Scenario-based activity
There are many issues to take into account when dealing with people from diverse cultures. Interactive Ochre presents you with some of the issues you need to be particularly aware of when you are working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
This activity asks you to reflect upon a number of scenarios and to think about how you would respond in each situation in light of what you have learned.

Your response
Reflect on each of the scenarios, keeping in mind your own context and the ways that you and others around you interact with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. The following focus questions may help you direct your thinking.
•	Do you understand the different types of racism, overt, covert and systemic?
•	Can you find examples in your context of how individual or group behaviour, systems and processes may discriminate against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people?
•	How you could demonstrate that you practise inclusivity?
•	Can you suggest some strategies for evaluating and improving behaviour, systems and processes to make them more inclusive?

You may be asked to respond to the scenarios in a number of ways including:
•	discussion with colleagues or with your class group
•	recording your thoughts in your reflective journal
•	using the scenarios as an added stimulus to a creative response to cultural awareness issues
•	writing and submitting a response as a formative assessment activity.

Scenarios
The Racism section of Interactive Ochre contains five animated scenarios that show how racism can impact upon Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in various social and community situations. These include:
•	hospital
•	holice station
•	motor vehicle registration office
•	department store
•	nightclub.

Each of the animations presents a narration of an instance of racism. There are a number of features to assist you to explore the scenarios in depth. You can stop the animation to view speech bubbles that show what each character may be thinking. You can access definitions that help you understand different forms of racism including overt, covert and systemic racism. In this section there are also video clips of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people telling of their experiences of racism. 
You should also note that multimedia and stories in the History, Working with Aboriginal People and Moving On sections can be used as resources to increase your understanding of the different forms of racism and how it has affected Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people both historically and in contemporary society.
In addition, the four scenarios that follow in text form depict events or situations that relate particularly to workplace racism. You will find information to support your understanding of these scenarios in the section called Working with Aboriginal People.
Work with each of the animated and text-based scenarios to explore in full the types of racism that are depicted, using the focus questions above.

Scenario 1
You have spent a lot of time and effort planning and developing a workshop for members of your local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community and are looking forward to delivering it. The topic of your workshop deals with a serious issue and is very relevant to the local people. In fact, the Elders have requested that you work with them on this issue and many community members have said that they will attend.  
However, an Elder within the community has passed away during the week and on the day of the workshop you find that the whole community is attending the funeral. Not only is no one at your workshop, but you find that you have not had the chance to arrange an alternative time and you know that it will be difficult to get the participants together again soon.
To think about
1.	What is the impact upon you, both personally and in terms of your performance requirements at work?
2.	What are some of the cultural issues you should be aware of in this situation?
3.	What would you do next? Come up with some ideas about both what you plan to do and your communication strategies.
Some pointers
Refer to what you have learned about:
•	cultural laws associated with death
•	position of Elders in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture.

Scenario 2
An Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander man comes in to your workplace expressing an interest in finding out more about the service that you provide. You give him an overview of the services that you think would be of interest to him.
You are particularly conscious of a new government initiative that has provided you with some funds to expand your services and you are very keen to communicate this to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community. You spend quite some time talking to him about this expanded service, wanting the information to be quite clear to him. You also provide him with some leaflets regarding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander services and go through with him the new leaflet that you have just received. Finally you give him a form to complete should he want to take up the service.
When he leaves you are feeling unsure about how the meeting went because throughout the whole time he didn’t look at you and he appeared to be quite nervous.
To think about
1.	How do you feel when your efforts at communicating don’t seem to be drawing the response you would expect? Does this have any effect upon the way you interact?
2.	What are some of the cultural issues you should be aware of when meeting with an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander person?
3.	Can you think of some strategies that would help you to develop a good communication style for dealing with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people?
Some pointers
Refer to what you have learned about:
•	eye contact, body language and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture
•	Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture and concept of individuality
•	‘men’s business’ and ‘women’s business’
•	literacy.

Scenario 3
In the lunchroom at your workplace a colleague is reading the paper and after reading an article about increases in funding for health and housing for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, makes a comment about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people ‘expecting Government handouts’ and says that they ‘should stop living in the past’. You know that this is an opinion that this person has expressed before and that it seems to be deeply ingrained. You are also aware that a number of other colleagues also think this way to some degree even if they don’t come out and say it very often. Sometimes the lunchroom discussions get quite heated and people use derogatory terms when referring to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
However, you are working in a situation where you and your colleagues are frequently dealing with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and there are, in fact, some Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people working with you. You notice that another colleague, whom you know to be Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, becomes upset and leaves the room.
To think about
1.	Reflect on the complex issues here and think about your position. How does this impact upon the way you carry out your work, both in working with your colleagues and in dealing with your clients?
2.	What are some of the cultural issues that impinge upon this situation?
3.	How would you respond to your colleagues, both the person making the comment and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander person who left?
Some pointers 
Refer to what you have learned about:
•	how Aboriginality is defined
•	historical issues surrounding treatment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
•	language and terminology.

Scenario 4
You are working in a team that is very committed to providing a high level of service to the community. Your clients include people from many cultural backgrounds, but your location means that a high proportion are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and your team has identified that it is an important goal for you to provide the same level of service to all clients. As a team you have therefore undertaken cultural awareness training and feel that you are well equipped to deal with your diverse client base.
Many non-Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are using the services that your organisation provides with great success. However, you are puzzled and concerned that members of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community appear reluctant to come in to your workplace.
To think about
1.	What may be some of the issues surrounding the reluctance of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to come to your workplace?
2.	Can you identify some strategies that may help you promote your services in a way that builds communication with the local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community?
Some pointers
Refer to what you have learned about:
•	communicating with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities
•	physical environment
•	the role of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander agencies.