ETHNO-CULTURAL COMMUNICATIONS: GETTING HEARD AND BELIEVED! (G044)

Complete List > Ethno-cultural Communications

WHY SHOULD YOU ATTEND?

Take a look around you: Canada is changing fast! The 2001 census confirmed what many of us could already sense and see:

• 18% of our population is foreign born, the highest proportion in 70 years;
• The number of ethnic groups now living in Canada has increased to more than 200; and
• About 80% of new immigrants to Canada came from Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and South and Central America.

Canada is in every sense a dynamic and vibrant multicultural society. The benefits resulting from our changing society are considerable, yet so are the challenges. In particular, communications professionals will need to re-think and re-shape traditional approaches to communications. Many of our tried and tested communications practices will have to be transformed to meet the needs of fast growing, culturally diverse communities. And, among the many barriers that communicators will need to manage and/or resolve, language will be the least of them!

WHAT WILL YOU LEARN?

Ethno-Cultural Communications: Getting Heard and Believed! has been designed to help communications practitioners understand and appreciate the multi-dimensional links between culture and communications and how to design, adapt and deliver effective and efficient communications to a wide-range of diverse ethno-cultural communities. Getting heard is important but being believed is essential for today's communications practitioner.

This workshop will provide participants with:

• Information that clearly defines the linkages between culture and communications and how common cultural differences can affect the impact of federal government communications and planned interventions with ethno-cultural communities;
• Processes to rethink and, if necessary, modify current assumptions about ethno-culutral communications;
• Practical strategies, approaches and tools to communicate more effectively with ethno-cultural communities; and
• How to employ a range of non-traditional communication approaches to reach diverse ethno-cultural audiences.

WHAT WILL YOU TAKE AWAY?

• Workbook
• Exercises and handouts

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT COMPETENCIES

• Values and Ethics: Serving through integrity and respect
• Engagement: Working effectively with people, organizations and partners
• http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/tal/kcl/ekl-eng.asp

Agenda
8:45 - 9:15	Introductions and Workshop Overview Course participants will provide a brief overview of their respective roles and responsibilities and expectations for the workshop The instructor will outline the course program
9:15 - 9:45	Introduction to the Concept of Culture and Cultural Communications Key concepts, including culture and ethno-cultural, will be defined and discussed Participants will assess the changing face of Canada and the implications that these changes are having on the communications function Exercise: Quiz - Participants will take part in a short exercise on cultural differences
9:45 - 10:30	The Impact of Culture on Communications The distinct and interconnected relationship of culture and communications will be explored Participants will investigate topics related to cultural perceptions of reality and messaging in low- and high-context cultures
10:30 - 10:45	Break
10:45 - 11:45	The Effect of Common Cultural Differences on Communications Participants will learn how common cultural differences affect how we communicate, perceive information and respond to external messaging
11:45 - 12:30	Practical Exercise Session Participants will take part in a case study exercise on the implementation of culturally proactive but sensitive communications
12:30 - 13:15	Lunch
13:15 - 14:15	Strategic and Tactical Communications Approaches to Culturally Diverse Communities Participants will discuss and learn about a range of practical strategies to communicate more effectively with ethno-cultural audiences Discussions will focus on what communicators must do to meet the communication requirements of culturally diverse communities
14:15 - 14:45	Message and Product Adaption, Translation and Validation Participants will learn how to culturally adapt, translate and validate communications products to meet the needs of culturally diverse communities
14:45 - 15:00	Break
15:00 - 15:45	Practical Exercise Session Participants will continue work on the case study exercise
15:45 - 16:15	Wrap-up and Evaluation Participants will complete a short evaluation