Governance Institute of Australia Cultural Diversity Workshop-Brisbane

The Governance Institute of Australia hosts: Building organisational capacity and capability for cultural diversity

The discussion on diversity is multi-faceted. One of the lynchpins is cultural diversity. In a multicultural Australia, the need for organisations to have the intent and strategy to empower and enable a multicultural workforce is clear. Cultural diversity is an invaluable and often untapped asset, that brings with it the advantages of creativity, innovation, group effectiveness, new ideas and great learnings.

What capacity and capability does your organisation need to effectively address multicultural awareness and competence? How do you incorporate this into your governance policies and procedures?

In this interactive workshop, led by Christine Castley, Chief Executive Officer, Multicultural Australia Ltd, you will examine the fabric of a multicultural Australia - gaining insights into Australia’s existing multiculturalism and the benefits of cultural and linguistic diversity.

You will discover how governance frameworks can support you to move beyond tokenistic diversity to creating a true sense of inclusion and belonging for all through authentic leadership of organisational capability, workforce strategy, community engagement, welcoming and safe spaces, and diversity and inclusion in service delivery.

You will explore and apply adaptable strategies and tools to relevant workplace case study scenarios that challenge you to leverage the strengths of a multicultural workforce and create a culturally capable and engaged workplace.

In this workshop, CEO Christine Castley will be joined by Deep Dassanayake. Deep Dassanayake is currently Acting Program Manager of Accommodation and Initial Support Teams for Multicultural Australia.  Deep has an extensive career in housing settlement for refugees, asylum seekers, migrants and the homeless, ensuring individual needs are met with understanding and solutions focused results. A large focus of Deep’s processes are centred around ensuring communities feel valued, safe, and settled, ultimately creating independence for individuals and families. He holds a Bachelor of Human Services from Griffith University, receiving the Griffith University Award for Academic Excellence in 2015.  Deep has also been nominated for the Professor Lesley Chenoweth Equity and Diversity Award at Griffith University and Hesta’s Unsung Hero Award. Prior to his studies, Deep spent many years as a volunteer humanitarian worker across Sri Lanka, India, Nepal and Bangladesh providing support to communities. Deep is an enthusiast of all things food and travel related, enjoying both the amazing experiences and how they connect culture together. His other outside interests include reading, hiking and outdoor activities.