1. The Hume Mentoring and Service Engagement Program (MASE ) The role of the Bicultural Family Mentor in normalising newly arrived families experiences through supporting access to local community universal services and family violence services.

2. HUME MASE: Who is a “ Bicultural Family Mentor”? An acknowledged and trusted community leader bridging local service providers and children from newly arrived communities An acknowledged and trusted community leader bridging local service providers and children from newly arrived communities A bicultural facilitator sharing the language and culture of the families with whom she works A bicultural facilitator sharing the language and culture of the families with whom she works Qualified in Human Services from either or both of her country of origin and Australia. Qualified in Human Services from either or both of her country of origin and Australia. Provides complementary individual family mentoring and group support together with service providers Provides complementary individual family mentoring and group support together with service providers Provides intercultural training and support to services. Provides intercultural training and support to services.

3. Hume Bicultural Mentoring and Service Engagement Program

4. HUME MASE Program Logic Program Objective: To support families and community /universal services towards improved access to community based prevention and early intervention approaches Target Group families of preschool/and primary aged children Universal, community and secondary services, preschool services providers and schools.

5. Hume MASE Program Logic – Needs Characteristics of linked primary and secondary service systems Overwhelmed by the demands of a growing population in Hume Focus on families in crisis, with limited opportunity for early intervention and prevention and service systems. Variable understanding regarding settlement needs of newly arrived migrant children/families Families difficulties in navigating and accessing Services systems Requests from service providers seeking advice on cultural competence McDonald, M VICSEG Family Mentoring Programs: Evidence into Action paper, Centre for Community Child Health (2014)

6. Hume MASE Program Logic – Demographic Characteristics of a changing city 53,971 people live in the City of Hume were born overseas, 19% of whom arrived in Australia within the last 5 years. (ABS) 43.7% of couples with children under 8 speak a language other English at home. (Hume Best Start Action Plan 2010 – 2014) In some Hume neighbourhoods up to 80% of the community is bilingual. (Hume Best Start Action Plan 2010 – 2014) Four of the largest ranked newly arrived CALD communities in Hume are from Iraq, India, Lebanon and NZ/ Pacific Islands

7. Hume Program Logic: MASE Social Policy Drivers Early Years Framework (EYLF) and the National Framework for Protecting Children Supported Outcomes (NFCP) EYLP: “culture and the context of family as central to children’s sense of being and belonging, and to success in lifelong learning” NFCP 2 nd Action Plan: Building partnerships with community based primary and secondary services AND community activities towards stronger engagement of culturally and linguistically diverse communities Enhancing newly arrived cultural groups understanding, wellbeing and available support systems, and Modelling and supporting agencies to understand the needs and experience of newly arrived families and communities.

8. Hume MASE Program Logic: Conceptual Framework Culture, Inter-Competency and Cultural Intelligence “Culture is not static but changing … the way the family organises their life constitutes a micro culture (of the wider culture), …the implication of which (for services) is the bridging of culture and practice… It doesn’t exclude other cultures” - Ngai Fen Cheung, Plenary Session, 2014 International Confederation of Midwives “Culturally competent practice (1) values diversity, (2)supports ongoing reflective practice, and (3) manages the dynamics of difference in all aspects of services policy making, practice and partnership with our families”. - National Centre for Cultural Competence, Centre for Child & Human Development, George Town University and Belonging, Being and Becoming The Four Factor Cultural Intelligence: provides a way of “understanding and working with variability in coping with diversity and functioning in new cultural settings”. Cultural Intelligence is perceived by the authors as a means of embedding long term beneficial outcomes for individuals, groups and cultures in a state of change. - Earley, Gibson and Ang et al (2003, 2005)

9. HUME MASE: Evidenced Outputs and Outcomes of Bicultural Family Mentor Practice HUME MASE: Evidenced Outputs and Outcomes of Bicultural Family Mentor Practice Evidence measured against the Four Factor Model of Cultural Intelligence - meta cognitive CQ; i.e. consciousness of cultural awareness during cultural interaction - cognitive level CQ; i.e. knowledge of norms including how a family or authority system works - motivational CQ; i.e. capacity to direct attention in culturally diverse situations - behavioural CQ; ie capacity to be culturally flexible through verbal and non verbal action. VICSEG Family Mentoring Programs: McDonald, M, Evidence into Action paper, Centre for Community Child Health. 2014

10. Evidence: Outputs Cultural IntelligenceExamples from ‘Evidence Into Action Paper’ and Practice Output TypeDescriptorPrograms and activities provided Meta- cognitive CQ Conscious ness of cultural awareness during cross cultural interaction Families receive Information and education about early childhood services, (ECS), myths and facts about family violence services/court approaches - Individual relationships are developed during direct practice. The Family Mentor acts to promote and model trust and reassurance for families Service providers receive Opportunity to attend VICSEG staff meetings and local Partnership and Network forums fostering and modelling cross cultural interaction – includes Berry Street Family Violence as well as Intouch Multicultural Services.. Cognitive level CQ - knowledge of norms such as how a family or authority system works Families receive Support to transition to specialist services and Supported Referrals Service providers receive This often involves the MASE Family Mentor providing advice on transition issues, family functioning and customs Education regarding culturally responsive, accessible service delivery for refugee families

11. Evidence: Outputs Cultural Intelligence:Examples from ‘Evidence Into Action Paper’ and Practice Output TypeDescriptorPrograms and activities provided Motivational CQ - the capacity to direct attention in culturally diverse situations Families receive: Encouragement and assistance to: access; communicate with; and utilize Early Childhood, MCHN and School based services. Examples have included participation in co-facilitated Speech Language Groups, MCHN Groups and School activities to support improved inclusion of marginalised communities. Service providers receive: Support for professionals (e.g. maternal and child health nurses in their work with families in service and case planning and co-facilitated groups as above. Behavioural CQ - the capacity to be culturally flexible through verbal and nonverbal action Families receive:  Advocacy and modelling to support acquisition of knowledge and understanding of legal requirements to respond to issues such as family violence, child protection and school attendance. Service providers receive  Cultural competence support to facilitate culturally and linguistically responsive, accessible service delivery for families

12. Evidence: Immediate Outcomes Cultural Intelligence: Examples from ‘Evidence Into Action Paper’ and other MASE Practice Immediate Outcomes TypeDescriptorDirect Results expected Meta-cognitive CQ consciousness of cultural awareness during cross cultural interaction Families experience Increased willingness and confidence to access and utilize early childhood programs/activities/ services (and other services), e.g. negotiated and supported use of public transport, and community health services such as audiology screening. Service providers Staff in relevant services have increased knowledge and skills regarding engaging and working effectively with vulnerable families e.g., developed through complementary case work practice and groups with Bicultural Facilitators. Cognitive level CQ - knowledge of norms such as how a family or authority system works Families receive Supported referrals, and in situ education towards transitioning to specialist services, e.g. with in groups jointly run with universal service providers. Service providers receive VICSEG – Centre for Excellence in Child and Family Welfare have partnered to provide cultural competence training to agencies and education to enable culturally responsive, accessible service delivery for families

13. Evidence: Immediate Outcomes Cultural Intelligence: Examples from ‘Evidence Into Action Paper’ and other MASE Practice Immediate Outcomes TypeDescriptorDirect Results expected Motivational CQ - capacity to direct attention in culturally diverse situations Families receive: Encouragement and assistance to support: access; communicate with; and utilize Early Childhood, MCHN and School based Services. Examples have include participation in co-facilitated Speech Language Groups, MCHN Groups and School activities to support improved inclusion of marginalised communities. Service providers receive: Support for professionals (e.g. maternal and child health nurses in their work with families in service and case planning and co-facilitated groups as above. Behavioural CQ - the capacity to be culturally flexible through verbal and nonverbal action Families receive: Advocacy and modelling to support acquisition of knowledge and understanding of legal requirements to respond to issues such as family violence, child protection and school attendance. Service providers receive Tailored advice to support culturally and linguistically responsive, accessible service

14. Evidence: Medium Term Outputs Cultural Intelligence: Examples from ‘Evidence Into Action Paper’ and MASE Practice Medium Outcomes TypeDescriptor  Results expected in the medium-term Meta-cognitive CQ consciousness of cultural awareness during cross cultural interaction Children experience Increased exposure to early childhood activities and primary health programs and services, e.g. supported participation in specialist Speech Language Groups, and universal Playgroups and Kindergartens Families experience Increased willingness and confidence to access and utilize early childhood programs/activities/ services (and other services Service providers experience Staff in relevant services have increased awareness of cultures and communities to begin engaging and working effectively with families

15. Evidence: Medium Term Outputs Cultural Intelligence: Examples from ‘Evidence Into Action Paper’ and MASE Practice Medium Outcomes TypeDescriptorResults expected in the medium-term Cognitive level CQ - knowledge of norms such as how a family or authority system works Families receive Supported Referrals to full range of services including housing, family violence, community based and universal and family support services Service providers receive Critical reflective practice based support through joint work and supported referral VICSEG – Centre for Excellence for Cultural Competence Training accredited agencies Education regarding culturally responsive, accessible service delivery for refugee families

16. Evidence: Medium Term Outputs Cultural Intelligence: Examples from ‘Evidence Into Action Paper’ and MASE Practice Medium Outcomes TypeDescriptorResults expected in the medium-term Motivational CQ the capacity to direct attention in culturally diverse situations Families receive: Encouragement and assistance to: access; communicate with; and utilize Early Childhood, MCHN and School based services. Examples have included participation in co-facilitated Speech Language Groups, MCHN Groups and School activities to support improved inclusion of marginalised communities. Service providers receive: Support for professionals (e.g. maternal and child health nurses in their work with families in service and case planning and co-facilitated groups as above). Behavioural CQ -the capacity to be culturally flexible through verbal and nonverbal act Families receive: Advocacy and modelling to support acquisition of knowledge and understanding of legal requirements to respond to issues such as family violence, child protection and school attendance. Service providers receive Education regarding culturally and linguistically responsive, accessible service delivery for families

17. Evidence: Long term outcomes Cultural Intelligence:Examples from ‘Evidence Into Action Paper’ and MASE Practice Projected Long-term outcomes TypeDescriptorChanges in the population expected as a result of the approach Meta-cognitive CQ consciousness of cultural awareness during cross cultural interaction Families experience Continued increased community engagement and developed sense of safety. Service providers experience Services and the service system as a whole effectively aware of the needs, culture and capacities of newly arrived families and their communities. Cognitive level CQ - knowledge of norms such as how a family or authority system works Families experience Improved family functioning Service providers experience Services and the service system as a whole effectively responds in a more timely way to the needs of newly arrived families and their communities

18. Evidence: Long term outcomes Cultural Intelligence:Examples from ‘Evidence Into Action Paper’ and MASE Practice Projected Long-term outcomes TypeDescriptorChanges in the population expected as a result of the approach Motivational CQ - the capacity to direct attention in culturally diverse situations Families receive  As for CQ above. Service providers receive: Services demonstrate increased capacity to work in a systematic and collaborative way to respond to the needs of families, e.g. whilst funding and resources are diminishing, agencies and schools have begun to systematically embed Social Interpreter Facilitator CALD dedicated activities into their mainstream activities Behavioural CQ - the capacity to be culturally flexible through verbal and non verbal action Families receive Improved independence and empowerment in negotiating service systems Engagement in VICSEG based programs such as Learning Together, and Certificate and Diploma courses Employment in Peer Led Parenting Programs. Service providers experience Increased employment of bilingual staff and programs dedicated to newly arrived families, e.g. Farsi speaking women’s group.