Please Be Human First

I attended the Diversity Awareness Training conducted by the Local City Council. The training participants were all volunteer workers in the council.

We were trained to recognise, respect, and value our differences based on ethnicity, gender, age, religion, disability, and sexual orientation.

We Are All Unique

As an individual, we are all unique. Nobody in this world would have the same background, personality, life experiences, beliefs, talents, skills, education, hobbies, etc.

We need to welcome all people and make people feel valued and respected despite all differences because we live in a melting pot culture. In my local council, 50.4% population was born overseas (according to the 2021 Australian Bureau of Statistics Census Data) and 90 languages other than English spoken at home.

If we want to grow stronger together as a nation, we need to include everyone. Everyone can contribute to bringing a positive economic impact on the country by using our skills and talents.

I believe every individual was born with their uniqueness and talents. The issue is not every person receives the same opportunities to learn, to grow their talents, and to expand their capabilities.

We need to give people who experience barriers the equity of opportunities and services. We are all humans. We are all equals.

Let’s start by restoring and building a relationship with people who experience barriers. Let’s start learning the sensitivity issues so we can build a strong bridge to close the gap. Let’s be respectful, humble, and kind towards one another.

First Nations Australians

I would like to start with the Reconciliation Australia (RAP). We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the Country. We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures; and to Elders past and present

To restore the relationship, there are a few things that we should be aware of. This is related to the cultural sensitivity.

1. Refrain from using the word ‘Aborigine’. It is offensive. The best term is ‘Indigenous Australians’ or ‘First Nations Australians.’
2. There is a difference between ‘Acknowledgment of the Country’ and ‘Welcome to the Country’. The first only be used for common people (not an Elder of the Country).
3. Do not ask questions like “How many percentages of Indigenous Australians,” to someone who looks like an Anglo-Saxon. This is very offensive.

Disability

When talking about disability, people tend to refer to physical (visible) disability. Not many people are aware of invisible disability. Disability includes physical disability, neurodivergence, and mental disability.

Neuro divergence refers to people who have non-typical cognitive functions, such as autism spectrum, dyslexia, ADHD, and mental health.

According to a report published by Deloitte,” Research suggests that teams with the neurodivergent professionals in some roles can be 30% more productive than those without them. Inclusion and integration of neurodivergent professionals can also boost team morale.”

Mental Disability

Mental Disability is a general term to describe disability that may arise from a mental health issue. This may impact a person’s thoughts, perceptions, feelings, and behaviours. Common mental disabilities are anxiety and depression.

Stigma of Mental Disability

For Diversity and Inclusion, let’s start by removing the stigma of mental disability. Stigma arises from a lack of understanding (ignorance, misinformation, and prejudice). Below are the examples:

• People with mental disability cannot work.
• People with mental disability are violent.
• People with mental disability are irrational.

All the above are wrong. Some people with mental disability are high performers, they are not violent and they are good at analytical and rational thinking. Some are very gifted and talented, they can boost the morale and productivity of the team.

People with mental disability, are not ‘crazy’ or ‘sick’ or ‘psycho’. They are just having a very human emotional experience (high emotion). If you listen to understand and have empathy for their personal experience, you will understand that it all makes sense.

Normally, they have been dealt with challenging situations for a long time. They are not weak but very strong. Sometimes unfortunate life events happen simultaneously in their life so they need medication and support to manage their emotions.

Let’s educate ourselves so we understand and support each other better. It starts with factors that contribute to mental disability. It comprises genetic, psychological (past trauma, neglect, bullying, and isolation), sociological (school/workplace/relationship), and culture.

Behaviours Required For Diversity and Inclusion

Finally, the council concluded with the behaviours required to support Diversity and Inclusion as the following:

• Non-judgemental. Ask open-ended questions.
• Open-minded and curious.
• Effective listening (listen to understand and not listen to respond).
• Empathy, help, and offer practical support.
• Be friendly, smiling, greeting, and courteous.

Thank you for reading this blog and I hope you enjoy it. I would love to receive feedback (both positive and negative) from you. Thank You

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