The Continued Importance of Cultural Awareness
Understanding and acknowledging the cultural identities of everyone in the community is crucial for building a cohesive society, so taking the time to reflect on this diversity can help you appreciate the unique qualities of your community.
What is Cultural Awareness?
Cultural awareness is a heavily discussed subject and seems to have many definitions for different people. For many, cultural awareness refers to the understanding and appreciation of different cultures, traditions, values, beliefs, and practices. It involves recognising and respecting the diversity of cultures and perspectives and acknowledging the impact of cultural differences on behaviour, communication and decision making. Being culturally aware is important in Australia where many people of diverse backgrounds interact and work together. Cultural awareness can help individuals and organisations build relationships, foster inclusivity and avoid misunderstandings and conflicts.
A misconception many people have about cultural awareness is that there is one right answer for all situations. Culturally aware individuals are able to adapt their behaviour and communication style to suit different situations and they are able to build relationships and work effectively with people from diverse cultures. Adapting to a situation can help to promote inclusivity, understanding and respect within your community, and it helps to avoid misunderstandings and conflicts that may arise due to cultural differences.
Cultural Awareness in Sports Clubs and Community Organisations
Applying cultural awareness in your sports clubs can relate to understanding, recognising and respecting the diverse backgrounds, beliefs, and customs of your athletes, staff members and volunteers. This can include promoting inclusivity, tolerance and understanding, and avoiding discriminatory behaviour. It can also involve providing education and resources to help everyone understand and appreciate different cultures.
You can actively build a culturally aware environment through education, exposure to different cultures and positive engagement and interaction with members. The following points aim to guide your committee if you are seeking clarity and understanding around being culturally aware and more inclusive in your club or association.
What committees can do for their members
Acknowledge and celebrate differences: Create open dialogue about cultural differences in an appropriate, culturally appropriate and restorative way. This can help to remove ‘elephants in the room’ and break barriers that have previously existed.
Educate members: Provide training and resources to educate club members about different cultures and promote understanding and tolerance.
Encourage inclusivity: Create a welcoming environment for all members, regardless of their background, and promote an inclusive culture.
Celebrate diversity: Highlight the different cultures represented in the club and celebrate their traditions and events.
Promote open communication: Encourage open and honest conversations between members to address any misunderstandings or issues related to cultural differences.
Have clear policies: Establish clear policies against discrimination and promote equality, fairness and respect for all members through your policies and in your rules and constitution.
Lead by example: Club leaders should model inclusive behaviour and demonstrate a commitment to promoting cultural awareness.
Collaborate with other organisations: Partner with local community organisations and cultural groups to promote diversity and cultural exchange. Your club could be the host of cultural events in your community, promoting conversations and positive inclusivity.
How to promote cultural awareness in your work
How CPR Group promotes cultural awareness when working with clients
CPR Group works closely with Indigenous organisations throughout Australia on a broad range of community projects. To ensure we connect meaningfully and are able to truly understand the needs of each local community in which we work, it is important that we tailor each consultation session and project to ensure cultural sensitivity.
CPR Group is continuously working to create an inclusive and culturally-aware society, within the workplace and when visiting communities. Our consultants aim to ensure that each stakeholder engagement program is tailored to take account of cultural differences. We strive to create an environment of belonging for all stakeholders.
Our approach to achieving cultural awareness in our projects involves implementing the following strategies:
Provide education: Educate clients about the importance of cultural awareness in their organisation and how to spark conversations on the topic with different types of people in their community. This garners a broader range of perspectives from the community when wanting to make changes within their community organisations.
Promote diversity and inclusivity: Encourage clients to embrace diversity that is in their community and promote an inclusive culture. We encourage this as it may lead to new volunteer and membership sign-ons and retention.
Facilitate cross-cultural communication: Provide tools and techniques for effective cross-cultural communication and conflict resolution.
Lead by example: Demonstrate cultural sensitivity and awareness in interactions with clients, their volunteers and their employees.
Provide training and workshops: Offer training and workshops on cultural awareness and diversity to employees at all levels.
Encourage feedback and self-reflection: Encourage clients to seek feedback and engage in self-reflection to continuously improve their cultural awareness.
Monitor and evaluate progress: Regularly monitor and evaluate the client's progress and effectiveness in promoting cultural awareness.
CPR Group Client Examples
CPR Group has worked with Cherbourg Wellbeing Indigenous Corporation (CWIC) since 2019, providing services through a Governance Program and Organisation Support Program. CWIC supports their community through a range of services including sport, recreation, health, social, training and employment services and support. The organisation strives to ensure truly inclusive service delivery for the Indigenous community in Cherbourg.
The South West Indigenous Network (SWIN) is another CPR Group client that strives to serve and support their community. SWIN was established in 2001 to address how sport and recreation was delivered to indigenous people in the Darling Downs and South West regions. The network of sport and recreation officers and key stakeholders was able to establish and identify long-term solutions using a collaborative regional approach. Since its inception, SWIN has provided opportunities to develop regional strategies to deliver sport and recreation, provide opportunities for education and training, identify funding opportunities, and develop partnerships to see the indigenous community prosper in sport and recreation.
Cultural awareness helps promote inclusivity, respect and understanding within our communities, workplaces, and organisations. It involves acknowledging and celebrating differences, promoting education and inclusivity, encouraging open communication, and leading by example.
CPR Group is committed to achieving cultural awareness in our projects and our workplace through tailored consultation sessions, providing education and training, promoting diversity and inclusivity, facilitating cross-cultural communication, and monitoring progress. By following these strategies, organisations can create a culturally-aware environment that promotes inclusivity, avoids misunderstandings and conflicts and fosters positive relationships with diverse communities.
