CrossCultural Exploration of Mediation: Collective Wisdom Presentation by Mandy Flahavin

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Cross-Cultural Exploration of Mediation
Collective WisdomPresentation by Mandy Flahavin
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Relationships Australia WA and Multicultural
Services Centre ofWestern Australia
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Definition of multiculturalism

• Multiculturalism is a public policy, which
  acknowledges, accepts and
• respects the cultural, ethnic, religious and
  linguistic diversity of
• contemporary Australia and the unique position of
  our indigenous
• people as the First Settlers. It provides the
  framework for the
• management of its consequences and the resources
  of the nation,
• in a fair and equitable manner to promote and
  safeguard the
• interests and well being of the individual and
  the society as a
• whole. This framework provides for an equitable
  mix of generic,
• ethno-specific and multicultural/lingual services
  and policies to
• enable all residents to achieve their full
  potential in terms of
• Participation and fulfilment of their rights and
  their obligations to Australia.
• By the Ethnic Communities Council of WA

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Definition of Social Inclusion

• An inclusive society must be
• based on respect for all
• human rights and
• fundamental freedoms, cultural and
• religious diversity, social justice and
• the special needs of vulnerable and
• disadvantaged groups, democratic
• participation and the rule of law.
• Definition adopted by the United Nations Social
  Development Summit in 1995.

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Systems

• Fitting people into systems is the philosophy
  that mainstreaming is based on.
• Whereas multiculturalism is about fitting systems
  to reflect peoples needs, aspirations and
  realities.

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(No Transcript)
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Partnership

• Establishment
• Governance
• Operation

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Mediation Framework

• Bilingual/bicultural mediators
• Cultural factors
• Parenting practices
• Understanding of systems and concepts

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Service model flowchart

• PERTH FRC MSCWA
• Information session counselling
• Assessment advocacy for housing
• FDR advocacy for employment
• Follow-up emergency relief program

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Mediation Services

• Information in culturally linguistically
  formats
• Assessment and screening tools using appropriate
  formats
• Domestic violence and child safety
• Inter-relationship between Cultural law and
  Australian family law
• Religious and cultural beliefs

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Conclusion

• Guiding principles
• Number of clients
• Marketing opportunities
• Where to from here

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Eric L. Hintons national soup

• The Civil Rights Movement, I have felt,
• created a vision of a national vegetable
• soup that is made possible by the
• inclusion of the rich human diversity of
• the country. Each person and each group
• contributes to the soup by providing the
• unique essence of their differentness.
• Slowly but surely, we are beginning to
• experience the wonderful smell and taste
• of a national soup that is not bland
• because of its sameness. Rather, we are
• discovering the rich quality of diversity
• that is always better in smell and taste
• than uniformity.