Multicultural
Advisory Committee MEETING
Notice
of Meeting
Tuesday, 4 August 2015
Friday, 24 July 2015
His
Worship The Mayor and Councillors
I
have by direction to inform you that a Multicultural
Advisory Committee Meeting will be
held at Meeting Room 2, on Tuesday,
4 August 2015 at 4:00pm for
consideration of the business available on Council's website at http://www.hurstville.nsw.gov.au/Agendas-and-Minutes.
Mr L O’Connor
Acting General Manager
BUSINESS
1. Apologies
2. Confirmation
of Minutes of Previous Meeting
3. Matters
Arising from Previous Meeting
4. Disclosures
of Interest
5 Agenda Items
6. General
Business
7. Next
meeting Tuesday 3 November 2015 at 4:00pm
Multicultural
Advisory Committee Meeting
Summary of Items
Tuesday,
4 August 2015
Previous Minutes
MINUTES:
Multicultural Advisory Committee Meeting
- 5 May 2015
Agenda Items
MAC008-15 Presentation
by St George Local Area Command (12/2125)
(Report by Multicultural and
Indigenous Development Officer, Ms J Bassam).. 2
MAC009-15 English
Classes Directory (12/2125)
(Report by Multicultural and Indigenous
Development Officer, Ms J Bassam).. 3
MAC010-15 Review of
Language Aid program (12/2125)
(Report by Multicultural and
Indigenous Development Officer, Ms J Bassam).. 4
Hurstville
City Council – Multicultural Advisory Committee Meeting Tuesday, 4 August
2015
5. Agenda
Items
MAC008-15 Presentation by St George Local Area Command
|
Report Author/s
|
Multicultural and Indigenous
Development Officer, Ms J Bassam
|
|
File
|
12/2125
|
|
Previous Reports Referenced
|
No
|
|
Community Strategic Plan Pillar
|
Social and Cultural Development
|
|
Existing Policy?
|
Yes
|
New Policy Required?
|
No
|
|
Financial Implications
|
Nil
|
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Mr M El Drehihi, a new
Multicultural Community Liaison Officer (MCLO) at St George Local Area Command,
will inform the Committee on his new role working with people from Cultural and
Linguistically Diverse backgrounds.
|
AUTHOR RECOMMENDATION
THAT the information is received and noted.
|
REPORT DETAIL
St George Local Area Command
based at Hurstville hosts two positions of Multicultural Community Liaison
Officers (MCLO). Mr M El Drehihi, a new MCLO, will introduce himself to the
Committee and alongside with his colleague Ms K Fenwick will inform the
Committee about the emerging issues that the police face including CALD
community safety issues, the challenges and look at strategies of how to
improve the relationship between the local CALD community and the police.
Hurstville
City Council – Multicultural Advisory Committee Meeting Tuesday, 4 August
2015
MAC009-15 English Classes Directory
|
Report Author/s
|
Multicultural and Indigenous
Development Officer, Ms J Bassam
|
|
File
|
12/2125
|
|
Previous Reports Referenced
|
No
|
|
Community Strategic Plan Pillar
|
Social and Cultural Development
|
|
Existing Policy?
|
Yes
|
New Policy Required?
|
No
|
|
Financial Implications
|
Within Budget
|
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Council recently produced a
Directory on English Classes available in Hurstville and in the St George area
in general. The aim of the Directory is to assist residents in accessing
classes to improve their English languages skills so they are more able to
access mainstream services and fully patriciate in the local community.
|
AUTHOR
RECOMMENDATION
THAT the Committee advise on CALD target groups that the
Directory can reach.
|
REPORT DETAIL
Council in partnership with
3Bridges Community recently produced a Directory that contains information
about English classes available in Hurstville and St George that are run by
volunteer local community centres, churches and mainstream providers. The focus
on improving the English language program is outlined in Council’s
Community Strategic Plan 2021 under Social and Cultural Pillar. The main aim of
the project is to assist Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) residents
to improve their English language skills so they can access services such as
Council, library, schools, government services and other services and
eventually gain employment.
Hurstville
City Council – Multicultural Advisory Committee Meeting Tuesday, 4 August
2015
MAC010-15 Review of Language Aid program
|
Report Author/s
|
Multicultural and Indigenous
Development Officer, Ms J Bassam
|
|
File
|
12/2125
|
|
Previous Reports Referenced
|
No
|
|
Community Strategic Plan Pillar
|
Social and Cultural Development
|
|
Existing Policy?
|
Yes
|
New Policy Required?
|
No
|
|
Financial Implications
|
Nil
|
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Council is planning to review its
Language Aid Program and part of the review is to conduct a survey at Customer
Service area capturing information about customers from Culturally and
Linguistically (CALD) backgrounds including their need for language assistance.
|
AUTHOR
RECOMMENDATION
THAT the Committee supports the review of Language Aid
Program to enhance Council’s engagement with and services provided to
customers of CALD backgrounds.
|
REPORT DETAIL
Council’s Language Aid
Program has a number of bilingual staff who provide language assistance to
customers with little or no English language skills. The Language Aide Program
aims to provide assistance in the Chinese, Arabic, Greek, Italian and
Macedonian languages.
At the moment, Program
Coordinator Ms J Bassam, is proposing to undertake a review of the Program
including conducting a survey at the Customer Service area with a focus on the
use of the Language Aide Program staff. The aim of the project is to capture
information regarding the following:
· The main language
groups receiving services
· Frequency of usage
of the Language Aide Program and Translating and Interpreting Services (TIS)
· Assessing demand
of the service
· Assessing the need
for a particular language group i.e. emerging communities
· Assessing if there
is decline of a community group in receiving services
The Survey form has been
simplified to ensure it suits the Customer Service staff and to be less time consuming
and it will be run for 8 weeks between August and October 2015.
A report with final results of
the surveys will be brought to the Committee by the end of the project.
