Legislative Assembly for the Australian Capital Territory
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*Estimates - QON No. E18-61 O LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY FOR THE AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY SELECT COMMITTEE ON ESTIMATES 2018-2019 Mr Andrew Wall MLA {Chair), Ms Tara Cheyne MLA (Deputy Chair), Ms Caroline Le Couteur MLA, Ms Elizabeth Lee MLA, Ms Suzanne Orr MLA ANSWER TO QUESTION ON NOTICE Elizabeth Kikkert: To ask the Minister for Multicultural Affairs Ref: CSD, Output class 2.3 Inclusion and Participation; BP3, pp. 97, 99; Budget Statements G, pp. 11-12, 17-18 In relation to: Citizenship, Participation and Cohesion - 2016-17 Actions and Outcomes from the ACT Multicultural Framework 2015-2020 1. What are the names of all the community sports engagement programs that target newly arrived communities? a. Which of these programs have a particular emphasis on women and youth? b. What measures will be taken to promote these programs? 2. How are multicultural community leaders in the ACT encouraged to disseminate information about general programs, services and community events to their respective members? Ms Stephen-Smith: The answer to the Member's question is as follows:- 1. The Community Services Directorate {CSD) does not administer community sports engagement programs but does fund the Multicultural Youth Service (MYS) to deliver a range of youth engagement programs, including sports, as well as several grant programs that support newly arrived communities to run sports engagement events. CSD through the Child, Youth and Family Support program and the Office for Multicultural Affairs funds MYS to deliver: • A weekly after school sports program during school term at Kingsford Smith School, Harrison School and Namadgi School targeting migrant and refugee students and is open to their friends and other students. Sports involved are mostly indoor soccer and basketball and both boys and girls attend; • Weekly dance classes at Kingsford Smith School; • An annual Learn to Swim course for recently arrived refugee boys and girls which concludes with a trip to the beach; • Annual community sporting events including Harmony Day football, Refugee Week football and an End-of-Year football knock tournament; and • The annual National Caneball Championships with over 30 teams from every State/Territory and overseas teams participating. MYS also sponsors community sporting events including Karen, South Sudanese and Sierra Leone sports events by providing trained referees, trophies and catering. The CSD annual Participation (Multicultural) Grant Program provides $260,000 to community groups to promote cultural diversity and social harmony. New and emerging multicultural community groups are encouraged to apply. In 2017-18 several community groups received funding for sports engagement: Celebration of African Australians ACT Inc.; Canberra Punjabi Sports and Cultural Association; and the ACT Tongan Language and Cultural School Inc. Additionally the Republic of South Sudan-Australia Community Association ACT Inc received funding for a sports engagement program through the CSD Community Support and Infrastructure Grants program specifically targeting youth. Many ACT community sporting organisations have strong representation of people from newly arrived communities within their core programs, whether this be competitions or introductory/junior programs like Aussie Hoops or Mini Roos. Through the Sport and Recreation Grants Program a range of additional targeted programs have been, and continue to be supported, across numerous sports which have recently included table tennis, basketball, football and cricket. a. As well as the MYS sports engagement, CSD provides $25,000 to community groups to celebrate ACT Youth Week. The East African Community Association of the ACT Incorporated (Youth Group) received funding to host an East African Community youth sports and games day. This inter-generational sports engagement saw over 200 youth and their families from the East African Community (Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi, Rwanda and South participate. Supported programs with a particular emphasis on women and youth include Pedal Power's "Girls on Bike" program, Night Hoops (basketball), Football United and Royal Life Saving's Partnership with ACT Playgroups to support a water safety program for children of newly arrived families. b. All CSD grant programs are promoted on the CSD website as well as in a range of e Newsletters including the fortnightly E-News, social media platforms, Ministerial Advisory Councils and Committees and community information sessions. Individual deliverers and various program partners, often a representative organisation from the CALD community, are the primary means of promoting programs given their established and specific reach to the target audience. 2. Multicultural community leaders are encouraged to use a range of mechanisms to share and disseminate information about programs, services and community events including websites, the Multicultural e News, social media platforms and face to face through community meetings and forums. Approved for circulation to the Select Committee on Estimates 2018-2019 Signature: Date: \°f \ , ) \ f By the Minister for Multicultural Affairs, Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith Page 2 of 2 *Estimates - QON No. E18-612 LEGISLATIVE A S SEMBL Y F OR T H E AUSTR A LI AN CA PIT A L T ERRITOR Y SELECT COMMITTEE ON ESTIMATES 2018-2019 Mr Andrew Wall MLA (Ch air), Ms Tara Cheyne MLA (Deputy Chair), Ms Caroline Le Couteur MLA, Ms Elizabeth Lee MLA, Ms Suzanne Orr MLA ANSWER TO QUESTION ON NOTICE Elizabeth Kikkert: To ask the Minister for Multicultural Affairs Ref: CSD, Output class 2.3 Inclusion and Participation; BP3, pp. 97, 99; Budget Statements G, pp. 11-12, 17-18 In relation to: capitalising on the benefits of cultural diversity.:.... Objective Three from the ACT Multicultural Framework 2015-2020 1. The ACT Multicultural Framework 2015-2020 committed to 'create an on line multicultural calendar and directory that incorporates the promotion of the Participation (Multicultural Grants)' in its 2015-16 action plan . a. is the on line multicultural calendar currently in full operation, and where can community members view it the calendar? b. how is thecalendar being promoted to the ACT Multicultural community? c. If the calendar is not available, are there still plans to create an on line multicultural plan? d. if thecalendar will be made available in the future, what are the reasons for its delay in operation and when should thecommunity expect to see it in operation? 2. What cultural, religious and linguistic events have been supported by the ACT Government each year for the past 3 years? 3. What programs are available specifically for youth from culturally diverse backgrounds to assist them with basic workplace training, CV drafting and interview coaching? 4. What training and mechanisms are implementedto encourage retirement villages and nursing homes to be more culturally responsive towards older people from culturally diverse backgrounds? 5. What is the current developmental status of the 'Honorary Ambassador' program and how will the program operate? a. What are the selection criteria for an Honorary Ambassador? b. How many Honorary Ambassadors will be appointed? Ms Stephen-Smith: The answer to the Member's questions are as follows:- 1. a. The Office for Multicultural Affairs is working to digitalise the Multicultural E newsletter which will incorporate an online multicultural calendar. b. The digitalised Multicultural E newsletter and calendar will be promoted through MinisterialCouncils and Committees, print media and social media platforms. c. Yes, there are still plans to make an online multicultural calendar available. d. The Office for Multicultural Affairs is working to incorporate and to make the digitalised Multicultural E newsletter and calendar available in 2019. 2. The ACT Government supports a range of cultural, religious and linguistic events each year including Diwali, Ramadan, International Mother Language Day and the National Multicultural Festival. In the past three years, funding has been provided through the Participation (Multicultural) Grants for to communities to support the ACT multicultural community to stage events. For example in 2017-18: • Mother Tongue Multilingual Poetry received funding of $1,440 to assist with the Mother Tongue Multilingual Poetry Showcase; • International Mother Language Movement (IMLM) received funding of $1,000 to assist with the Annual Language Walk; and • Mother Tongue Multilingual Poetry received funding of $500 to support the Mother Tongue Multilingual Poetry Showcase at the 2018 National Multicultural Festival. A complete list of grants recipients for the past three years can be found on the Community Service Directorate's website at: http://www.communityservices.act.gov.au/multicultural/programs/grants/participatio n multicultural grants program 3. The Community Services Directorate funds Multicultural Youth Services (MYS) to deliver services to young people from culturally diverse backgrounds, including the Multicultural Employment Service (MES) program. The MES program provides Workplace Culture and Communication training to provide learning and practice in a range of skills including: communication in the workplace; workplace culture and customer service and employee rights and responsibilities. The MES program also provides a 'Job Club' three afternoons per week which provides: • Individual assistance with job searches; • Preparation of job applications, CVs and resumes; • Job interview skills; and • Employee rights and responsibilities.