‘Everyone belongs’ at our training organisation
23 March 2022
Harmony Week 2022, from 21 to 27 March, celebrates Australia’s cultural diversity under the theme ‘Everyone belongs‘. This week is about inclusiveness, respect and a sense of belonging for everyone.
These principles are integral to YWCA Canberra, with our organisational values including equality, inclusion, respect and reconciliation.
Our devotion to diversity and inclusion is clearly exhibited within our registered training organisation (RTO 1373), where our trainers have a particular focus on supporting women from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.
With around 90 per cent of the team’s students having English as a second language, it is especially impressive that our student completion rate is about 80 per cent—nearly twice the national average of 44 per cent!
We believe this high completion rate is because our trainers support their students to achieve their best possible outcomes and adapt to diverse needs and capabilities with tailored student support.
As noted by one of our trainers, Daisy:
“I am proud to work for an organisation that provides culturally and linguistically diverse women … with accessible and inclusive training and education. This education leads to increased economic participation and empowers them throughout their entire life.
“Being from a culturally and linguistically diverse background myself, I feel I can provide holistic and empathetic support as a trainer. I work with the students in their whole lives, not just their studies.”
One of the largest groups of our students from diverse backgrounds is migrant women whose qualifications overseas are not recognised in Australia. Many of these women choose to begin a new career in Australia and start with our Certificate III qualifications in Early Childhood Education and Care.
We recently spoke to a few such women, and this is what they had to say:
“The experience of studying with YWCA Canberra is wonderful. I have no hesitation in recommending this place to anybody who is expecting to start their studies.”
“If you are struggling to find your path, YWCA Canberra always will be there for you to find the right solution. The team will guide you to achieve your goals.”
“The best part about the training was that there was so much support. It was not only the trainers but also the group of students that I studied with. It was a really enriching experience for me.”
Leen:
“I was highly supported by my trainer and she was always giving me time and space to finish my course. [The YWCA Canberra trainers] are really supportive to diverse women, including older women and women without any previous training.”
“I will always be grateful to YWCA Canberra and Daisy for your support and kindness. It would be impossible to count all the ways that you’ve helped me in my career. I only hope I can return the favour sometime in the future.