Best Practice Guidelines Engaging with Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) Communities in Times of Disaster

Through a literature review and key informant analysis following the 2011 Canterbury earthquakes, the findings uphold the value of plain English in oral and written form, of easy-to-read text, and of the use of interpreters and translated resources. Most critically, they also highlight the enormous value of culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) agency connectedness and of cultural competence. If there is one key message that came through in the research above all else it is: if you want to communicate well with CALD communities following a disaster, don’t wait until something really bad happens. Get to know them now. Build a relationship with CALD communities based on mutual trust, respect, and understanding.