Working with culturally diverse communities requires knowing about your participants, understanding and adapting.  When it comes to a diversity of communities with different interests to one another, a whole other layer of sensitivity is invoked. That is what has been required to in order to work with the broad community radio sector, a miscellany of hundreds of radio stations with quite different raison d’etre (from Muslim radio, through the vast Christian sector, youth radio, radio for people with a sight impairment to LGBTI radio). With this level of complexity, a collaborative relationship needs to grow slowly and gently. Our various clients in this sector do not necessarily see eye-to-eye on many matters, and one can easily be drawn into appearing to have taken sides – quite inadvertently. Engaging with this diverse sector has taught us to steer away from assumptions about relationships. We have learnt that our Muslim and Indigenous Australian clients may be aloof and not at all demonstrative when we meet them, but that does not diminish their respect for us. We have learnt many new ways of relating: the custom of holding ones hand over one’s heart rather than shaking hands between men and women in Muslim practice; using appropriate terminology in describing gender identity and disabilities; and the understanding that guide dogs are not to be patted when they are working. We have negotiated to conduct a joint survey for Christian and LGBTI radio clients that included questions about both faith and gender diversity – despite initial objections from both groups. Over time, communities respect those who respect them – and that lays the groundwork for collaboration. Working across the sector to find common ground takes time – in fact, years. In the end it opens doors to whole communities – speakers of different languages, people of different faiths and, well, the vast diversity that is Australia. These relationships are not easy – nor quick to replicate – thereby creating a commercial competitive advantage.
The key to successful collaboration
Collaboration relies on mutual benefit, which in turn is based on a bed of trust. While trust can be lost in a moment, it always takes time to form. Broken once, it is generally irreparable. Collaboration can’t be hurried; pushing too hard or too fast can bring an abrupt end to the relationship. Organisations entering into collaborative relationships – either with other suppliers, clients or communities – must enter with a commitment to enduring trust. True collaborative relationships have qualitative goals that might not pass the test of short-term benefits – and this requires a shared vision. Matt_Balogh Matt Balogh is director at McNair yellowSquares and an AMSRS Fellow