Contents · Web viewCommunities prefer to receive information via word of mouth (family and friends). Communities are also reliant on community organisations, community leaders and

Language and CommunicationsFrameworkDeveloped May 2015

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Contents1. Introduction.................................................................................................................................3

2. Strategic Context........................................................................................................................33. Communication Objectives.........................................................................................................5

3.1. Aims.....................................................................................................................................53.2. Objectives............................................................................................................................5

4. City of Greater Dandenong’s Multicultural Community..............................................................64.1. Snap Shot............................................................................................................................6

4.2. Established CALD Communities.........................................................................................94.3. New and Emerging CALD Communities.............................................................................9

5. Current Communications Audit.................................................................................................106. Considerations in the Delivery of Language Services..............................................................12

7. The Framework.........................................................................................................................14

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1. IntroductionCommunicating with Greater Dandenong residents has become increasingly complex due to increases in new and emerging communities and over half of people within the City speaking a language other than English. With these arrivals have come new languages and varying degrees of fluency in spoken English and literacy. Low levels of literacy are also noted in Australian women, the unemployed, early school leavers and residents over the age of 55 years.

New technologies have brought new communication tools and platforms for disseminating information and an awareness that communication with culturally and linguistically diverse communities is more extensive than interpreting and translation. This rethinking around communication strategies includes community engagement, face to face meetings, visual and audio media, simple English and story boards or images to convey messages.

Language services include all forms of communication, both written and oral. Services include interpreters (face-to-face, telephone or videoconferencing), language aides (volunteers and multilingual staff), visual and audio media, engagement and partnerships through conversations, ethnic media, community leaders and various distribution channels.

As community wellbeing and participation are predicated on engaged, informed and supported communities, it is timely to develop a consistent approach to Council’s language services and multicultural communication.

Council has developed a Language and Communications Policy to convey the importance of communicating and engaging with all Greater Dandenong residents.

This Framework outlines the policy’s application across Council and within the community. The Framework summarises how strategies can best be developed for engaging, consulting and informing all residents of diverse ability, culture and language.

2. Strategic ContextThe Language and Communications Framework achieves objectives outlined within the following Council plans and strategies.

City of Greater Dandenong - Imagine 2030: Community Plan

The 18 month Imagine 2030 Project aimed to find out what people have in common, what opinions and aspirations they share about the future, and what topics people might work on together. It laid the groundwork for integrating Council's own four-year strategic Council Plan 2009-13 with the Community Plan, and the review processes thereafter.

This Framework outlines a significant theme regarding Cultural Diversity and outcome of Community of Diversity.

Greater Dandenong will be a model multicultural community - a leading example of how to work with the challenges which migrant and indigenous communities face.

Our community will be considered the leading example of one that has successfully blended the benefits of migration and multicultural backgrounds with community life and the local economy.

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City of Greater Dandenong Council Plan 2013-2017

The Council Plan 2013-17 outlines those actions that Council can take to contribute toward the vision identified in the Imagine 2030 Community Plan.

The Council Plan identifies the development and implementation of a Cultural Diversity Strategy and Disability Action Plan as key actions to develop and foster an inclusive and engaged community. The Council Plan also prioritises access and equity to all of council’s services (priority 2.1) and the promotion of civic pride and participation (priority 2.2). EnvironmentallyAsylum Seeker and Refugee Communities Action Plan 2014-17

The Asylum Seeker and Refugee Communities Action Plan supports asylum seekers and refugees within the Greater Dandenong community as a collaborative and community based approach. This Action Plan addresses critical issues impacting asylum seekers and refugees in our community including literacy and English language skills.

Refugee and Asylum Seeker StatementThe Refugee and Asylum Seeker Statement sets out the commitment of Council made to the asylum seeker and refugee community since June 2014.

As such Council is committed to promoting social inclusion, equity and community participation in all Council services whilst actively providing opportunities for refugee and asylum seeker communities to participate in community life. Council is also committed to increasing knowledge about asylum seekers and refugees within the wider community and celebrating the contribution of refugees and asylum seekers.

Refugee Welcome ZoneThe City of Greater Dandenong has been a Refugee Welcome Zone since 2002. The Zone is a local government area that has made a commitment to welcome refugees into the community, uphold the human rights of refugees, demonstrate compassion and enhance cultural and religions diversity in the community. This initiative is being promoted by the Refugee Council of Australia.

Greater Dandenong is the most diverse community in Victoria and has a long and proud history of welcoming new and emerging communities, including migrants arriving through humanitarian programs. Our cultural diversity and range of support services makes Greater Dandenong one of the most desirable areas for settlement.

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3. Communication Objectives3.1. AimsThe overall aim of this Framework is to build and maintain a high level of communication and engagement with our communities so that:

Members of our community are well informed about Council services, initiatives, events, facilities and programs

The community is aware of the communication channels available to them to receive and initiate communications with Council (including online, print, face-to-face, interpreter services, ethnic radio)

Council staff are aware of and understand the tools available to ensure they can adequately communicate with our communities

The community retains a positive image of Council and of each other

The community can access services with confidence and understanding of what is available

Through improved communication, an inclusive environment for diverse communities across the City is enhanced.

3.2. Objectives1. To provide language services that complement the City of Greater Dandenong’s demographic profile,

and remain an effective tool in assisting residents to access Council services.

2. To promote and celebrate the contributions of our community and the benefits of diversity.

3. To raise awareness amongst staff and professionals of language services and the range of interpreting and translating tools.

4. To deliver high-quality, relevant and targeted communications to established and new and emerging diverse communities with the agencies that provide services to these communities.

5. To deliver timely and regular communications through media channels on Council news and events.

6. To raise awareness of Council’s language services among ethnic community leaders.

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4. City of Greater Dandenong’s Multicultural Community

4.1. Snap ShotAccording to the 2011 Census, almost two thirds of City of Greater Dandenong residents were born overseas and 55 per cent are from non-English speaking countries.

The City of Greater Dandenong is the most culturally diverse locality in Victoria, and the second most diverse in Australia, with residents from over 150 different birthplaces. Major birthplaces include Vietnam, Cambodia, Sri Lanka, India, China, Italy, Greece, Bosnia, Afghanistan, New Zealand and Britain.

The number of Greater Dandenong residents born overseas rose 13,700, or nearly a fifth, in the five years to 2011, including increases of over 6,000 Indian-born residents, nearly 2,000 Sri Lankans, 1,100 Vietnamese and 900 Afghans. During the same period, the number of residents from Sudan halved to 800, accompanied by declines in the number of residents from the United Kingdom, Croatia, Greece and Italy.

Country of Birth Number of Residents Per cent of total population (of 135,605)

Vietnam 12,460 9.2%India 10,626 7.8%Sri Lanka 6,137 4.5%Cambodia 5,773 4.3%China 3,539 2.6%United Kingdom 2,927 2.2%New Zealand 2,534 1.9%Italy 2,196 1.6%Bosnia 2,001 1.5%Greece 1,891 1.4%Philippines 1,654 1.22%Croatia 1,126 0.83%Macedonia 1,091 0.80%Turkey 965 0.71%Poland 917 0.68%Thailand 906 0.67%South Eastern 847 0.62%Malaysia 778 0.57%Fiji 662 0.49%

98

98

97

97

97

96

96

96

95

95

94

89

88

84

81

81

81

72

70

68

54

50

45

40

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

Russian

Sinhalese

Turkish

Italian

Greek

Macedonian

Albanian

English

Spanish

Vietnamese

Cantonese

Tamil

Arabic

Swahili

Persian

Hindi

Khmer

Nuer

Dinka

Urdu

Pashto

Amharic

Dari

Hazaraghi

Per cent of Residents who are Literate in the Language they Speak at Home

Lang

uage

Spok

en at

Hom

e

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Table 1: Number of Residents in Greater Dandenong by Country of BirthSpoken and Written Language in Greater Dandenong

Nearly two-thirds (64%) of Greater Dandenong residents speak languages other than English – the largest proportion in Victoria (31%: metropolitan Melbourne).

Spoken languages include Vietnamese, Khmer, Chinese, Greek, Punjabi and Sinhalese.

14,857

6,154

4,722

3,888

3,813

3,480

3,447

3,054

2,853

2,645

2,207

1,841

1,792

1,760

1,735

0 2000 4000 6000 8000 10000 12000 14000 16000

Vietnamese

Khmer

Cantonese

Punjabi

Greek

Sinhalese

Mandarin

Arabic

Italian

Serbian

Tamil

Dari

Hindi

Turkish

Albanian

Number of Residents

5,548

2,364

1,730

1,301

778

719

700

582

576

0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000

Vietnamese

Khmer

Cantonese

Mandarin

Greek

Serbian

Dari

Italian

Arabic

Number of Residents with Limited English Fluency

One in seven residents - accounting for 19,000 people or 14% of the population - has limited fluency in spoken English – four times the metropolitan level of 4%.

Among residents who speak languages other than English at home, 39% had limited English fluency, including 50% of women and 30% of men.

Substantial numbers of residents who speak Vietnamese, Khmer and Chinese languages have limited English fluency (accompanying diagram).

Estimates based upon the findings of the 2011 Census coupled with documented levels of literacy in a variety of nations, indicate that the rate of literacy among residents of Greater Dandenong, in their spoken languages, may vary widely - from most speakers of Russian, Sinhalese, Turkish, Italian, Greek and others, to fewer than half of those who speak Amharic, Dari and Hazaraghi in their homes (illustration at right).

These figures are estimates only, based upon the limited information available.

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The table following indicates the top 10 nationalities by bithplace in their use of spoken English fluency by birthplace.

Table 2: Top 10 nationalities limited in English Fluency

Limited English fluency Birthplace 2011

Number of Residents with limited English

fluency

Number of entire Community

Per cent of Migrants with limited English

fluencyVietnamese 5,549 12,460 44.5%Khmer 2,366 5,773 41%Cantonese 1,731 3,539 48.9%Mandarin 1,302 3,539 36.8%Greek 781 1,891 41.3%Serbian 719Dari 698Italian 583 2,196 26.5%Arabic 575Persian 502

Main points about spoken language and literacy in Greater Dandenong

Nearly two-thirds (64 per cent) of the residents of Greater Dandenong speak languages other than English, the largest proportion in Victoria (31 per cent: metropolitan Melbourne).

Vietnamese, Khmer, Chinese, Greek, Punjabi and Sinhalese are among the most widely-spoken languages.

Substantial numbers of residents who speak Vietnamese, Khmer and Chinese languages have limited English fluency.

The fastest growing communities in the City of Greater Dandenong are the Afghani, Indian, Sri Lankan, Pakistani and Vietnamese communities.

In 2012-13, 2,240 recently-arrived migrants settled in Greater Dandenong – the highest number in Victoria.

A third of the newly arrived residents (numbering 720) are humanitarian immigrants, largely from Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Iran and Pakistan.

Estimates based upon the findings of the 2011 Census and levels of literacy in a variety of nations indicate rates of literacy, among residents in their spoken languages, varies widely.

Estimates based on the commonwealth adult literacy and life skills survey indicate that more than one in four residents (26 per cent) of Greater Dandenong has limited English literacy.

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4.2. Established CALD Communities

In general, the term ‘established’ refers to those migrant communities who have resided in Australia for many years (10+ years). The largest established communities within Greater Dandenong are: Vietnamese, Cambodian, Greek, Italian, Indian, Sri Lankan and British.

For many, their long residence in Australia has afforded them the opportunity to acquaint themselves with Australian culture, secure employment, build homes and families, familiarise themselves with Council and other community services, and develop supportive networks within their own communities. Even so, many have not become proficient in the use of spoken or written English, while others revert to their first language as they age.

Nearly a third of the overseas-born residents of Greater Dandenong arrived in Australia over 25 years ago and are now largely senior citizens or approaching retirement age, many becoming clients of Council’s Community Care Unit.

Their gradually dwindling numbers are matched by growth in new and emerging CALD communities, who have settled in Australia as humanitarian entrants, under family reunion provisions or as refugees.

4.3. New and Emerging CALD Communities

New and emerging communities are often defined as groups of migrants who have resided in Australia for less than five years.

In the five years to 2011, the number of Greater Dandenong residents who spoke a language other than English at home increased by 14,000 or 20 per cent. The largest changes in the spoken languages of the population in Greater Dandenong during this period were among those speaking:

Punjabi (+3,490 persons) Vietnamese (+1,800 persons) Sinhalese (+1,750 persons) Khmer (+994 persons)

Depending upon their visa class, many newly-arrived migrants are eligible for settlement assistance delivered by the Department of Social Services which includes English language training and casework.

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5. Current Communications AuditIn order to understand the multicultural communications required to effectively engage with CALD communities, an audit and evaluation of existing methods was undertaken. This ascertained what tools and systems work well and what can be improved. Current communications tools used within Council to disseminate information to CALD communities include:

How To Book A Telephone Or Onsite Interpreter

This instructional guide is found on Webstar explaining how to book an interpreter.

Council Style Guide

The Guide favours plain English and a needs based approach to translations which is consistent with Victorian Government standards.

Advertising Signs Guide 2013

The guide provides for signs in English and a translation to another language.

Contact Panel

The contact panel below features on all Council publications, website and correspondence. The contact panel includes the National Interpreter symbol with a corresponding telephone number for the National Translating/Interpreting Service.

Important Message GraphicThe graphic below explains how to seek assistance in 10 languages, based on the top 10 languages other than English spoken in Greater Dandenong.

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Victorian Interpreting/Translating Services (VITS) and National Translating/Interpreting Service (TIS)

TIS is the main interpreter service provider used by Council and is a free service offered to councils for core services such as rates, garbage collection and planning permits. Some programs/departments are funded to use specific interpreting services such as VITS, which may be a capped service according to the funding agreement. Services which receive funding agreement include Aged and Disability, Maternal and Child Health and Family Support. VITS can also be engaged as a back-up service to TIS as a fee paying service.

Multilingual Webpage

The most frequently accessed Council information is available online. These fact sheets are translated into the top nine languages spoken by communities with limited English fluency/literacy.

Staff Induction

Compulsory induction for all new staff on language services and guides.

Translation on request

Letters to Council by residents in other languages are routinely translated by a professional provider to enable a Council response to be provided.

Staff and Volunteers

Multilingual staff, fluent in one or more languages, might voluntarily assist with Council's informal interpreting and translating. In the Community Care Department a dedicated position provides interpreting for clients who are receiving specific services.

Multilingual volunteers assist with a range of informal interpreting and translation needs to support the delivery of some Council services.

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6. Considerations in the Delivery of Language Services

Research, discussion and benchmarking with other local governments have led to the following key points:

1. Sustained growth of CALD communities in the City of Greater Dandenong demonstrates the need for a consistent approach to communications and language services.

The fastest growing communities in the City of Greater Dandenong are the Afghani, Indian, Sri Lankan, Pakistani and Vietnamese communities. 64 per cent of our residents speak another language and English not well or not at all, showing the need for a tailored and consistent approach to engage with residents.

2. Greater promotion to residents of Council’s language services is essential in creating knowledge awareness of and ultimately increased access to Council services.

3. The size of a community does not always equate to need.

Although, established CALD communities may be the largest in size, they may have a reasonable level of English fluency and literacy. Factors such as recency in arrival, unemployment, age and socio-economic status can impact on English fluency and literacy. These groups may have higher need for language services due to their limited understanding of the English language.

4. New and emerging communities tend to have a preference for communications that include forums, face to face and receiving information through community leaders and migrant service providers.

5. Effectively communicating with different communities often requires a multi-faceted approach utilising traditional media, ethnic media and social networks.

6. Family and social networks within CALD communities play a central role in the information-dissemination process.

7. Application of the full breadth of language services including interpreter services, in-house interpreters, translations, language aides, bilingual staff and plain English. Guidelines on these services are required to effectively meet the needs of Greater Dandenong’s communities.

8. There is a need to tailor multicultural communication approaches and messages depending on whether the audiences are established communities or new and emerging communities.

New and emerging communities have different needs to established communities and require services and programs aligned accordingly. Established communities, especially larger communities, often have well established communication networks and channels.

Due to low-level English literacy skills amongst some established and new and emerging communities, there is a strong reliance upon family members and social contacts for information on council services and for informal interpreting assistance.

9. Minimal uptake of translated material on Council website, by CALD residents, indicates a need to improve promotion and awareness.

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For the year 2014, there were 1,202 unique visitors to Council’s online translated material. This compares to the millions of unique visitors to the Greater Dandenong site during the same period. In one month alone, popular pages receive 20,000 visits. The reason for this low uptake of translated material is likely to do with a preference for accessing government information via networks and being unable to search websites with limited English. Council will continue to promote and include online translated material, however will also provide communications through other more effective channels.

10. Social media is an important avenue of communication for young people

Facebook is a very popular medium for migrant youth to receive news and information. Communication updates made through these social media channels are concise and simple, which is highly suitable for residents who may be technology-savvy but have low English proficiency.

11. Criteria are required to determine the use of translations.

Any compliance, statutory and/or legal documents should be in English only.

Other materials should be considered against the following criteria: Priority given to Council services Importance to community and level of impact Level of interest and demand by the community Level of engagement according to Council’s Community Engagement Policy and Framework.

12. CALD communities receive government information through various channels and connection points1. Online materials are hard to source for people with limited English literacy.

Communities prefer to receive information via word of mouth (family and friends). Communities are also reliant on community organisations, community leaders and ethnic media, particularly newspapers and radio. New and emerging communities rely heavily on word of mouth, guest speakers at community meetings, social networks, migrant resource centres, neighbourhood houses and English language courses.

13. Community engagement is a key source of communication with CALD communities. Development of a language response should be planned for each project in accordance with the Community Engagement Policy and Framework.

The level of engagement needs to be defined in consideration of the risk and impact of the service, project or activity. Some communities and stakeholders will require more in-depth engagement or face to face communication than others. The type and level of communication will need to be planned in accordance with the Community Engagement Policy and Framework.

1 Community Languages Online 2007 – Current Practice And Future Directions Of Multilingual Information On Victorian Government Websites – Department for Victorian Communities, Vicnet

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7. Action Plan

1. Develop language profiles of Greater Dandenong communities

a) Develop a profile of the top languages for new and established communities to guide language service provision.

b) Establish a central coordination point for language services within Council to monitor the provision of language services, implement best practice, support staff and continuously improve language services.

c) Establish a language services register to monitor issues and effectiveness in regards to interpretation and translation.

d) Investigate the use of online translation tools.

e) Implement criteria to guide translation and publication summaries.

f) Develop brochures/cards in the identified top community languages outlining relevant services, activities and facilities for distribution at key locations.

2. Celebrate the richness of Greater Dandenong’s diverse communities

a) Ensure all Council publications are inclusive and provide for varying levels of fluency in English literacy.

3. Promote effective multicultural communications and language services to all stakeholders.

a) Develop and promote language services guidelines outlining the various communication formats and tools.

b) Investigate a language aides program for volunteers and staff working closely with CALD communities.

c) Develop a language services toolkit for Council staff and volunteers to include:

Guidelines for using language aides, accessing telephone or onsite interpreter, obtaining a translation, effective communication formats and channels including ethnic and social media

Tips on multi/intercultural communication.

d) Communicate in plain and simple English in accordance with Council’s Style Guide.

e) Investigate ways to reduce language barriers for people living with a disability, older residents, early school leavers, women and the unemployed.

4. Deliver relevant and targeted communications.

a) Develop relationships and provide regular communications to community leaders, service providers, ethnic media and relevant partners.

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b) Develop periodic, tailored e-communications on relevant Council news and events for established and new communities, people living with a disability, older residents, early school leavers, women and the unemployed.

c) Ensure relevant consultations, in accordance with Council’s Community Engagement Policy and Framework, are inclusive of all.

d) Measure and evaluate awareness, satisfaction and feedback of Council’s Language Services and multicultural communications with key stakeholders.