A Partnership in Workforce Innovation

1. A Partnership in Workforce Innovation

2. Cultural Mentoring and NZCare An innovation partnership between: • NZCare Auckland • Te Pou • Waitemata District Health Board – Asian Health Support Services • Workbase – Auckland • Explore Service Advice

3. Te Pou Disability Workforce Development Innovation Fund • The NZCare Cultural Mentoring Programme has been supported by The Disability Workforce Development Innovation fund • This was a one-off funding initiative designed to support innovative workforce development opportunities and solutions • NZCare was one of a small number of organisations who received support to fund projects and initiatives that enhance the capability or capacity of the disability workforce

4. Why Cultural Mentoring • Recognition of an organisational need to seriously think about how we effectively identify, support and manage the increasing cultural diverse workforce • Recognition that cultural workplace understanding could improve the service delivery to the people we support and their families, and assist the team’s communication and their effectiveness

5. Over-arching objective • Understand and measure the impact of culture on the way that NZCare communicates and trains its workforce, and the impact of this on service delivery • A pilot project that would lead to a successful Cultural Mentoring model for other NZCare areas • Identify cultural solutions that are aligned to the Ministry of Health’s Disability Workforce Action Plan 2013/2016

6. NZCare Demographics • NZCare has an increasingly diverse cultural mix of staff, service users and their family members • This is particularly evident in Auckland • English is often their second language • For many the first experience of working in New Zealand, translating skills, knowledge and experience to the ‘Kiwi’ workplace

7. Our Cultural Mentoring Pilot Outline • Pilot Services identified • Pilot launch • Information gathering • Cultural training • Mentors identified and trained • Ongoing support and coaching • Celebrate • Area integration

8. Information Gathering • Understand the cultural mix within the Pilot Groups and how cultural difference can affect them in their workplace • Undertaken through staff surveys and interviews with the Pilot teams • Surveys were developed and conducted on our behalf by Workbase

9. Training • Cultural Training for Pilot Teams WaitemataDHB shared their Cultural Training Programme with NZCare and delivered it on our behalf to the Pilot Teams • Identify and Train the Cultural Mentors Developed and delivered for NZCare by Workbase

10. Information GatheringCultural Statistics - Pilot Services A cultural mix from: • Chinese • Filipino • Tongan • Indo-fijian • Indian • Samoan • Maori • NZ European There are many other smaller cultural groups also represented within NZCare - Auckland

11. Information GatheringLanguages Spoken - Pilot Services • English • Maori • Taiwanese • Hake • Mandarin • Cantonese • Fagaloo • Tongan • Hindi and Punjab • NZ sign language • Dutch • Samoan

12. Cultural Training • Cultural and Linguistic Diversity Training (CALD) Waitemata District Health Board • 3 learning modules: • Working in Culturally Diverse Teams • Being Kiwi • Managing Culturally Diverse Teams • Delivered to all Staff and Managers involved in the programme

15. Cultural Mentor Training A partnership with Workbase including: • Evaluation tools pre and post training to establish intent and purpose of a mentoring model • Design and integration of the mentoring model, including feedback around: • Terms of Reference • Job Description • Design and delivery of training for NZCare mentors • Post-training coaching for mentors

16. The Cultural Mentor Role • NZCare has developed this role to provide leadership and support to employees from culturally diverse groups to fully understand their support roles • Directly links to improving and enhancing quality service delivery to the people we support and their families

17. Terms of Reference and Job Description • Provide an informal, confidential, trustworthy and readily accessible source of proactive assistance for culturally diverse teams who raise/have questions or concerns regarding a reportable event, incident, complaint or issue in the workplace • Brief the NZCare Area Manager at predetermined scheduled meetings on general cultural diversity issues and trends while maintaining confidentiality • Integrated into “Business as usual“ i.e. Induction, team/management meetings

18. Appointment of Cultural Mentors • Selection Process • EOI – Expressions of Interest invited from staff • Interviews held with Area Manager and service management team

19. Introducing our Cultural Mentors

20. Our Cultural Mentors • Has been with NZCare since 5 February 2014 • Born and growing up in Samoa, provided a rich family and community experience • Before coming to NZCare, she worked as a House Mother for the Open Home Foundation, including conducting seminars and workshops specifically for youth, who would talk about their problems and experiences • Likes the way in which NZCare supports its workforce to improve their skills and knowledge in providing quality lifestyles for the people we support

21. Our Cultural Mentors (cont’d) • Comes from Ngaruawahia • Has been working for NZCare for 15 months; prior to this worked with homeless people and people with disabilities • Is excited about being a cultural mentor and the challenges this brings • Describes her cultural mentoring position as an opportunity to mix with, and understand the values of, a culturally diverse workforce • Is well recognised amongst her colleagues as having excellent listening skills, being a “peace keeper” and a compassionate, caring and understanding woman

22. Cultural Commitment in the service • The cultural needs of the people we support and their families are central to all we do • We have a zero tolerance to any type of abuse, harassment, discrimination and intimidation • As staff we talk to each other with dignity and respect, and we feel confident in addressing the cultural issues as a team • We listen to each other and are interested and curious to discuss cultural differences • We feel confident to immediately discuss or report issues or concerns of a cultural nature with the mentor These commitments have been made and agreed by the teams together

23. Measures of the success of our Cultural Mentoring Programme • Culturally safe environments, where the benefits are experienced by staff, people we support and their families/whanau • Culturally and linguistically diverse teams clearly understand their roles and responsibilities in NZCare’s workforce • Management understand their role in supporting and developing a culturally diverse workforce to provide quality support • NZCare is recognised as an organisation which values cultural diversity in its workforce

24. NZCare – Awhi Te Tangata • At the forefront of all we do, are people with disabilities and their families who use the services of NZCare • The pilot has provided us with a strong foundation for learning, and developing cultural practice • We are committed to the on-going implementation of a Cultural Mentoring practice