This document, published by Queensland Health, is a guide for health care providers to effectively engage with culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities in the planning, delivery and evaluation of health services. The guide identifies various methods for engaging with these communities, such as information sessions, consumer planning days, focus groups, and multicultural consumers on boards of management.

The guide suggests identifying key community representatives to obtain advice about the best methods of engagement and understanding how to make engagement with government organizations accessible and culturally appropriate. It recommends researching the local community to determine the best entry points for a particular purpose, such as considering whether the health service targets a particular age group or gender. The guide also emphasizes that community engagement is most effective when communities are involved from the beginning.

Organizations can use this document to engage multicultural communities by:

• Identifying Key Groups/Communities: Use resources like demographic profiles and census data to identify the largest communities in your area.
• Making Contact with Community Representatives: Reach out to community leaders, peak bodies, and religious groups for advice on how to engage with their communities.
• Choosing the Appropriate Level of Engagement: Determine whether you want to simply inform the community, consult with them, or actively involve them in decision-making.
• Selecting Appropriate Engagement Methods: Use the guide’s table to identify methods appropriate for your level of engagement and target audience.
• Ensuring Representation: Involve a diverse range of people from within a particular community to represent the full range of perspectives and concerns.