Part of the Department of Internal Affairs
Te Tari Taiwhenua
12 May 2020
Mahrukh Sawar
[FYI request #11217 email]
Dear Mahrukh Sawar
I write in regard to your Official Information Act request of 27 February 2020 to Immigration New
Zealand. On 17 March 2020, your request was transferred to the Office of Ethnic Communities
(OEC), Department of Internal Affairs, for response.
As set out in our email to you of 8 April 2020, your question, as it relates to OEC is as follows:
The expertise/qualifications of the module developers that deems them appropriate to create
the content for the Office of Ethnic Communities ‘four modules in Intercultural Capability e-
learning’.
The intercultural competence eLearning (ICE programme) was made publicly available on OEC’s
website in 2016. The programme is aimed at anyone who wants to improve their ability to
interact with people from different backgrounds or ethnicities. It is provided at no cost to
individuals and the programme is interactive and self-directed, meaning the learner can move
through at their own pace.
The content of the intercultural competence eLearning (ICE programme) is a high-level
compilation of content from previous OEC cultural awareness training programmes including:
• Intercultural Awareness and Communication (IAC) programme (2006 - 2008)
• IAC Training for Trainers (T4T) delivery model (2008 – 2015).
The content of these programmes has continuously evolved since 2006. Information relating to
the expertise and qualifications of OEC staff who developed each aspect of the training has not
been recorded and, therefore, is not available. This is consistent with section 18(e) of the Act, that
the information sought does not exist or cannot be found. Where content was from an external
source, this is credited on the OEC website.
OEC is the Government’s principal advisor on ethnic diversity in New Zealand. OEC stands by the
content of the ICE programme. We recognise that cultural awareness resources need to respond
to social changes and issues arising and we will continue to review the content of the training as
needs arise. If you have any concerns about any specific content of the ICE programme, please
contact
[email address].
PO Box 2220
Auckland, New Zealand
PO Box 805
Wellington, New Zealand
PO Box 4033
Christchurch, New Zealand
https://www.ethniccommunities.govt.nz/
You have the right to seek an investigation and review by the Ombudsman of this decision.
Information about how to make a complaint is available at
www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or
Freephone 0800 802 602.
Kind regards
Caroline Bridgland
Acting Director
The Office of Ethnic Communities
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