Culturally Diverse Communities
As the Victorian population continues to grow, so does the population from non-English speaking backgrounds. The latest census data has shown more than one in four or 28% of Victorians were born overseas, coming from more than 200 countries and speaking over 260 languages and dialects.
MWRRG has produced Engaging with Culturally Diverse Communities on Waste, Resource Recovery and Litter - a Kit for Educators to help councils communicate with their residents from culturally diverse backgrounds about waste, recycling and litter.
The education kit was produced in consultation with a working group of metropolitan council waste educators and culturally diverse engagement specialists. Its purpose is to assist metropolitan councils to communicate effectively and appropriately with these diverse groups so that they have a clear understanding about what can be recycled and how to do it, particularly as Victorian practices may be quite different from those in their former country.
The kit helps council waste educators to overcome language and cultural barriers with guides and resources that were developed using the practical experience and knowledge gained from previous waste education projects with culturally diverse communities.
Social research conducted prior to the development of the education kit showed that people from diverse cultural communities were committed to recycling but often lacked an understanding of how to do it correctly. With the help of this kit, council waste education programs will be able to increase their diverse communities’ understanding, and subsequently their recycling rates.
You can download the kit below, along with case studies of projects undertaken in culturally diverse communities.
Case study: Food Waste Trial with diverse communites - Whitehorse Case Study 1.1 MB
This case study examines Whitehorse Council's food waste trial and the ways that council supported diverse communities with food waste avoidance, worm farming and composting.
Case study: Keeping Kingsway Clean - Monash Case Study 1.3 MB
This case study examines Monash Council's Keeping Kingsway Clean project and measures taken to engage with traders and the community about the importance of litter, dumped rubbish and clean waterways.
Case study: Don't mess with Footscray - Maribyrnong Case Study 1.2 MB
This case study examines Maribyrong Council's 'Don't mess with Footscray' project and measures taken to prevent littering through community awareness raising and education.
Last updated: 07/08/2017