Supported by funding from the Australian Government - Department of Immigration and Citizenship under the Settlement Grants Program funding program

Facilitator nameOrganisation name

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Volunteering in Australia

• Introduction to [Organisation]• Why we exist• What we do• What our volunteers do• How you can get involved in volunteering with us

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Cultural Awareness for Volunteering in Australia: Workshop Outline

• Volunteering in Australia• What is volunteering?• The benefits of volunteering

• Cultural Awareness• Understanding culture and cultural adaptation• Working with Australians: Finding the 3rd Culture

• How to Volunteer• Volunteering Opportunities• Becoming a Volunteer

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What is “Volunteering”?

Volunteering is seen in different ways and is called by

different names, but ‘helping the community’ is a universal

value in all cultures.

People all over the world offer their help to others free of

charge. They do this for friends (informally) and through

organisations (formally).

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What is “Volunteering”?

• Formal volunteering is an activity which usually takes place through organisations and is done

• To benefit the community and the volunteer

• Of the volunteer’s own free will

• For no financial payment

• In designated volunteer positions only

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Who Volunteers in Australia?

• Over 6 million Australians are volunteers, helping organisations in;• Emergency services• Welfare• Environment and conservation• Teaching• Fundraising• Managing and administration

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The Benefits of Volunteering:Why do people volunteer?

• Helping their community

• Personal satisfaction

• Making friends and having fun

• Gaining skills and work experience

• Putting values and beliefs into practice

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What are some other benefits of volunteering for new & emerging community members to Australia?

• Increase your understanding of the services available to your community

• Help your community and society

• Increase your understanding of and adjustment to Australian society

• Improve your English skills

• Increased acceptance and belonging

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Why does [our organisation] want newcomers to Australia to volunteer?

• New perspectives and ideas

• New skills

• Languages

• Understanding different communities

• Contacts in new communities

• A wider pool of volunteers and future staff

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Why does [our organisation] want new people to Australia to volunteer?[Our Organisations’] Values

• [Our Organisation’s] Values• Insert, eg. Service to the community• Insert, e.g Respect for all people• Insert, e.g Inclusion of all people

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The importance of values

• Your values are important to you and others

• They define what you believe

• They guide how you behave and how you expect others

to behave

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All Cultures Share Core Human Values

• Respect for human dignity

• Respect for basic rights

• Good citizenship

• The Golden Rule: Do unto others…

These values are expressed and upheld in culturally different ways.

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Linking personal and organisational values through volunteering

• Choosing the ‘right’ organisation for you to volunteer with

is important

• Learning about the values of an organisation is an

important first step

• A successful volunteering experience =• Matching your values with those of an organisation and • Helping the organisation fulfill its mission

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Cultural Diversity in Australia:Group Profile

• Group Profile

• Your name

• Your country of birth

• Your parents’ country or countries of birth

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High Context Low Context Cultures Cultures

Spanish

Greek Italian

Arabic English

Vietnamese Australian

Japanese U.S.A

Korean Swedish

Chinese German

Aboriginal Organisational

Cultures Cultures

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Cultural Diversity in Volunteering: Key Statistics* for South Australia

• 21% born in more than 200 countries: • 10% from English-speaking countries• 11% from non-English speaking countries

• Top 10 new migrant source countries: • United Kingdom, India, China, Philippines, Afghanistan,

South Africa, Korea, Malaysia, Vietnam and Iran

• Other new and emerging communities: • Sudan, Thailand, Congo, Burma, Bhutan, Iraq, Kenya,

Liberia, Zimbabwe, Burundi and Ethiopia*ABS Census 2006

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Understanding CultureGeneralising vs Stereotyping

• When we study and compare cultures we need to make general observations of the way people do things.

• But we also need to remember we are dealing with individuals, not cultures.

• It is necessary to understanding the difference between generalising and stereotyping.

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Generalising vs Stereotyping

• Australians tend to be individualistic

• Germans tend to value efficiency and formality

• U.S. Americans tend to praise personal success highly

• Australians are selfish

• Germans are uptight

• Americans are show-offs

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Understanding CultureWhat is "Culture"?

• The learned and shared behaviour of a society, its ‘common sense’.

• A society’s set of spiritual, material, intellectual and emotional features.

• “It’s the way we do things around here.”

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Understanding Culture: What’s “different” about Australian culture?

• Obsession with sport• Families don’t always live nearby or stay in close touch• Many people don’t practice a religion• Being expected to be actively involved in your childrens’

education• Strangers asking “How are you today?”• Being invited to a party and asked to “bring a plate” or told

it’s “B.Y.O.”

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Understanding "Culture"

The central question to ask about different cultural views and actions is:

“Why?”

Why do ‘they’ do things that way?

Why do ‘we’ do things this way?

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The Four Basic Elements of Intercultural Communication

Verbal Behaviour What we say and how we say it • Accent & tone

• Volume & rate • Idiom & slang

Non-Verbal Behaviour What we say without talking • Body language• Object language• Environmental language

Communication

Style

How we prefer to express ourselves • Making a point• Ways of speaking• Ways of interacting

Values and Attitudes What we believe is right • Beliefs & feelings• Ethics & standards• Prejudices

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Verbal Behaviour

Accent: “I love/can’t stand that accent!”

Tone of Voice:“Don’t take that tone with me”

Volume: “Why do they talk so loudly?”

Rates of Speech: “Australians talk so fast!”

Jargon and Slang: “Ramp up.” “Bludger”

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Verbal Behaviour

Metaphors: “Don’t beat around the bush.”

Idioms: “Pull your socks up”

Swearing: “G’day you old bastard.”

Joking: “Just kidding. Can’t you take a joke?”

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Verbal Behaviour: Australian Humour

• Making sarcastic or cynical comments about others, giving them insulting nicknames• WHY? Testing a person’s sense of self-importance

and ‘sense of humour’. A social levelling tool.• RESPONSE: Laugh it off. Return the ‘favour’

• Making fun of, mocking other’s achievements• WHY? ‘Tall poppy syndrome’ – another way of social

levelling and reducing power imbalance• RESPONSE: Accept in a spirit of joking humility.

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Verbal Behaviour: Australian Humour

• Casual and constant joking and banter or teasing humour at work.• WHY? Informality is valued. Joking is a way of being

friendly and a good way of getting things done. • RESPONSE: Don’t take offence. Don’t interpret as not

being serious about work.

• Telling ‘tall tales’ – untrue stories or facts – in a serious voice to trick the listener.• WHY? Social levelling by reducing others’ seriousness

and testing their sense of humour• RESPONSE: Laugh at the trick. “You had me there!”

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Verbal Behaviour: Australian Swearing

• Swearing ‘casually’, inserting rude words into general conversation. (More neutral tone of voice.)• WHY?Another form of informality and social levelling • RESPONSE: Don’t take it personally. Don’t interpret it as

anger or aggression

• Swearing ‘seriously’ to intentionally insult, criticise or complain. (Harsh or loud tone of voice.)• WHY? Expressing anger, disapproval, aggression. • RESPONSE: Apologise for, or verbally defend, your

actions or intentions.

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Verbal Behaviour: Organisational Culture and Etiquette Introductions and Conversation

• Direct approach to people is acceptable

• Introduction by third party valuable

• Use of first names on first meeting

• Some topics of conversation, such as politics and religion can be ‘unsafe’ but opinions are respected, and frankness valued

• Humour, including banter, is appreciated

• Language: Ask if terms, jargon, slang, idiom are confusing.

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Non-Verbal Behaviour: Australian Norms

• People normally stand about 1 meter apart

• Direct but not intense eye contact is expected

• Except for handshakes, people don’t touch each other very much. Women don’t always shake hands

• If unsure, ask about what dress standards are expected

• People only kiss friends in public and only once on the cheek.

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Communication Style: Australian Norms

• State your case directly, not indirectly

• Silence in a conversation is uncomfortable

• Use of humour and irony is common

• Impolite to interrupt someone, but turn taking in conversation takes practice

• ‘Yes’ means ‘yes’

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Communication Style: Organisational Culture and Etiquette

• Low on formality and high on informality

• First name basis very early

• Hierarchy is recognised but little deference is shown

• Titles and honorifics rarely used

• More respect for achievement than position

• Dress codes fairly relaxed – but observe others and ask if not sure

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Communication Style: Meetings

• Punctuality is highly valued. Call if running late (late = 10-15 minutes)

• Never arrive unannounced. Arrange meetings well ahead if possible.

• Meetings are time- and agenda-driven

• Some small talk at beginning is acceptable and expected, but only briefly

• People tend to get to the point quickly

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Dimensions of Cultural ValuesHigh Context Low Context Cultures Cultures

Spanish

Greek Italian

Arabic English

Vietnamese Australian

Japanese U.S.A

Korean Swedish

Chinese German

Aboriginal Organisational

Cultures Cultures

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The Dimensions of Cultural Values

• High Context Cultures• Members share and need to have a deeper, more complex

body of understood experience and assumptions as the basis of cooperation. “Who you are”

• Low Context Cultures• Members have and need less shared knowledge as basis

for cooperation. Defined roles and codes take the place of assumptions. “What you do”

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Values and Attitudes

High Context Cultures

• Collectivist• Being-oriented• Long term view• Given status• Verbal agreements• Formal

Low Context Cultures

• Individualist• Doing-oriented• Short term view• Achieved status• Written agreements• Informal

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Australian Organisations: Values and Attitudes

• Organisations value equality and fairness, but these

are not always practiced

• Informality is a sign of equality

• Structures are flatter, communication between levels

is more direct

• Groups recognise members as individuals first,

group members second

• Change is part of working life

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Australian Organisations: Values and Attitudes

• Strong focus on time efficiency and deadlines

• Planning is usually short term

• Results are more important than relationships

• Workplace relationships do not necessarily or usually

extend into personal life

• People work to live, not live to work

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Understanding Cross-Cultural Adaptation

• Immigrants: Change by choice• Own decision. Preparation. Resources. Networks.• Stronger sense of identity, self-worth, competence, security,

belonging and acceptance. Looking forward.

• Refugees: Change by chance• Others’ decision. Little or no preparation. No or very few

resources. Limited or no networks.• Weaker sense of identity, self-worth, competence, security,

belonging and acceptance. Looking backward.

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Common Intercultural Fears

• Making a fool of oneself

• Being ridiculed, offended or embarrassed

• Embarrassing or offending someone  

• Giving or getting wrong information 

• Making or forming a bad impression 

• Becoming or appearing confused

• Being excluded, rejected, lonely

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Stages of Cultural Adaptation

1: Contact/Honeymoon

2: Disintegration/Disorientation

3: Re-integration/ Irritability & Hostility

4: Autonomy/Adjustment & Integration

5: Independence/ Biculturality

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Stages of Cultural AdaptationStage 1: Contact/ Honeymoon

• Differences are interesting

• Insulated by own culture

• Perceptions of new culture screened by own culture

• Excitement, stimulation, discovery

• Curious, assured, positive

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Stages of Cultural Adaptation Stage 2: Disintegration/Disorientation

• Differences, contrasts have more impact, begin to intrude

• Loss of cultural support from home culture

• Misreading new cultural cues

• Confusion, isolation, apathy, feelings of inadequacy, loss of self-esteem

• Depression, withdrawal

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Stages of Cultural AdaptationStage 3: Reintegration/Irritability and Hostility

• Differences are rejected• Anger, rage, nervousness, anxiety, frustration• Suspicion, rejection, exclusion, opinionated• Rejection of the new culture• Pre-occupation with likes and dislikes• Self-assertive• Growing self-esteem

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Stages of Cultural AdaptationStage 4: Autonomy/Adjustment & Integration

• Differences and similarities are recognised

• Self-assured, confident, relaxed, warm

• Can negotiate most new situations

• Assured of ability to deal with new experiences

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Stages of Cultural AdaptationStage 5: Independence/Biculturality

• Differences and similarities valued, accepted, important

• Trust, humour, love, full expression

• Capable of choice, creating meaning for situations

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The Intensity of the Cultural Adaptation Experience Increases when…

• Cultures & languages are very different

• We are immersed in the new culture

• We feel isolated from our own culture

• We have little intercultural experience

• Our expectations are not met

• We are visibly different from majority

• We have lost status, power and control

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Cultural Adaptation: Summary

• Most people experience similar feelings and stages of disorientation in a new culture

• Can result in a range of issues, emotions and behaviours

• Adaptation happens at different speeds for different people

• Involvement in volunteering can help people adjust to the new culture

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Cross-Cultural Bridge Building: Learning How to Communicate and Work As Equals

• In Australia, we will always come into contact with people from many different cultures, with• Different perspectives• Different experiences• Different ways of doing things

• The key to living and working as equals is to communicate across the invisible gaps between cultures and understand the values that are shared.

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Bridging Intercultural Gaps: The Iceberg Metaphor

Visible: Words & Actions

Invisible:

Values & Attitudes A B

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Bridging Intercultural Gaps: The Iceberg Metaphor

• Culture A: Visible• Little eye contact• Low volume speech

• Invisible: Values • Respect• Politeness

• Interpretation of B• Aggressive & Rude

• Culture B: Visible• Direct eye contact• High volume speech

• Invisible: Values • Equality• Directness

• Interpretation of A• Evasive & Weak

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Bridging Intercultural Gaps: Building the Bridge

• Talk about and explain your feelings and reactions to observed words and actions

• Ask about the other’s feelings and reactions to your words and actions

• Explore and agree on ways of communicating that are mutually acceptable

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Key Factors for Bridging Intercultural Gaps

• Understand your own cultural values, assumptions and expectations• Why do we behave the way we do?

• Learn about those of other cultures • Why do they behave the way they do?

• Discover ways to work as equals• Discuss and explain key differences• Find the ‘Third Culture’

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Cross-Cultural Bridge Building Finding the Third Culture

1 2

3

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Cross-Cultural Bridge Building: Finding the Third Culture

When people from differing cultures meet and talk about their preferred ways of communicating and working, they build a bridge of understanding between them that enables them to work together as equals in a ‘third culture’

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Cultural Awareness in Volunteering: Close

“Differences do not necessarily mean barriers; they can become bridges to understanding and the enrichment of our lives.” Robert Moran, Managing Cultural Differences, 1991

In [Our Organisation] we welcome and celebrate our differences as we work together to help our community.

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How to Become a Volunteer in [Our Organisation]

• Volunteering opportunities• List

• What is expected of you• Commitment etc

• What you can expected of us• Training• Support etc

• How to apply• How to apply

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[Our Organisation Logo]

• [Our Organisation] welcomes you…