What We Do
One of the most rapidly growing demographics in Australia are people from the Indian Subcontinent.
The people from the regions bring a wealth of diverse cultures and traditions, as well as shared opportunities for prosperity.
Any growing community brings with it challenges, emerging needs and responses to ensure social welfare. The difficulties faced by Culturally and Linguistically Diverse communities are less documented and poorly acknowledged within the service support systems.
The cultural complexity, intersections and barriers mean many vulnerable people fall through the cracks and get no proper support.
The Indian (Sub-Cont) Crisis & Support Agency (ICSA) the first NGO in Australia for South Asian Communities was established as a response to the gaps and inadequate support systems.
ICSA offers a range of support tailored to South Asian communities and like cultures through professional services.
Client Services
Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) community needs are acknowledged have more complexity; be multi-faceted with layers and intersections.
Our services are client-centric within cultural frameworks, for purpose and context.
Case Management
Domestic Violence
Migration & Settlement
Family Support
Men’s Matters
Mental Health
Family Resolution
Ageing & Disability
Professional Development
Our experience from grassroots support work is captured in a growing bank of knowledge.
From data we analyse trends, identify emerging community needs; we correlate it with community views and collaborating providers.This builds our Community [Market] Intelligence
We use the community intelligence and broadening expertise to develop products to improve systems whether as a community, individual client, customers or part of a workforce
Our professional development products are aimed at better practice, more knowledge, becoming more informed, gaining skills and tools to work more effectively with CALD communities.
We develop bespoke training within cultural frameworks and look to improve practice through workshops.
Our specialisation is to tailor materials to fit organisational profile and objectives.
Some ways we share our knowledge and expertise:
- Information: Presentations
- Knowledge: Training
- Practice: Workshops
- Resources: Material tools
- Bespoke Training: Courses
- Community Capacity: Awareness
Consumers of our products frontline workers, sector service providers and corporates. You can view the full catalogue of professional development opportunities on offer.
Consultancy
Improved and advancing Community Intelligence means we better comprehend our communities.
We cultivate this expertise, knowledge, skills and experience and synthesise into cultural consultancy for use in a range of settings.
Clients
We assist clients where there is a need for understanding of circumstances intersected with the underlying vulnerabilities and cultural complexities. Our assessment reports have a significant degree of success across multiple authorities; the most common being domestic & family violence, legal settings, migration matters and detention.
Corporates & Agencies
Our consulting has expanded to a range of purposes, with growing application in organisations for Human Resource Management, Corporate Policy, Communications (Community Engagement) and Marketing
Co-Design
Our Consultancy helps improve systems, processes, policy that in turn improve access and participation for CALD Clients or better understand CALD workforce or markets.
We can offer quality cultural consulting in:
- Cultural Consultancy – eg customer markets
- Systems Engineering – improving systems
- Client Assessment Reports – client advocacy
- CALD Auditing: organisational quality systems
- CALD Employee Assistance Program (EAP) – staff support
- CALD Clinical [&} Group Supervision – better practice
Specialist Services
Our specialist services are a response to the unique needs of South Asian communities. These services are bespoke or a tailored service to fill gaps in the system or to improve access and participation for the client.
- Administration Management: document reading, responding and drafting for complex situation. Managing personal documents and data. For people with limited literacy, this can be an essential support.
- Communication Exchange: any way we can improve communication and language; interpreting, translating, audio, reading, contextualising.
- Outreach: Client intake, cultural assessment
- Cross Jurisdiction: Assist clients dealing with matters in Australia when they live in another country.
Community Connections
ICSA remains true to the community we serve. Our service delivery is a key builder of community intelligence; our collaborating in the sector gives us a better context of where the CALD community sits.
However, we can only properly understand the community itself by remaining connected to the wider CALD community and society.
We do this through
- Community education
- Support group sessions
- Projects with social integration
- Awareness & prevention
- Communications; Newsletters, Social Media
Advocacy
Advocacy
ICSA advocates on matters that directly impact the whole community with a focus on any additional impacts on the CALD community.
We continue to actively represent and campaign for those who for any number of reasons cannot speak for themselves.
Our purpose is to see improved access and support for CALD communities. When the system can manage the complexities and overcome the additional barriers for CALD people, it will in fact be a system fit for all.
We regularly engage in
- Campaigns
- Submissions and Government Enquiries
- Representation
- Consultation
- Research
- Policy Development and Recommendations
We collaborate with sector experts, advisory panels, consultations and share in co-design.
Community Intelligence on supporting CALD communities that stems from.
Donate
ICSA receives no funding for the challenging and confronting work we do. We rely on volunteers from the community and professionals to keep our services running.
Our driving passion is simply to do what’s right by people, to assist the community and is fuelled by our strong desire for social justice.
We can no longer call ourselves ‘volunteers’ as our people are essentially unpaid workers who share our common concerns and vision.
There are a number of ways you can get involved with our work or contribute to outcomes. We would benefit from any involvement with our organisation.
News, Views & Events
