CHCDIV001: Danielle is the practice manager of a large dental practice in the city She is the only female staff member at management level: Work with diverse people Assignment, Australia

Scenario 1

Danielle is the practice manager of a large dental practice in the city.  She is the only female staff member at management level.  The CEO often refers to her as the ‘office mum’ although no male managers are ever referred to as ‘office dads’.  He also expects her to handle office birthdays and always asks her to organise coffee for their monthly managerial meetings.  Danielle is becoming really frustrated with these requests and the ‘office mum’ label.  She tells her CEO of her concerns, and he responds by telling her that she is being ‘overly sensitive’.

a) Do you believe that the CEO is displaying any sexist behaviour, or is Danielle being overly sensitive? Outline your reasons for your response including any legal and ethical consideration and consequences. Response should be 150-200 words.

b) Outline three strategies that Danielle could use to curb this behaviour while remaining respectful to her CEO and colleagues. Response should be 100-150 words.

c) Describe the potential impact of the CEO’s behaviour on Danielle. Response should be 50-100 words.

What steps could Danielle take to address if the CEO’s behaviour persists. Response should be 50-100 words.

Scenario 2

You are the team leader of a practice where one of the employees constantly makes ‘jokes’ about people being ‘bipolar’, ‘going postal’, or being ‘off their meds’.

You happen to know that one of the other employees — within earshot of these comments — is on medication for depression.

a)How does this situation fit into the concept and definition of diversity? Response should be 50-100 words.

b Outline at least three (3) strategies to stop the negative attitudes and behaviour without revealing confidential information and discuss why you would use them.

c)List the rights and responsibilities of workers and employers that relate to this scenario, and the action that should be taken when these rights are infringed. Response should be 150-200 words.

d)What is one (1) protective factor or need must be considered and acted upon in this scenario?

e)Recommend who could be consulted, and what kind of guidance should be sought to assist in addressing the needs of this scenario. Response should be 100-150 words.

f)What steps would you take to address any ongoing difficulties or if the behaviour persists. Response should be 50-100 words.

Scenario 3

In the lunchroom at your workplace, a colleague is reading the paper. After reading an article about increases in funding for health and housing for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, they make a comment about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people ‘expecting Government handouts’ and say that they ‘should stop living in the past’. The person always prefaces these comments with “I’m not racist, but…”

You know that this is an opinion that this person has expressed before and that it seems to be deeply ingrained. Nobody else seems to mind this behaviour, and you are also aware that several other colleagues also think this way to some degree even if they do not come out and say it very often. Sometimes, the lunchroom discussions get quite heated, with people using derogatory terms when making comments about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

You are working in a situation where you and your colleagues are frequently dealing with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and some of the staff are also of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander descent. You notice that another colleague, whom you know to be Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, becomes upset and leaves the room.

a)How does this impact the way you carry out your work, both in working with your colleagues and in dealing with your customers? Response should be 50-100 words.

b)Have any laws been broken? Are there consequences of breaching any laws? Response should be 100-150 words.

c)How do these types of attitudes impact the job role of the employee who left the room? Response should be 50-100 words.

d)How would you respond to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander person who left the room after hearing the offensive comments? How would you address potential needs of this person and the impacts of the discrimination? Response should be 100-150 words.

e) Recommendation resources or assistance that can be used to support the organisation in resolving the issues identified within this scenario, as well as potential plan for addressing ongoing difficulties if the behaviour continues. Response should be 20-50 words.

Later that day you take time to reflect on the situation which occurred earlier. You decide to work on increasing your knowledge and understanding of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to improve the service you offer to clients, and to provide this information amongst the staff in the organisation.
Conduct your own research and provide an explanation of the following:

f)The historical issues and conditions that have occurred within Australia. Response should be 50-100 words.

g)The current social, political and economic issues affecting Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people. Response should be 50-100 words.

h)How western or mainstream systems and structures can be perceived by and can impact on Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people and their engagement with services. Response should be 50-100 words.

Scenario 4

Gracie is valued team member, a Yuwallari woman and an elder within her community. She enjoys sharing her culture with her colleagues and feels proud that she has contributed to a better understanding of her people. Gracie is an active member of her community and contributes to a range of social and cultural activities. She has been granted a week of special leave to assist in planning activities for Sorry Day.

Unfortunately, you overhear two other team members discussing how unfair it is that Gracie has been given special leave saying, “I don’t know why they have Sorry Day anyway, it’s time they got over it!”

Later that day you call the staff members into a meeting room to address the comments.

a)Are there any legal or ethical considerations that have been breached? Response should be 50-100 words.

b)What advice would you give the team members, so their responses were more worthwhile and supportive of Gracie’s attendance at Sorry Day activities? Response should be 50-100 words.

c)How would you address potential needs of this person and the impacts of the discrimination? Response should be 50-100 words.

d)Recommend types of resources and assistance which should be sought to address the issues identified. Response should be 50-100 words.