Immigration
Cross-Cultural Learning Now Underway
The
Colchester Immigration Partnership of CoRDA officially kicked
off their Cross-Cultural Awareness program with two half-day
workshops held at the Nova Scotia Community College on July 19th
and 20th. The programs objective is to assist
front-line service providers and employers in developing a
greater sense of cross-cultural understanding. Employees from
a wide spectrum of the Truro-Colchester business community
participated in the workshops and were led through a variety
of exercises by trained facilitators who have first-hand
knowledge of the newcomer and visible minority experience.
For these participants, it was a great way of showing that
their business/organization was looking for ways to improve
their customer service to better meet the needs of a more
diversified population.
The Cross-Cultural
Awareness workshops examined Canadian cultural norms and our
assumptions about other cultures. It addressed how Canadian
values and norms might differ with those of other cultures and
how this might impact our ability to provide services and
support to people from other cultural backgrounds. The
workshops were aimed at developing the skills needed to work
and communicate effectively in a culturally diverse
environment.
At the conclusion of
the workshops, every participant received a certificate
recognizing that they are a “diversity champion”. The Royal
Bank of Canada was also presented with a certificate of
achievement for having 10 or more staff members complete the
course. Above (see attachment), Truro Royal Bank Assistant
Manager, Angela MacMaster accepts the Royal Banks certificate
of achievement from workshop facilitator Ann Marie Beals.
For more information on the
Cross-Cultural Awareness program or to register for a
workshop, please contact Creston Rudolph at 893-8099 or
[email protected].
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