Building and Strengthening Relationships (2004)
Group or Institution
Waikato Institute of Technology (Wintec)
Author(s)
Wendy Clark, Natalia Hautapu, Jennifer Kelly, Natalie Seymour, Gloria Smith, Pat Warn (Tutor: Betty Blake)
Abstract
The following report was compiled by a group of six, second year students from the Waikato Institute of Technology (Wintec), working towards a degree in the Bachelor of Nursing. The group and their tutor Betty Blake worked in partnership with Roslynn Billman (Manager of the Western Community Centre), Ioana Tolofua (Neighbourhood Development Worker) and Neil Tolan (Community Youth Worker), from the Western Community Centre.
The purpose for this project was to work in partnership with The Western Community Centre in identifying ways that they could build and strengthen relationships with minority groups within their community and achieve minority ethnic groups input and participation in community activities. To effectively undertake this project, the project group reviewed relevant literature and interviewed a key informant.
Some of the key findings of this project were:
Before relationships can be built or strengthened within the? community, the needs of the community need to be fully established and understood in order for changes to be implemented to meet their needs.
Communication barriers in the community are the biggest challenge of? sharing and informing people of information. Due to culture differences and communication barriers, there is a lack of knowledge and understanding for migrants and refugees that are new to the community and country.
The most apparent challenge that minority groups face is their? inability to understand and/or pronounce the English language properly. Effective communication requires an effort from both the sender and receiver of the information.
From these key findings recommendations were developed which could assist the Western Community Centre in implementing strategies that will enhance relationship building with minority ethnic groups.
Group/s Associated with the Research:
Western Community Centre
A full copy of the report is available from:
Research Connections
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Hamilton 2020
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e.mail: research@wintec.ac.nz