Key Signs Your Service Might Lack Cultural Responsiveness
- Clients disengage early or don’t return after an initial contact
- Staff feel unsure about how to approach culturally sensitive issues
- Your materials are all in English and formal legal language
- You don’t collect cultural background data in your intake
6 ways to improve cultural inclusivity and cultural safety in your advocacy service:
- Co-Design with Diverse Communities
Invite community leaders and clients from diverse backgrounds to help shape your materials, access pathways, and messaging.
- Build Cultural Competence into Training
Provide regular training on unconscious bias, cross cultural communication, and inclusive language.
- Offer Multiple Access Points
Use phone, video, in person, and community outreach methods to meet clients where they are.
- Translate and Adapt Materials
Provide key documents in community languages, and offer Easy Read and audio versions.
Don’t forget to test them with the intended audience.
- Recruit Diverse Staff and Advisors
Representation matters. Aim for a team and governance body that reflect your service area.
- Collect and Review Demographic Data
Use intake forms to track language spoken, country of origin, and cultural identity. Analyse trends to spot potential access barriers.
Auditing Cultural Inclusion: What to Prepare
- Training records on cultural safety
- Examples of co-designed or translated resources
- Service user feedback on cultural safety
- Policies addressing discrimination and inclusion
