eNEWSLETTER
July 2009
Our Mission Statement:
"Providing a range of innovative professional services, empowering our clients to positively address issues affecting their lives."
Our office hours are from 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday. After hours and Saturday appointments are available on request.
ACCEPTING DIVERSITY
Australia is a country which embraces the notion of diversity; we open our arms to immigrants seeking freedom from oppression and those seeking a new start for themselves and their family. We are a nation that collectively speaks over 200 languages and practices numerous religions and whilst we sometimes struggle to accept the diversity we adopt the idea of a “fair go” because we are Australians.
Australians have a unique culture which over the last 200 years has adopted many ideas and traditions from other cultures such as Britain, New Zealand, America, Greek, Italian, Russian, African and South East Asian countries. Not only do our cities host a vast array of multicultural traditions we also have adopted many of the gourmet cuisines from all over the world.
Each year over one hundred thousand people immigrate to Australia and each one faces the same challenges.
The purpose of this newsletter is to highlight a need for ordinary Australians to open our arms to immigrants and become more tolerant of their cultural, religious and ethnic differences.
LOSS OF IDENTITY
What many Australian don’t realise is the risk that many immigrant have taken moving from their home countries where they have lived and worked up until that part of their life. For some, English is not a language that they’re familiar with and they often struggle understanding our accents and eccentric dialect. It is not uncommon for immigrants to feel a loss of identity when they come to Australia.
This loss of identity can lead to...
- Loneliness
- Feelings of being overwhelmed
- Fearful and afraid
- Depression and anxiety
- Social Isolation
Imagine that you have been offered a job overseas for 2 years; understandably it would be difficult to relocate and start from scratch, you don’t have any family or friends in the country and can only speak a smattering of the language. These are all issues that immigrants coming into Australia are faced with. Language is not the only barrier that they need to overcome, whilst we pride ourselves on accepting people from other cultures sometimes it is our culture that is difficult for many people to understand. Issues as simple as;
- System of Government
- Banking
- Health System
- Housing
- School Systems
- Community Involvement
These issues all pose potential problems for immigrants coming into a new culture. What may be acceptable in their culture could be construed as unacceptable in our own. If you or someone you know is experiencing difficulties transitioning, our team may be able to offer assistance.
Quote of the Month
We all should know that diversity makes for a rich tapestry and we must understand that all threads of the tapestry are equal in value no matter what their colour.
Maya Angelo