Today, Australia is one of the most ethnically diverse countries in the world. At the time of the latest Census, over one quarter of the Australian population (26%) had been born overseas, and 46% of the population had at least one parent who was born overseas. In 2013, overseas migration made up 60% of Australia’s population growth. While it may not be possible to be aware of the cultural norms and practices of every cultural group, YRSPACE are aware that the use of body language, eye contact and titles of address may differ for service users from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. Where possible, YRSPACE always strive to familiarise ourselves with the cultural norms and practices of our service users in order to understand how these may impact on our service delivery, and allow us to demonstrate respect for that person’s beliefs, traditions and cultural identity.

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The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities requires that the nationality and cultural identity of persons with disability must be respected at all times. YRSPACE acknowledges and understands the importance of providing translation and interpreting services to service users from linguistically diverse backgrounds. YRSPACE also recognise the importance of understanding and respecting the customs, beliefs and practices of service users from diverse backgrounds, and reflecting on our own professional practice to improve cultural awareness and cultural competency.

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Although YRSPACE acknowledge that it is important and useful to build an awareness of our service users’ cultural norms and practices, we also acknowledge the importance of remembering that regardless of ethnicity, no two service users are the same. For this reason, we will always be guided by the preferences of the individual when establishing a foundation for respectful communication.