2002 Melbourne projects
| James Beckford Saunders |
Meeting the Needs of People Affected by Mental Illness from Non-English Speaking Backgrounds (NESB). |
| Caroline Bilney |
Radio Australia - A Market in India? |
| Natalie Bucknell | Qenos: Connecting to Asia. |
| Dolone Chakravarti, Kelly O'Dwyer, & Scott Widmer |
Working in Asia-Understanding Cultural Differences. |
| Dominic Golding | Tales from the Viet Youth Underground. |
| Charles Helman | Comparative study of overseas Asian students experiences in a selection of western countries. |
| David Holdcroft | A collaborative approach to illegal drug use in Jakarta and Melbourne. |
| Joseph Ibrahim | The treatment of Asian patients in Western Health. |
| Kurt Mullane & Jacyl Shaw |
What's Out There? A scan of services available to support international students from the Asian region at the University of Melbourne |
| Tim Sullivan & Norman Wong |
Increasing the Mutual Benefits of Visits by Chinese Delegations to Victoria |
| Dorjee Sun | Australian business education: Opening up the International markets. |
| Peter Styles | Mentoring of international students. |
| Eng Kiat Tan |
Reinventing the Australian Institute of International Affairs. |
| Tracy Whiriskey |
Review of the Japanese Services Unit. |
| Gerry Zammit |
Indo-Chinese Cultural Awareness and Policing: Darebin Case Study |
James Beckford Saunders
Project: Meeting the Needs of People Affected by Mental Illness from Non-English Speaking Backgrounds (NESB)
The key objective of James' project was to determine the gaps in services provided by the Mental Illness Fellowship (MI Fellowship) for people with a mental illness, their friends and families from non-English speaking backgrounds (NESB). The project was also aimed at providing a strategy as to how these gaps could be filled. The project conducted by James involved an audit of the usage of services by people affected by mental illness from NESB. Within the audit the satisfaction of services by the client group was assessed. James was able to identify a number of gaps in the delivery of services to NESB clients including internal and external cultural issues such as language and cultural sensitivities.
In the future James will be helping to develop the MI Fellowship's Access and Equity Plan with the aim of incorporating cross-cultural dimensions into the organisation, ensuring people from NESB have adequate access to the Fellowship's programs and services.
For more information regarding this project please contact:
James Beckford Saunders
email: JBeckfordSaunders@mifellowship.org
Caroline Bilney
Project: Radio Australia - A Market in India?
A decade ago there was a huge SW market in India for Radio Australia, as cricket fans tuned into matches broadcast on the station. Currently the station does not broadcast into India in any form but there remains a large amount of good will towards Radio Australia.
The purpose of Caroline's project was to scope the networks of media organisations and educational institutions in India willing to help distribute Radio Australia material, incorporating resources from Asialink, the Department of Foreign Affairs and other sources.
Through assistance from the Australia India Council, Caroline was able to approach the State Educational Radio (IGNOU) station in India about a possible agreement for reception and broadcasting of programs.
Caroline hopes that in the future Radio Australia will be rebroadcast via satellite on IGNOU for two hours a day right across India, and will be able to access downlinks to large University radio stations in four major urban areas thus securing a large audience for material about Australia and Australia's engagement with Asia, the Pacific and the world.
For more information regarding this project please contact:
Caroline Bilney
email: Bilney.caroline@abc.net.au
Natalie Bucknell
Project: Qenos: Connecting to Asia.
The project will establish a list of employees or position descriptions at Qenos that have an Asia-related component. Subsequently design and conduct a survey targeted at that group to determine some of the barriers to effective interactions. A series of recommendations will be produced to enhance the outcomes of interaction.
For more information regarding this project please contact:
Natalie Bucknell
Process Control Engineer.
Qenos.
Freehills ( Dolone Chakravarti, Kelly O'Dwyer, Scott Widmer)
Project: Working in Asia - Understanding Cultural Differences
As Freehills continues to develop its legal services in Asia, the ability to operate in a cross-cultural environment has become an important skill for its lawyers to have. Based in part on their individual experiences in Asia, Australia-Asia New Leaders Program participants Dolone, Kelly and Scott developed a cross-cultural training seminar for Freehills' staff.
The seminar provided a practical introduction to cross-cultural understanding using Fons Trompenaars' theory of cultural attributes. The project also made use of Dolone, Kelly and Scott's own real-life experiences in Asia and the experiences of a Freehills Australian partner who was based in Indonesia for four years, to highlight issues relating to understanding cultural differences.
Dolone, Kelly and Scott have successfully integrated cross-cultural training into Freehills' formal in-house professional development and learning program and hope that the project will develop into country specific training in the future.
For more information regarding this project please contact:
Dolone Chakravarti
Solicitor, Freehills
email: dolone_chakravarti@freehills.com.au
Dominic Golding
Project: Tales from the Viet Youth Underground.
This project will result a collection of short stories and graphics written and drawn by young Vietnamese Australians and distributed to communities and local libraries.
The planned publication will tackle contemporary issues by young Vietnamese.
The publication will be developed through workshops conducted involving small groups of senior high school students of Vietnamese background with two Vietnamese writers.
The workshops will encourage participants to actively describe their ideas and beliefs about being Vietnamese- Australians Throughout the workshops we will cover design layouts, content, themes, and graphics for the magazine.
The workshops will proceed from the 1st of June to the 5th of July 2002. After school hours at the Sydney Myer Asialink Centre.
For more information regarding this project please contact:
Dominic Golding
Contact not available.
Charles Helman
Project: Comparative study of overseas Asian students experiences in a selection of western countries.
This project will examine past experiences of asian students in countries other than Australia and draw comparisons with their documented Australian experience.
The project anticipates that the research will provide further insight into best practice in dealing with international students.
For more information regarding this project please contact:
Charles Helman
Contact not available.
David Holdcroft
Project: A collaborative approach to illegal drug use in Jakarta and Melbourne.
Undertake an audit of existing treatment /prevention strategies, incl. areas of existing cooperation and benefits/issues associated with these. Identify common areas of need, and possible areas of inter agency involvement.This will be documented in a bi-lingual report of approx 3000 words or equivalent with accompanying powerpoint or other appropriate presentation.
For more information regarding this project please contact:
David Holdcroft
Social Policy Officer.
Jesuit Social Services (Melbourne).
Joseph Ibrahim
Project: The treatment of Asian patients at Western Health.
This project will work with the patient complaints officer, other relevant hospital officers and patients with Asian backgrounds at Western Health to determine:
- The proportion of complaints from Asian patients.
- The mechanism for managing the complaints.
- The type and nature of complaints.
- Awareness of cultural issues by hospital staff regarding the management of complaints for Asian clients.
- Awareness of cultural needs of Asian people by hospital staff.
The project will result in an issues paper for the hospital.
For more information regarding this project please contact:
Joseph Ibrahim
Clinical Service Director for Aged Care.
The Williamstown Hospital, Western Health.
Kurt Mullane & Jacyl Shaw
Project: What's Out There? A scan of services available to support international students from the Asian region at the University of Melbourne
With a large number of students from Asia studying at the University of Melbourne, it should be in Asialink's strategic interest to connect these students to Asialink activities.
The key objectives of Kurt and Jacyl's project was to identify the support services available to international students from the Asian region at the University of Melbourne and the role that Asialink can play in supporting and adding value to the experiences of these students.
Project findings highlighted the multitude of support services available to international students at the University of Melbourne. Despite these services problems were identified in regards to treating students from the Asian region as a homogenous group, segregation from local students and meeting the diversity of needs identified by students at an international university.
The project was also effective in drawing attention to gaps in the services Asialink provides and the needs of international students.
Kurt and Jacyl's key recommendations included the development of closer links between Asialink, international student support providers and individual faculties.
For more information regarding this project please contact:
Kurt Mullane
email: k.mullane@asialink.unimelb.edu.au
Tim Sullivan & Norman Wong
Project: Increasing the Mutual Benefits of Visits by Chinese Delegations to Victoria
As China continues to be targeted as a major market by Australian companies, Victoria receives an increasing number of visits by Chinese delegations.
In order to better understand the objectives of Chinese business delegation visits to Victoria, Tim and Norman undertook a research project into these visits with the aim of making recommendations on how they can be of greater economic benefit to the State.
The project assessed Chinese business delegation visits by analyzing program planning, delegation expectations, management and post visit evaluation and follow-up.
Some of the recommendations arising from Tim and Norman's project were: improved visa processing arrangements to better facilitate the distribution of delegation biographical details to States, Councils and Associations; the establishment of one formal central point of contact in China to manage the communication process for informing Australian States about Chinese delegation visits; greater utilisation of Chinese speaking staff or people with an understanding of Chinese culture or Chinese/Asia business ethics in the management and coordination of delegation visits.
For more information regarding this project please contact:
Tim Sullivan
email: Tim.Sullivan@iird.vic.gov.au
Norman Wong
email: Norman.Wong@iird.vic.gov.au
Dorjee Sun
Project: Australian business education: Opening up the International markets.
This project is a comparative study of potential business education students from Malaysia and Korea.
It will explore the way Australian business and Australian business education is perceived internationally.
It will explore the ways Australian business education is marketed in those countries.
The project will make recommendations to improve the marketing of Australian Business Education courses and the services they provide.
For more information regarding this project please contact:
Dorjee Sun
CvMailServices
Peter Styles
Project: Mentoring of international students.
This project will undertake desk research and interviews to identify best practice in mentoring.
It will then investigate the implications of employing these mentoring techniques when dealing with students from an Asian background.
For more information regarding this project please contact:
Peter Styles
Project Manager.
Ericsson AsiaPacificLabs Australia.
Eng Kiat Tan
Project: Reinventing the Australian Institute of International Affairs
Eng undertook the task of reinventing the Australian Institute of International Affairs (AIIA) for his Australia-Asia New Leaders Program project.
The objectives of Eng's project included increasing the overall value proposition of the organisation, enlarging and diversifying their membership, establishing new public programs and strategic alliances, and to diversify funding sources.
Eng produced a number of recommendations in order to achieve these objectives, including the establishment of a task force committee, retiming events to fit in with working members' schedules and replenishing the pool of volunteers.
Eng will further develop this feasibility study into an action plan in the near future.
For more information regarding this project please contact:
Eng Kiat Tan
email: engkt@iprimus.com.au
Tracy Whiriskey
Project: Review of the Japanese Services Unit
Tracy Whiriskey undertook a review of the Japan Services Unit (JSU) at Allens Arthur Robinson (AAR). The project was designed to review the possibility of the JSU expanding from its Melbourne base to become a national operation following the merger of the firm in mid-2001.
The project provided AAR with insights into issues arising from cross-cultural transactions and they ways in which a national JSU could enable the Japanese skill base within the firm to assist with those challenges. The investigation and analysis undertaken as part of the project also found that there were many benefits to be gained from developing the JSU into a national structure.
For more information regarding this project please contact:
Tracy Whiriskey who is currently on secondment from AAR to Nagashima
Ohno & Tsunematsu in Tokyo.
email: tracy_whiriskey@noandt.com
Gerry Zammit
Project: Indo-Chinese Cultural Awareness & Policing: Darebin Case Study
Gerry's project aimed to change police cultural attitudes towards people of Indo-Chinese origin based on media stereotypes in the City of Darebin.
Development of the project resulted in a two way package aimed at educating police and better informing the Indo-Chinese community.
Gerry conducted a literature review of negative stereotyping of Indo-Chinese and Vietnamese Youth and focus group discussions with selected police personnel, Vietnamese project workers, local council, members of the Vietnamese community and student welfare co-ordinators living and working in Darebin.
A package incorporating a two-way strategy of cultural awareness will be further developed by Gerry based on the outcomes of his project. The possibility of applicability to other cultural groups is also being explored.
Gerry had recent discussions with the Assistant Commissioner of his region, who is interested in developing the project into a mentoring program involving 12-month assignments in his region for participants. A full report will also be submitted to Victoria Police Multi Cultural Liaison Unit regarding further development of similar strategies.
For more information regarding this project please contact:
Gerry Zammit
email: gerald.zammit@police.vic.gov.au