AND FLOODS The year began with raging bush fires in NSW, a cyclone hitting Queensland’s shore and flash flooding across South East Queensland, including in areas still recovering from the January 2011 floods.

Natural disasters cannot be controlled, but how the community rallies together to help each other every time there is a natural disaster is inspiring and amazing. We recover, with the help of others, and with the inner strength that allows us face these challenges. I recently looked at previous issues of EVOCA and realised the first issues of 2011 and 2010 also dealt with flood, bush fires, or a cyclone. FEDERAL ELECTION YEAR This is a Federal election year and ECCQ is considering hosting a forum, as one of our regular bi-monthly meetings, to examine the issues which will likely decide the election. We are looking at putting together a panel of expert commentators for what should be a most enlivening and informative evening. We will keep you posted on that.

Headlines scream at us – civil war in Syria, hostage crises in Algeria, the rebel army attacks in Mali, resulting in the intervention of France in its former colony. The world is in constant turmoil and everything seems magnified, closer to home, because news is now instant. Australia is a vast country, which can be both inhospitable and unforgiving at times. But it is still a lucky country, with a stable democracy and a peaceful and welcoming environment. Let’s continue to celebrate that and to all of you I say ‘G’day.’

OBITUARY MOHAMED TOMOUM ECCQ has expressed its sadness at the death of one of Queensland’s greatest Muslim leaders, Mohamed Tomoum, who died on February 28, 2013, aged 78. Mohamed Tomoum was born in Cairo, Egypt where he became a respected documentary film director, being commissioned by the Egyptian government to make documentaries, including one on Muslims in many different countries. Whilst working with American Express in the United State he met and married Mary Donohue who was working with the United Nations and not long later the two migrated to Australia, settling in Brisbane. They have four children: Fatima, now a general manager with Toyota in the United Arab Emirates, the first female general manager in UAE. She also holds a Masters degree in Japanese and is fluent in Arabic, Japanese, French and English; Sarah who has a degree in early education and consults in that area for the London borough of Islington; Maria, who has a degree in social science and works with RBS Morgans Stockbroking in Brisbane; and Yousef, who is a marine claims manager and shipping consultant. Mr Tomoum played a vital role in the Islamic community in Queensland. He helped establish the West End Mosque, serving on its committee of which he was also president for 19 years. He served as president of the Islamic Council of Queensland and committee member of the Australian Federation of Islamic Councils. Mr Tomoum was also instrumental in the establishment in the early 1990s of the Islamic School at Karawatha. He served as chairman for 10 years on the school council and a further five years as deputy chairman. He was also instrumental in helping establish Australia’s Halal meat certification process and, following his retirement from the Commonwealth Bank where he worked for 20 years, he worked as an Arabic interpreter for DIAC. Mr Tomoum served also on the Executive Committee of ECCQ, serving as assistant secretary from 1990 to 1992. He will be greatly missed.

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MULTICULTURAL HEALTH WORKFORCE OF TOMORROW AND WHY WE NEED IT ECCQ has designed a multicultural health worker model to ensure culturally appropriate health promotion, self-management information and service provision to culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities. By Carrie Barnett, Communications & Media Officer ECCQ’s multicultural health course is the only nationally accredited certification specifically designed to further develop and professionalise the multicultural health worker model in the health sector. ECCQ’s Certificate IV in Primary Health & Community Care (Multicultural) was launched in May 2012 in partnership with Queensland Health to address the critical gap in training health workers to deliver effective health care, disease self-management and prevention education to migrant populations. ECCQ Chronic Disease Program Manager Ella Ashley says some CALD communities are high-risk groups for chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular, diabetes and chronic pulmonary disease, and that language barriers, cultural beliefs and concepts of health – which may differ from one culture to another – need to be considered when delivering health care and information.

Saswati Basu Chatterjee, Multicultural Health Worker (Indian community) presenting at a Certificate IV course in February 2013.

Hana Alraman, ECCQ’s Living Well Multicultural Program Coordinator and a qualified medical doctor from Iraq, said the course helped her develop cultural competency. “It taught me how to work with and understand people from other cultures.” “Most people in the health field will focus only on your symptoms, but when you are knowledgeable about different cultures you can explore different behaviours that are beyond what you think is ‘normal’,” she said.

Participants at a Certificate IV course in February 2013.

Multicultural health workers (MHWs) bring valuable skills and knowledge to the health sector, particularly in ensuring culturally appropriate health service provision, connecting communities and health service providers, conducting on-going need assessments and updates on CALD health and enhancing CALD communities’ social integration. ECCQ Workforce Development Manager & Course Coordinator, Hong Do, says the multicultural health course equips MHWs with the skills and knowledge needed to perform various duties in the day-to-day support of CALD communities.

From left: Saswati Basu Chatterjee, Malo V Semaia, Multicultural Health Worker (Samoan community), Hong Do, Workforce Development Manager & Course Coordinator, Grace Samuel Oryem, Multicultural Health Worker (African Communities) and Minh Tran, Multicultural Health Worker (Vietnamese community).

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“Language barriers, cultural beliefs and concepts of health – which may differ from one culture to another – need to be considered when delivering health care.” “This includes the delivery, maintenance and promotion of health care, as well as quality preventative health care services while operating within a multi-disciplinary field,” she said. “We’ve developed a number of units specifically for the course that covers areas such as the social determinants of health, dealing with loss, grief and trauma, and also a unit that looks at how to achieve equitable health outcomes specifically for people from CALD backgrounds.”

Since last May 22 participants have completed six multicultural health units and four generic units; and 36 participants are currently enrolled in the second cohort, which began in September 2012. There is high demand for the program with a waiting list for the third cohort.

The decision to launch the first multicultural health course was due to the gap in training programs for MHWs. “In 2007 the Chronic Disease Program began to recruit bi-lingual MHWs to promote healthy lifestyle choices and chronic disease self-management in CALD communities and we soon found that there was a gap in suitable training for this type of work,” she said. ECCQ Chronic Disease team and project partners from Queensland Health researched community health worker models around the world and found that its origins go as far back as 18th century Russia, where it was recorded that people went to local community health workers to access medical information and assistance. “Historically, community health worker models have been developed to alleviate the health care system and provide care for communities that may have barriers to accessing services, such as families living in rural areas and disadvantaged groups who may be at higher risk of disease,” Ella said. “And people tend to go to a person in their community whom they can trust for health related information and we’ve found that the MHW model is the best way to get positive health outcomes in CALD communities.” Health literacy, the ability to make informed decisions about health care and treatment, is influenced by a person’s ethnicity, education and age. In Australia,

Malo V Semaia presenting at a Certificate IV course in February 2013.

about 60% of the mainstream population have low health literacy. In CALD and elderly populations this percentage is much higher in the 74% - 83% range. “Poor health literacy results in poor health outcomes and a greater burden on the health budget. Culturally targeted health education goes a long way towards alleviating this problem,” Ella said. The course delivery method is highly flexible with a mix of face-to-face engagement with industry leaders and professionals and online learning. “The background of participants are greatly varied which enhances the face-to-face learning experience,” said Hong. “So far participants are Queenslanders who have settled here from 17 different countries – that’s fantastic when you think about how many communities will benefit from a MHW model here in Queensland and across Australia. This could revolutionise the way we think about health care.” www.eccq.com.au/health/chronic-disease

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ECCQ STAFF SPOTLIGHT: GRACE SAMUEL ORYEM Grace is a multicultural health and community development officer for Queenslander’s of South Sudanese background. By Mai Hashizume, an ECCQ media intern, who recently graduated with a degree in journalism from Griffith University Grace Samuel Oryem’s passion for helping people is her life’s work. As a multicultural health and community development officer at ECCQ, Grace’s role is to educate the South Sudanese community on the Australian health system and to encourage them to follow a healthy lifestyle.

“South Sudanese have a strong communal spirit, we support each other in times of happiness and sorrow.”

Grace has been working with ECCQ’s Chronic Disease Program for four years helping Queenslanders of South Sudanese background, including refugees, to understand the seriousness of chronic disease. Many lack awareness of the consequences of poor diet, obesity, lack of exercise, dangers of junk food and of the many programs available to people to address those issues.

It was challenging to balance studies, family, community and work. Alongside her degree studies she was also doing Certificate IV in Public Health and Community Care (Multicultural), the certified qualification pioneered by ECCQ.

Grace was born in Uganda but lived in South Sudan for most of her teenage years, but more than 20 years of civil conflict and war disrupted everything. Thousands of South Sudanese were forced to flee for their lives, including Grace, and were forced to become refugees, spending several years in refugee camps. She arrived in Queensland six years ago from Uganda under the humanitarian program and is today a fully fledged citizen with university graduate qualifications. Her husband died while she was still in Africa and she has raised her five children as a single parent. Not only that, she has raised them as single parent living in a new culture with many different systems. “Whenever faced with difficulties I always seek advice or assistance when necessary. I’m determined to accomplish my goals. My spirit has kept me moving, to learn more,” said Grace. Her strong mind and commitment led to her graduating with a Bachelor of Human Services from Queensland University of Technology in November 2012.

Fully 20 years after leaving school her educational dreams finally came true. Yet, many difficulties lay in her path to success.

“I nicknamed my study ‘suicide mission’ but I was determined to never give up until I completed my degree,” said Grace. Her children have learned from her example. Her daughter, Nacy, graduated last year from Griffith University with a degree in international business; Deborah recently graduated from Edith Co-Wan University of Perth with a degree in business administration – human resources; Patience graduated from Queensland University of Technology with a double degree in public health and nursing; and one son graduates from QUT this year with a degree in business administration – finance and her other son finishes year 12 this year. Before joining ECCQ, she worked with the Queensland Program of Assistance for Survivors of Torture and Trauma (QPASTT) as a refugee community development worker, where she helped many refugees become part of the community and access essential services. This role helped her to better understand human services and sparked her passion for helping others. Her strong determination and warm heart have helped her through the hardships of her life and she now supports other newcomers who experience difficulties in Australia. She also supports her family still living in South Sudan.

Grace was originally admitted to study at University of

Juba in Sudan, but because of the unstable political situation and constant conflict, she could not pursue her education and ambition in her country.

“South Sudanese have a strong communal spirit, we socialise and support each other in times of happiness and sorrow,” says Grace.

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HIV IS STILL HERE – DEMAND FOR ACCESSIBLE INFORMATION REMAINS HIGH ECCQ’s HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis and Sexual Health Program Manager, Ms Zhihong Gu, says that language and culture must be considered when discussing sexual health to CALD communities who often experience barriers to testing. By Carrie Barnett, Communications & Media Officer

ECCQ’s manager of its HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis and Sexual Health program, Ms Zhihong Gu, says that since 2005 there has been an increase of HIV diagnoses in Queensland among individuals born overseas.

“Understanding geographic trends and patterns of HIV is important for healthcare providers and for targeted health promotion in migrant communities from high prevalence countries.”

She says the total number of new infections remains relatively low, however.

well as facilitate support groups and distribute translated resources.

“Understanding geographic trends and patterns of HIV is important for healthcare providers and for targeted health promotion in migrant communities from high prevalence countries,” she said.

“We also encourage people to modify risk behaviours which may result in higher infection rates through a range of education and support services. This includes prevention measures, such as safe sex and where to go to get tested,” said Zhihong.

HIV is a public health issue in Australia, particularly in CALD communities who often face many barriers to accessing accurate information, testing and treatment.

ECCQ’s Sexual Health program is funded by Queensland Health in a preventative model to engage with CALD communities to improve awareness of prevention methods, the importance of accessing testing and details of treatments available through the public health system.

On the flip side the Sexual Health program also provides training for community leaders and service providers who work with CALD communities as there are certain cultural factors to be aware of when providing health care and service provision.

ECCQ, which has been delivering this program for over 18 years, ensures that education sessions, support groups, health promotion activities and translated materials are all culturally tailored.

“There are many barriers to accessing accurate information and available services – we always have to consider culture and language,” she said.

“Our program is unique in that regard and we have been fortunate to reach communities who may otherwise not be able to access these health services,” she said.

“Many communities may need to hear and read information in their own language in order to really get it – sex is taboo in many cultures and there are different words to use and ways of speaking to not cause any embarrassment.”

“And while there is a slight rise in HIV diagnoses in CALD communities we believe that is partly due to the fact that more people are now prepared to have themselves tested thanks to culturally tailored information on testing and treatment which we provide.”

ECCQ trains a team of bilingual community health workers who are well connected in their communities, including communities from high prevalence countries, making them well situated to conduct workshops, information sessions and health promotion activities as

While other high-risk groups in Australia know that the treatment for HIV is much better than it used to be due to national awareness campaigns, she says that migrant at-risk groups are often not factored into outreach strategies and cultural barriers are not considered.

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This isn’t the type of work that anyone can do: ECCQ has spent many years working in this field, navigating the complexities of engaging with ethnic communities on extremely sensitive health issues. “Due to past experiences in their home countries, some CALD communities may see testing HIV positive as a death sentence or fear being socially isolated. Other barriers to getting tested include cultural stigma, fear that they will lose their right to live in Australia if found to be positive, and even the false believe that HIV doesn’t exist in Australia,” she said. “Our work strives to break down these misconceptions.” The demand for information sessions and resources remains high each year as migration to Queensland continues to increase and HIV/AIDS remains a global social, health and economic challenge.

At ECCQ we believe that all people should have access to health information and services that are culturally appropriate, and relevant to their needs. For more information on our HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis and Sexual Health program visit www.eccq.com.au/ sexual-health.

GET THE FACTS According to UNAIDS, the global number of people living with HIV has risen from about 8 million in 1990 to 34 million at the end of 2011 and 67% of those cases are in sub-Saharan Africa, a region that fortunately has recently seen a decline in new infections. According to Queensland Health, in 2011 there were 1,137 new HIV diagnoses in Australia, which is an 8.2% increase on 2010 and the highest number since the introduction of effective antiretroviral therapy. In Queensland there were 195 new diagnoses in 2011, which is a slight decrease from 2010 (205 infections) but is still the second highest recorded figure. Overall males continue to make up the majority of HIV cases reported in Queensland and in 2011 76% of new cases reported were men who have sex with men. Survival rates in Australia for those notified with HIV since the mid 1990s are better than those notified prior to the mid 1990s and this is largely due to advances in treatment. For resources, information or training please contact Mekita Vanderheyde, Multicultural Resources, Training & Community Development Officer at, resources@eccq.com.au.

Visit www.UNAUDS.org for a complete list of high prevalence countries

Source: UNAIDS.org

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CANCER SCREENING IMPERATIVE FOR EARLY DIAGNOSIS IN CALD COMMUNITIES Funded by Queensland Health, ECCQ’s Chronic Disease program is the only program in Australia designed to promote healthy lifestyle choices and chronic disease self management in CALD communities. By Anna Voloschenko, Chronic Disease Program Project Officer Cancer is neither a modern disease nor is its existence new to modern medicine, though according to Cancer Council Australia it is now the leading cause of death in Australia - making lifestyle modification and early diagnosis imperative, particularly in CALD communities who are less likely to participate in cancer screenings. The oldest known description of human cancer is found in an Egyptian seven papyri – written between 3000 and 1500 BC and Hippocrates, the Greek physician (460 – 370 BC) considered to be the ‘father of medicine’, is the first person to record his findings on the difference between benign and malignant tumors. While it is apparent that cancer has been around for thousands of years and is not solely a man-made phenomenon, our modern-day diets, habits and exposure to pollutants have exacerbated the disease leading to nearly 90% of cancer cases being attributed to environmental factors. The World Health Organisation (WHO) states that a third of cancer deaths could be prevented by means of controlling tobacco and alcohol use, sun protection and eating a healthy diet. Being overweight and physically inactive are the most modifiable causes of many cancers, particularly for breast cancer in post-menopausal women and colorectal cancer (bowel cancer). Cancer screening tests can detect early signs of cancer even before symptoms develop (e.g. breast cancer and cervical cancer). These tests can also prevent some cancers from developing through prevention procedures and lifestyle modification (e.g. breast, bowel and cervical cancer). Many people who are treated for cancer now live for a long time, which has led to the WHO classifying cancer as a chronic disease in 2010. Research performed by the Cancer Screening Services Unit of Queensland Health in 2010 found that while the Commonwealth Government funds cancer screening tests throughout Australia, people from CALD backgrounds are an at-risk group who are less likely to

participate in regular cancer screenings and are therefore most likely to be unscreened or under-screened. The benefits of cancer screening therefore may have a reduced impact on morbidity and mortality among CALD communities. As a result of these findings, ECCQ’s Chronic Disease program partnered with the Cancer Screening Services of Queensland Health in 2010 to develop a cancer screening education module and trialed it with seven CALD communities. The results of these trials showed that: • the pilot cancer screening education module succeeded in increasing knowledge and positively changing attitudes to participation in cancer screening

• the pilot cancer screening module fitted well to the existing ECCQ ‘Living Well’ program. Participants acknowledged and agreed that it is important to take part in screening programs that are available in Queensland • the pilot cancer screening module provided an opportunity for participants to learn about cancer and offered opportunities to learn about reducing the risk of developing cancer • for participants whose literacy was low, culturally tailored sessions provided an opportunity to listen, ask question and clarify myths about cancer in a safe and culturally appropriate environment • participants appreciated getting information on the availability of screening services, where to find them and what steps to take to participate in screening • participants want the cancer screening module to continue to be delivered as a part of ECCQ’s ‘Living Well’ program so friends and community members can also attend

Funding for ECCQ’s Chronic Disease program, including the Living Well program finishes on 30 June 2013. Visit www.eccq.com.au/health/chronic-disease

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AUSTRALIA’S COMMUNITY DETENTION PROGRAM While detention facilities leave much to be desired for individuals and families seeking asylum in Australia, the current expanded community detention program provides much needed services to asylum seekers, including bridging visas, which allow them to live in the Australian community. By Danielle McKeen, ECCQ Policy & Research Officer

A recent essay in The Monthly by Robert Manne, professor of Politics at Melbourne’s La Trobe University, described Australia’s refugee policy as a ‘tragedy of errors’. One does not have to delve too deeply into Australia’s political and legislative developments over the past two decades to see why this is not an unreasonable conclusion. Mandatory, sometimes indefinite detention, the towing back of maritime vessels, temporary protection visas and the expulsion of desperate people to developing Pacific nations have featured heavily across asylum policy and law in recent years.

Agnes Whiten speaking at the Members’ Meeting on 20 February.

However, a glimmer of humanity emerged in October 2010 when former Minister for Immigration Chris Bowen announced that a selected number of asylum seekers, including children and their families, in detention facilities would be granted bridging visas to enable them to live within the Australian community. The move was welcomed by refugee advocates and rights groups as a positive step towards a policy that reflected not only international human rights standards, but work to curb the proven cycle of mental health issues suffered by detainees. The Refugee Council of Australia emphasised that while the development was important, there must be a provision of services to support asylum seekers to avoid non-government organisations and charities from ‘carrying the burden’. The government expanded the community detention program, which had been introduced in 2005 under the category ‘residence determination’, to deliver support and services to asylum seekers living in the community, rather than detention. The Australian Red Cross was delegated as the lead agency to deliver the program. At the recent ECCQ Members’ Meeting the Australian Red Cross’s, Community Detention Program Coordinator, Keir Daley and Stakeholder Engagement Officer, Kim Locklier delivered a presentation on how this program is implemented.

From left: Danielle McKeen, Agnes Whiten, Kim Locklier, Australian Red Cross Stakeholder Engagement Officer and Keir Daley, Australian Red Cross Community Detention Program Coordinator at the Members’ Meeting on 20 February.

The presentation on support services for asylum seekers and migrants was well received with active participation from audience members keen to understand what support is available for asylum seekers in Queensland. The community detention program provides eligible clients, who are referred by the Department of Immigration & Citizenship (DIAC) with accommodation support, a basic living allowance equivalent to 70% of Centrelink’s special benefit, access to vital services such as healthcare and education, and minors are also provided with 24-hour care. The program has been shown to improve the mental and physical wellbeing of asylum seekers, and encourage social inclusion. Australian Human Rights Commission President Catherine Branson QC has praised the program, claiming it demonstrates the “practical and viable alternatives to holding people in immigration detention facilities for long periods of time.” >>

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“Asylum seekers on bridging visas are 45 times less likely to commit a crime than members of the general public.” However, the future of the community detention program is uncertain. The recommendations of the August 2012 Houston Report have led to the re-adoption of offshore processing, meaning that boat arrivals are bounced back to regional detention facilities. A recent incident in which a community detention client allegedly sexually assaulted a female student has led to calls from the Federal Opposition to establish ‘behavioural protocols’ and monitoring requirements for asylum seekers in the community. However, Melbourne newspaper The Age has reported that asylum seekers on bridging visas are 45 times less likely to commit a crime than members of the general public; out of 12,100 people released since November 2011 “less than five” have been charged with a crime. According to the most recent DIAC statistics, as of 31 December 2012 there were 7,237 people detained in immigration facilities, including 1,983 children. With a federal election set for September there is little doubt that asylum seekers will feature in public debate. Veteran political journalist Michelle Grattan has noted that both Prime Minster Julia Gillard and Opposition Leader Tony Abbott will be ‘betting on Australia’s xenophobia’ to gather votes come September. As bleak as this may be the work of the Australian Red Cross and other organisations committed to the humane treatment of vulnerable people will speak volumes of the wider Australian community’s compassion and respect for the human rights of asylum seekers – however, they arrive. Funded through Multicultural Affairs Queensland, Department of Communities our policy work focuses on strengthening multiculturalism and increasing the responsiveness of Queensland’s systems and services so they meet the needs of culturally and linguistically diverse communities. Visit www.eccq.com.au/eccq-policy to view policy priorities, submissions and fact sheets.

WHAT’S WORKING? Tips for practitioners when working with CALD background clients By Gail Slocombe, ECCQ Child Protection Officer

In November 2012, ECCQ’s Child Protection Policy intern, Vanessa Crowther, a recent graduate from Griffith University’s School of Social Work, published a research study that explored what successful workers were doing differently when they worked with CALD background clients. In order to gather evidence regarding the most effective ways workers can engage with CALD background clients, Vanessa undertook 39 interviews with workers who work directly with CALD communities in settlement services and refugee and migrant support organisations across South East Queensland. In total, she recorded 244 tips from workers on how to engage with and help clients from CALD backgrounds and arranged them into 21 themes. However the most vital finding from this study is the importance of ‘relationship building’ with clients and with other workers. Here is a snapshot of tips from the top five categories: Tips to help with being clear in your communication include: • Understand the impact of language barriers and how this can disadvantage people in their daily lives • Always listen first when going into a new situation Tips on knowledge giving and receiving include: • Management need to have understanding of the organisation’s client base and their true needs • Develop knowledge on your client’s culture and community prior to engagement Tiips on relevance of the worker’s own background include: • Understand that your personal experience and background can help with client work • Gain experience of different cultures e.g. travel and friendships Tips on concentrating on the needs of clients include: • Give ownership and control for the intervention to your client • Remember that clients are experts of their own lives Tips on onnecting with other service providers include: • Build partners and networks to help with your work • Join networks and working parties and attend meetings

Visit www.eccq.com.au/child-protection to view the report in its entirety.

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ECCQ DIRECTOR PROFILE IRENE CAYAS: A LIFE OF SERVICE By Carrie Barnett, Communications & Media Officer

Irene Cayas’s involvement with Brisbane’s Greek community and her work supporting ethnic women’s clubs led to her being elected on to the Executive Committee of ECCQ in 1998.

And in 2001 she was awarded the Multicultural Medal by Phil Reeves, MP, member for Mansfield, for services to the community and that same year she was nominated for The Courier-Mail Queensland Greats Award for her service to Queensland’s multicultural community. Irene describes herself as wife, mother, grandmother and lifelong volunteer. Her rooted dedication to family and community stems from her Greek heritage and passion for helping others. Irene came to Australia from Greece in 1954, aged six. She would have arrived sooner but in 1952 she was diagnosed with anaemia and denied entry into Australia. Her father left for Australia but her mother stayed behind with the children for two years until Irene’s health improved. “Those were the post-war years and the Greek villages did not have access to good, nutritious food,” she said. She arrived in Melbourne by boat then travelled to Sydney by train where she, her mother, and her siblings joined her father in an abandoned waterfront warehouse where they lived with five other families. “I didn’t realise how bad the conditions were at the time – there were no bathrooms and no running water. I was just in awe of my new surroundings and I had many children to play with.” Years later she defied her father by graduating high school in 1965.

“I now see young Vietnamese children translating for their parents and I think that’s what I used to do for my parents.” “My parents came to Australia for a better life and to provide a better education for their children – but only for their sons, not for their daughters. “My father wanted me to be marriageable and back then it was not the norm for Greek girls to receive an education – even in Australia. I remember my careerguidance officer telling me in grade 9 that ‘your kind would only get married and have children or work on the railway.’ But my dream was to become a teacher, so I was adamant about graduating.” After graduating high school Irene went on to work as a Greek interpreter for the Commonwealth Bank. “I really enjoyed that job because I loved talking with so many people. I learned communication and people skills and I really felt like I was helping people.” Assisting people with language barriers and supporting women’s rights and issues would become common themes in the community work she later became involved in. “I now see young Vietnamese children translating for their parents and I think that’s what I used to do for my parents.” Irene married a Greek-Egyptian man in 1966 and went on to have three children with him. “My first priority was bringing up Greek children in Australia and maintaining the positive traditions of Greek culture and religion. All my children speak Greek.”

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“Sharing food brings people together and sometimes even acts as a common language. And that’s what I love most – bridging differences, finding common ground and sharing different cultural traditions.”

MINORITIES MUST ’BREAK THE FRAMES’ FOR BALANCED MEDIA The lack of fair and balanced coverage of CALD communities in the media is not purely about numbers or the innate biases of the media, but rather the persistence of ‘framing’, a major conference in Brisbane was told.

Irene’s three children all graduated from university and went on to become an architect, an accountant and a project manager at SunCorp. And she now has seven grandchildren.

Waleed Aly, an author and lecturer in politics at Monash University and host of Big Ideas on ABC TV and Radio National’s weekday drive-time program, told the ECCQ bi-annual Multicultural Summit in October 2012 that the media shouldn’t be viewed as a tool for social harmony, as it often tells stories that some would prefer not to be told, and trying to assess media through the prism of bias misses a far more serious point.

During her time at ECCQ Irene convened the Women’s Ethnic Network (WEN) and continues to represent the needs of ethnic women on many other committees: Older People Speak Out, National Council of Women, and Queensland Council of Grandparents.

“It’s inevitable but the real heart of the problem is that media conversations come with a certain frame attached to them,” he said.

“I am also dedicated to the needs of the elderly and those isolated due to frailty and language barriers. I lead the Senior Citizens Group in Mt Gravatt’s Greek community, where I organise monthly teas, bus trips and many other activities.” Irene loves cooking Greek food and teaching others to cook traditional Greek meals. She collated, edited and translated a Greek cookbook that brings together traditional Greek and modern Greek-Australian food. “Sharing food brings people together and sometimes even acts as a common language. And that’s what I love most – bridging differences, finding common ground and sharing different cultural traditions.”

View abridged profiles of ECCQ’s Directors on our website at www.eccq.com.au/about-us

“This is the silent function of media - behind what gets said and the words that get printed. For example in the media to be Muslim in current day Australia means to be engaged in or sympathetic to terrorism, or not to be. You can be an affirmation of the stereotype or a negation of it. “They simply will not factor you into a conversation because it is not deemed to be a relevant aspect of your existence. If you are a Muslim, every story that is told about you is going to be about terrorist violence, misogyny or authoritarianism, every story, even the good ones.” What that means, he said, is that in the public vision you cannot express your full identity, or express those aspects of yourself that are not part of the predetermined paradigm. “The best thing you can do is to think about ways to break the frame.” This, he said, is a long-term process that involves achieving in areas that have nothing to do with the news cycle, building stronger and better communities and empowering communities to participate in the media, not as passive recipients but as producers. ECCQ currently provides media training for CALD communities across key areas in Queensland to enable communities to promote positive portrayals and counteract negative stereotypes by developing their media skills. This project is funded by the Department of Immigration & Citizenship. To view Summit presentations visit www.eccq.au/summit

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WORKPLACE DIVERSITY: SHIFTING PERCEPTIONS TO ATTITUDE AND WORLDVIEW By Caroline Bouten Pinto, Consulting Manager and Facilitator – Partners in Cultural Competence

Growing awareness of changing Australian demographics is rapidly influencing how organisations approach and manage workforce diversity. Managing diversity is often seen as a ‘job’ that needs doing, and, because it is often about ‘people who are different’, is often seen as a job ‘fobbed off’ to human resources or organizational development departments. This is problematic - diversity in an organisation is everyone’s business and everyone’s job.

ECCQ’s consultancy initiative, Partners in Cultural Competence (PiCC), works with organisations to develop individual and organisational capabilities to see diversity as everyday practice through cross-cultural training, diversity management solutions and consultancy services.

The notion of diversity as a ‘job’ and ‘something that needs to be done’, invariably relegates it to an ‘add on’ or ‘afterthought’ to which lip service is then paid.

Shifting how we perceive diversity in organisations helps us to frame it as a process of stepping out of our comfort zones and taking personal responsibility for what we think, feel and do in relation to others. This creates a challenge for everyone on how we engage in meaningful and respectful ways with colleagues and clients.

Diversity is not just about doing the right thing – it’s about valuing and improving the productivity of an organisation’s workforce.

It shifts diversity and inclusion from a job that needs to be done by HR to an attitude and world view that needs to be embraced by everyone.

Deloitte Australia and the Victorian Equal Opportunity & Human Rights Commission recently published the report, Waiter, is that inclusion in my soup? A new recipe to improving business performance, which showcased the benefits of diverse workplaces in improving business performance and productivity and increasing employee satisfaction.

Want to know more? Visit the PiCC website at www.picc.org.au or call ECCQ at (07) 3844 9166.

Notably, employees who felt included and their opinions valued were 80% more likely to perceive their organisation as well-performing and productive. So, how to implement organisational diversity practices? The first task is to capture the diversity in the workforce, not by simply identifying different groups of people, but by identifying whether diverse voices, perspectives and values are heard and respected. So how do we shift organisational perspectives to viewing diversity as something that requires the attention and focus of every employee to ensure all feel included and valued? Cultural competence is, in fact, an ongoing learning process.

PiCC 2013 TRAINING CULTUREWISE PRACTICE Introduces you to the latest approach in developing cultural competence. It shows you how to expand your perspective and develop your capabilities to engage in meaningful ways with others. PROVIDING CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE SERVICES Provides participants with insights, knowledge and skills to interact more effectively with a culturally diverse public. DIVERSITY LEADERSHIP Provides participants with the insights and skills to move from an awareness of diversity to engagement in creative processes that result in effective and meaningful outcomes. COMMUNICATING EFFECTIVELY ACROSS CULTURES Enables participants to communicate in meaningful ways with diverse clients and colleagues and provides insights, understanding and skills to communicate effectively with people who are non-fluent English speakers, and includes the when, why and how to engage professional interpreters. Visit www.picc.org.au to view the training calendar or contact Hedy Nicolson, PiCC Coordinator for info at hedyn@eccq.com.au These one-day workshops cost $75 + GST per person

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ECCQ POLICY PRIORITY AREAS FOR 2013 ECCQ’s policy team lays out our policy framework centered around ‘productive diversity’ and highlights some key issues affecting CALD communities in Queensland. By Fiona Caniglia, Senior Policy Officer and Danielle McKeen, Policy & Research Officer

It has been a challenging twelve months for action in terms of multicultural policy given the significant political shifts through change of government and a focus on reducing government debt. ECCQ has maintained consistent messaging in our policy priorities and revamped our policy framework to better stress ‘productive diversity’ in a structure that encourages partnerships leading to greater economic participation by CALD communities. Productive diversity is a win-win for Queensland: it supports the needs of Australian businesses in a global trading environment and takes advantage of Australia’s often under-utilised multicultural workforce. Furthermore, economic participation is well documented as the basis of positive social wellbeing by enabling individuals to support themselves in health, housing and family. CALD communities’ access to housing and employment are two key areas in which ECCQ is actively researching barriers to full participation. The following are highlights from ECCQ’s broader policy priority statement – which can be accessed at www.eccq.com.au/policy. SAFE SECURE HOUSING Through primary research into the housing needs of new and emerging communities in Queensland, ECCQ found that 80% of respondents had difficulty finding a place to live and 62% had difficulties with affordability. Over 70% relied on the private rental market and few knew their rights or responsibilities as tenants. Recent data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics on homelessness shows an increase in homelessness with the most significant increase seen in severe overcrowding and “about three quarters of the increase in the homelessness estimate was accounted for by people who were born overseas.” It is essential that Queensland commit to the National Partnership Agreement on Homelessness where States work with the Federal Government to achieve adequate

“Productive diversity is a win-win for Queensland: it supports the needs of Australian businesses in a global trading environment and takes advantage of Australia’s often under-utilised multicultural workforce.” funding for social housing and associated support services. And a fully funded Tenant Advice & Advocacy Service will assist more CALD households to stay in private rental housing and reduce demand for social housing. Some households are particularly vulnerable and require wrap-around support services to sustain tenancies thus reducing homelessness and improving the stability of people’s lives. For example, place-based planning taking into account cultural issues is needed in Logan, particularly in the context of restructuring and redeveloping public housing sites. These households have very high needs and a culturally responsive approach is essential. EMPLOYMENT Employment is a critical factor in successful settlement. In 2006 when unemployment was 4.7% in Queensland, people from language groups most in touch with support services experienced 12.1% unemployment. And if you speak English not well or not at all, median income is less than 50% of the wider community, which is below the poverty level. ECCQ has identified key strategies for addressing unemployment in CALD communities. Location-specific initiatives are vital to integrate housing, support and employment. ‘Hot spot’ locations can be identified where employment demand exists, employees are ready and where wider programs ensure support for individuals to maintain that employment. This integrated approach must include specialist casemanagement support and brokerage programs to

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“To position Queensland for the future we need to improve how we utilise the skills and experiences of our growing CALD population.” prepare people for employment and help them keep their jobs. This could include mentoring programs matching industry and business leaders with CALD communities and the capacity to broker entry-level employment preparation qualifications. To position Queensland for the future we need to improve how we utilise the skills and experiences of our growing CALD population across the state and ECCQ’s policy work on this is offered to government for consideration as overall policies are drafted. Multicultural policies – targeted approaches advocated by ECCQ – are most effective under the umbrella of a cohesive multicultural policy framework. So, for example, we continue to work across political and public service levels on issues such as the Language Services Policy, culturally competent service delivery and continued support for such programs as Community Action for a Multicultural Society (CAMS) and Local Area Multicultural Partnerships (LAMP). This is where a whole-ofgovernment Multicultural Action Plan and departmental Multicultural Action Plans are needed. What’s also needed, of course, is better data collection so policy around CALD issues can be more effective and better targeted, analysed and then used to monitor and evaluate policy implementation.

RECENT SUBMISSIONS ECCQ’s recently lodged submissions are, with all our other submissions, available at www.eccq.com.au/publications. Recent submissions were: • Electoral Reform – the Queensland Qovernment’s review of the Electoral Review Act 1992 • Mental Health Commission Bill in which we support the development of the Queensland Mental Health Commission to drive reform and move towards an integrated, evidence-based, recovery-oriented mental health and substance misuse system.

SNAPSHOT OF MINISTERIAL MEETINGS In order to keep all Members of Parliament aware of the policy work which ECCQ undertakes with the various levels of governments on behalf of ECCQ’s constituency, Queensland’s large culturally and linguistically diverse population, ECCQ recently emailed and mailed to all MPs copies of our most recent policy priority statements. We also offered to meet with MPs to talk through these policies and to explain the processes ECCQ uses in its robust policy development under the guidance of Senior Policy Officer, Fiona Caniglia. These meetings are also important engagement opportunities for MPs to relay to ECCQ any issues they may have in their own electorates and their own views on policy developments we are promoting to the Newman Government. A number of MPs have responded, thanking us for sending them the statements and congratulating us on our work. A number of MPs have also taken us up on our offer to meet with them. In the past month our policy team has met with: • • •

Mark Stewart, LNP member for Sunnybank Dr Alex Douglas, Independent MP for Gaven Saxon Rice LNP member for Mt Coot-tha and Assistant Minister for Technical & Further Education.

We have a number of meetings with other MPs now also lined up over the coming month.

We work directly with people from established and new migrant and refugee communities, and the organisations that support them. It is important that we understand the unique needs of these groups, and can identify issues as soon as they emerge. Vitally, our policy program is improving the legislation, policies, practices, resource allocation and attitudes that affect the well-being of culturally and linguistically diverse communities across the whole of Queensland. For more info on our policy work, visit www.eccq.com.au/policy.

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MULTICULTURALISM IN QUEENSLAND THE DEBATE STARTS Sparked by the introduction of the Multicultural Recognition Bill by Leader of the Opposition Anastasia Palaszczuk, as a private members’ bill, the first full discussion around multiculturalism in the life of the Newman Government took place. The Hansard report of the second reading on 6 March provides some insight into the attitudes, in particular, of those Members of Parliament sitting on the government benches. The Bill was, unsurprisingly, voted down with 10 in favour and 71 opposed, mainly on party lines. However, three independents voted in favour: Carl Judge, whose seat is Yeerongpilly, Peter Wellington, whose seat is Nicklin and Dr Alex Douglas whose electorate is Gaven. This debate was constructive and we look forward to continued engagement with government to bring forward multicultural policy which is tangible, articulated and designed to deliver optimal benefits to Queensland while addressing issues important to CALD communities. The debate is worth retrieving from Hansard on the Queensland Parliament website and an expanded list of extracts from speeches made in parliament is available on the ECCQ website, but to whet your appetite here are some extracts of comments made: GLEN ELMES, MINISTER FOR ABORIGINAL & TORRES STRAIT AND MULTICULTURAL AFFAIRS: “The bill in its current form simply could not effectively achieve any real outcomes for Queensland’s multicultural community... Any legislation we will be putting through in terms of multicultural affairs will be clearly thought through and we will go about it in the proper way...we have a stand-alone department that has never happened before...what we talked about is policy – and that is what the LNP will do. It will have a policy and that policy will be enacted.” ROBERT CAVALLUCCI, ASSISTANT MINISTER FOR MULTICULTURAL AFFAIRS: “Never before have our diverse communities received

this level of engagement from senior government members. Never before have they had this level of access... ensuring meaningful employment, coping with the cost of living, having equal access to quality education, health, transport and other front-line services which are all being different to their former homelands forms the basis of ongoing initiatives and represents key platforms and policy work of the Newman government... Also present are the issues of the wider Queensland community about the inherent desire to guard their national identity or new arrivals’ varying willingness to share theirs. This is the essence of the biggest obstacle to wider acceptance of multiculturalism...” IAN BERRY, IPSWICH: “I do not support the bill...though I fully and unequivocally support multiculturalism...this bill...is feel-good legislation. It does not create any rights...When we say that we recognise a certain part of society are we saying that we need a special policy for 11% of the population and we just simply abandon the other 89%?” IAN KAYE, GREENSLOPES: “...some new arrivals to our state also need assistance and support to prosper. But I do not believe that this bill will provide that...” DAVID KEMPTON, ASSISTANT MINISTER FOR ABORIGINAL & TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER AFFAIRS: “I thought we were already doing a great job of welcoming migrants from all over the world to our accommodating and generous society...if anyone, including a public servant, does not comply with the bill guess what happens? Absolutely nothing! ...no rights will be created... This is insulting...” MICHAEL LATTER, WATERFORD: “...there are some, particularly new arrivals and refugees, who need more support to find jobs, learn English and become a part of our community... I also support the Minister’s call for a new multicultural policy...and not waste time and resources on ineffectual legislation.”

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And then from one of the independents: DR ALEX DOUGLAS, GAVEN: “Too many government members have been too quick to condemn this bill...it is not a quality piece of legislation….but maybe it is a start. The proposed legislation seems to be innocuous enough and practical for ensuring that state government departments have some reference to the fact that there are people culturally a little different tom our own...too many government members have expressed sentiments tonight that in summary would say they are rednecks and they like it that way...Government speakers seem to be opposed to some kind of strategy for dealing with new Australians….there was a dearth of other ideas put forward. It was very much, we are Australians, this is us, like it or lump it, we are not going to change...” View an expanded list of extracts from speeches made in parliament at ww.eccq.com.au/news

MANY STORIES, ONE AUSTRALIA MEDIA FORUMS In partnership with the University of Queensland, Queensland University of Technology, Griffith University and the AntiDiscrimination Council Queensland, ECCQ hosted the Many Stories, One Australia Media Forums during Harmony Day in Rockhampton, Townsville, Cairns and Brisbane to discuss the need for more diverse voices and stories in the media. The regional forums were attended by over 90 people, from many different communities ranging from Indigenous elders to those who are more established in Queensland such as Chinese and Indonesian communities to new and emerging communities such as the Bhutanese, Hazara and Congolese. There was a wide representation of migrant and refugee support organisations and media professionals. The Brisbane Media Forum was attended by over 50 people, including community leaders and media professionals. The panel was facilitated by Angela Romano from QUT and featured Cathie Schnitzerling, Head of News at Channel Ten, Ursula Skjonnemand, former ABC Journalist and Newsroom Coordinator at Citizen J, and 4EB radio broadcasters Manju Jehu from the Indian community and Erwin Cabucos from the Filipino community. ECCQ also launched a free media toolkit for CALD communities. The forums were part of ECCQ’s Multicultural Media Training project funded by Department of Immigration and Citizenship through the Diversity and Social Cohesion Program. To get the media kit email mediatraining@eccq.com.au

ECCQ MEMBERSHIP By becoming an ECCQ member you will be contributing to, and strengthening the voice of culturally and linguistically diverse communities across Queensland. Through individual and association membership, ECCQ can better represent the needs and interests of Queensland’s many communities, and influence positive change across all levels of government. As an ECCQ member you will not only be helping your local community, but you will also be receiving some great benefits BUILDING A STRONGER MULTICULTURAL COMMUNITY • You will become an integral part of a diverse and robust network of individuals, groups and associations who support a multicultural society. • You will have voting rights to select who represents you on the governing body. • You will have the chance to contribute to ECCQ’s work in developing policy, undertaking advocacy and preparing submissions. KEEPING INFORMED • You will be regularly updated on how your support of ECCQ is helping the community, and of the key priorities identified by ECCQ for action. • You will receive our quarterly EVOCA newsletter, fortnightly e-bulletin, media releases and other critical sector information as it develops. • You will be kept up-to-date on community and sector news, events, training, resources and information. ACCESSING SERVICES AND SUPPORT • You will have access to ECCQ’s resources, services and support on a day-to-day basis. PROMOTING YOUR WORK • You will be able to promote relevant news, resources and events free through our fortnightly e-bulletin and website GETTING INVOLVED • You will receive invitations to a range of interesting ECCQ events throughout the year. • You will be invited to attend monthly members’ meetings, which feature interesting guest speakers, updates from ECCQ’s Executive Manager and Board of Directors, and opportunities to meet other members. Join ECCQ by becoming a member today! Download the individual or association membership form at www.eccq. com.au/about-us/membership If you have any further questions about becoming a member, please contact Group Manager – Human Resources, Chris Dougherty on 3844 9166 or email administration@ eccq.com.au.

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