I think this is a topic worth discussing, cultural
sensitivity and awareness. Only during
my time at AIME have I really understood how PR can be affected by culture, and
how it is our duty as PR practitioners to be conscious of these societal differences.
I studied Cross Cultural Communication last semester,
focusing on the relationships between organisations and different cultures. We
looked at how differences in culture may impact the way in which PR
Practitioners create and send out messages and respond to issues that arise.
As I am interning at AIME (Australian Indigenous Mentoring
Experience) it has been really interesting working in an environment that is
culturally aware of the Australian Indigenous community and the issues that
Indigenous youth are facing today. In all honesty, before my internship I had
only came to know a couple of Indigenous Australians, from netball teams and
school. Therefore, being immersed in this
culture is quite a new experience. Perhaps for this reason, it has never fully occurred
to me the extent to which the Australian Indigenous culture is different to the
secular Australian culture.
As part of my internship I attended a mentor training
session at Notre Dame University. I think it is valuable to have an
understanding of the Indigenous culture and to be aware of the past tragedies
(Stolen Generation and the closing of communities etc.) that have caused so much
pain in regards to loss of identity and cultural traditions. I remember
learning about the stolen generation in year 7 yet that is the extent of my schooling on this issue. An issue that is still having a major impact today.
Why have I not been exposed to this culture?
So to bring it back to PR, perhaps we need to invest a
little more time into understanding the cultures within Australia. Although we
may aspire to work overseas or be involved in a global company, working with
AIME has taught me that not enough Australian’s know and understand the
Indigenous culture or its people.
We learn how PR professionals need to be
culturally sensitive and aware when dealing with organisations from different
backgrounds. So why is our learning narrowly focused on countries across the
border? I have only discovered this
reasoning from the time spent at AIME, that there is a widespread need to
acknowledge and understand the Indigenous culture. Even if it is one seminar,
to be a PR practitioner that is aware of these differences and how this may
affect the messages sent to an ‘Australian’ audience will be greatly
beneficial.
This instagram post by aime_wa
is so eye opening to the misconception of identity.
