eCALD Newsletter 53: April 2020
Tēnā koutou katoa, a warm greeting to our eCALD® news readers.
After nearly four weeks of COVID-19 Level 4 lockdown, it is impressive to see how New Zealanders have responded and worked together to help reduce the spread to such low levels, and we are now moving to level 3 next week. However, even at Level 3, all service providers need to think of new ways of providing contactless or online services. For health services, the government’s advice is to provide virtual or contactless health consultations, where possible, and that health workforce who can work from home to continue to do so.
With the requirement for stricter physical distancing, the eCALD® team has moved quickly to adapt to meet the increase in demand for online and remote (virtual) learning via zoom since the lockdown. We had a surge of 749-course enrolments from our health workforce across the country between 27th March and 24th April 2020 - during the COVID-19 Level 4 lockdown period.
To accommodate the need for more online training options, eCALD® will continue to position ourselves as an online education provider offering a relevant and comprehensive range of e-learning and remote F2F formats CALD courses during and post COVID-19. Our education programme provides critical cultural understanding and practice skills training for the health workforce to work more effectively with culturally and linguistically (CALD) groups from Asian and Middle Eastern, Latin American and African (MELAA) backgrounds.
Why the need for taking up eCALD® courses?
- Ethnic groups from Asian and MELAA backgrounds are culturally and linguistically diverse, and they are the fastest-growing populations in NZ.
- Culturally competent care is central to the provision of quality, equitable and responsive services.
- Advancing cultural competency requires ongoing development of cultural awareness, knowledge, sensitivity and skills.
- Lack of understanding of the nuances of cultural differences between health practitioners and their CALD clients can result in poor patient outcomes and the under-utilisation of health and disability services.
- Decreasing physical distancing requires the use of more contactless and digital health consultation. Health practitioners and interpreters not being familiar to interact effectively over the phone and telehealth sessions can impact on the desired patient outcome.
Top tips for cultural competency
To advance cultural competency, it essential to:
- Recognise your cultural values, beliefs, practices and biases;
- Recognise cultural differences;
- Respect cultural differences;
- Reconcile cultural differences;
- Respond respectfully and appropriately; and
- Reflect on each cross-cultural encounter for continuous improvement.
Types of online course modality that could suit you
E-learning courses are ideal for learners who prefer to learn at their own pace at home or work. These courses are engaging with interactive with multi-media and are between 3- or 4-hour long.
The remote F2F training sessions are abridged versions of the e-learning courses, suitable for learners who prefer to engage with an educator via zoom. These courses are engaging and interactive with multi-media and are 1.5-hour long.
Find out more about available eCALD options:
Go to the eCALD online learning login page to create a new account or log in to existing eCALD account.
Keep well, look after yourself and your loved ones.
Ngā mihi
Sue Lim, QSM, eCALD® National Programme Director