Session 1 - 11th April 05 11.55 – 12.45
Title of Presentation: Whose speak? The power of language in
community relationships.
Presenter: Jennifer Margaret
Organisation: Manukau Institute of Technology,
Auckland, Aotearoa/New Zealand
Summary:
What do terms like community regeneration, social capital and active citizenship mean to communities? Does building social capital mean that people who are having their social capital built will understand this term? This presentation will consider the different languages that are used by universities and communities and the challenges that this presents when working in partnership.
Universities and communities operate from different cultural bases and thus their motivations, aspirations and visions are expressed differently. This can lead to misunderstanding when there is engagement between the two. For communities, access to resources and opportunities is often determined by the ability to speak the language of the institution. Language is therefore a tool of power in relationships. These issues are present in any community/university partnership however in partnerships with ethnically diverse communities, additional layers of cultural and language differences exist.
The presentation will focus on the implications of these issues for people who work between the two spheres. It will be based on reflections from a community liaison position at Manukau Institute of Technology. MIT is located in Aotearoa/New Zealand’s most ethnically diverse and fastest growing city. Developing and maintaining relationships with the local community is central to the Community Liaison role. The role involves both representing the Institute within the community and participating in community processes as a part of the community. Drawing on experiences in this role, good practice in relation to language, communication and ways of working that acknowledge diverse positions will be shared.