Our history

eCALD® services have developed e-learning and face-to-face courses as well as online, print and HTML cross-cultural resources to address the lack of CALD cultural competence training and information for the New Zealand health workforce since 2005. The timeline below outlines the major milestones on the eCALD journey.

celebration

2025

20th Anniversary

Celebrating our 20th Anniversary by honouring our founder, the late Sue
Lim, those who laid the foundation of cross-cultural practices, and the
supporters who help eCALD Services continue our mission.

Launched the Cross-cultural Community of
Practice Support (CCPS) as a permanent post-
training support

Supporting learners who have attended at least one of the eCALD
courses by providing further insights into their practices, especially when
they experience challenges working with CALD patients due to cultural
differences.

Gone Paperless

eCALD embraces digital solutions and embarks on a paperless trail by
allowing learners to download the workbooks digitally.

virtual meeting

2024

Piloted “Cross-Cultural Practice Supervision

The initiative was a post-course support to provide a safe environment
for learners to discuss challenges when working with CALD patients,
deepen their knowledge, and improve their skills.

who

2023

Cultural and Linguistic Diversity Training Programme recognised on a global platform

Te Whatu Ora’s eCALD®) Cultural and Linguistic Diversity (CALD) training programme has been selected as one of the 49 country case examples featured in the World Health Organization report showcasing the positive steps taken by countries to improve health outcomes for the one billion people on the move

501 1 hero

2022

Launched new "Cultural Competency Training for the Mental Health and Addiction Workforce"

  • This training programme is funded by Te Whatu Ora Mental Health and Addiction Workforce Commissioning Directorate.
  • The aim is to equip the mental health and addiction workforce with cultural comepencty skills and knowledge to provide culturally safe, equitable, person-centred and responsive services for Asian and Refugee communities accessing mental health and addiction services and support.
301

2021

Launched new CALD Cultural Competency in a Psychiatric Context Training Programme - four self-directed self-paced online modules

  • July 2021: Module 301-1 Pre-requisites for CALD practice (e-learning)
  • July 2021: Module 301-2 Assessment and Diagnosis (e-learning)
  • July 2021: Module 301-3 Treating cross-culturally (e-learning)
  • July 2021: Module 301-4 Working with interpreters in mental health (e-learning)
history new website

2020

Launched new remote F2F courses, other new courses, redesigned website

  • Sep 2020: launched a redesigned website integrating with the LMS course enrolment and event management system.
  • Sep 2020: launched a telehealth tutorial video for clinicians working with interpreters in video appointments.
  • Apr-Jun 2020: created new remote F2F and online courses for interpreters "Interpreting remotely the healthcare setting" and provided training to 170+ interpreters across the country, as part of the COVID-19 response.
  • Apr-Jun 2020: created remote face-to-face "Courses for Working with CALD Patients" to provide additional contact-less training options, in response to the COVID-19 situation.
  • Mar 2020: launched the new online “Working with CALD Clients in Palliative Care” course.
  • Aug-2019-Feb 2020: upgraded the online course authoring system to improve the back-end functionality and to enhance the integration with the Learning Management System for data-saving.
history lms

2019

New Learning management system (LMS)

  • Sep 2019: launched the new face-to-face “Working with Communicable Diseases with CALD clients” course.
  • Jul 2019: launched the new F2F and online “Cultural Competency & Customer Service” courses.
  • Feb 2019: launched the new LMS with improved functionality and design to improve user experience. 
  • Feb 2019: launched the new online “Working with Addiction with CALD Clients” course.
  • Feb 2019: upgraded the resource authoring system and created a comprehensive range of e-book resources with multi-media offered in the secured LMS system.
history course authoring

2017 - 2018

Redesigned online course authoring system, created more courses

  • Sep-Dec 2018: upgraded all the online courses with a completely redesigned user experience for online courses with intuitive navigation and interactive course experience.
  • Aug 2018: the eCALD programme was announced as joint winner of the Cultural Celebration Award in the Diversity Awards NZ 2018.
  • Jun-Sep 2018: redesigned and upgraded the online course authoring system.
  • Dec 2017-Jun 2018: produced and launched the new “Caring for Asian Children Resource”
  • Sep 2018: launched the new F2F “Working with Addiction with CALD Clients” course.
  • Jan-Aug 2018: produced and launched “CALD Child & Adolescent Mental Health Resource"
  • Aug 2018: launched new online and F2F “Working in a Mental Health Context courses for Children and Adolescents”
history website 2017

2016 - 2017

Enhanced website experience and developed more resources

  • Sept 2017: enhanced our website with new technology, new look and new features to improve user experience.
  • 2017: developed additional cross-cultural resources, eg “CALD Older People Resource” and “Maternal Health for CALD Women Resource”.
NZ map

2016

Rollout to PHO’s and NGO's outside the Auckland region

  • Staged rollout of the eCALD® cultural competency programme to primary health organisations, primary care, and the NGO sector outside of Auckland.
old logo

2015

Rebranding, ecald.com launch and national expansion

  • Aug 2015: rebranded “caldresources” as “eCALD”.
  • Aug 2015: created a new responsive website “ecald.com”.
  • Aug 2015: rolled out eCALD® courses and resources from 28th August 2015 to all District Health Boards in New Zealand.
older resources

2010 - 2015

Development of further courses and resources

  • Developed nine CALD “Courses for Working with Patients” (available online and face-to-face) and three “Courses for Working in a Culturally Diverse Workplace” (face-to-face only).
  • Developed additional six supplementary resources - online toolkits to provide additional culture- specific information.
cald resources online

2010

Created and launched the first CALD Learning Management System and the first online CALD course

  • Jun 2010: won the "Waitemata Health Excellence Awards" as Overall Winner, as well as Highly Commended for Workforce Development & Innovation for the development of the CALD 1 Culture & Cultural Competence online course.
  • Sep 2009-Apr 2010: produced and rolled out the first of its kind CALD 1 Culture & Cultural Competency online course
  • Dec 2009-Apr 2010: produced and rolled out the first of its kind CALD Learning Management System to enable the delivery of e-Learning courses.
  • Aug 2018-May 2010: produced and launched the PDF downloadable “Toolkit for Health Workforce Working in a Culturally Diverse Workplace”.
auckland map

2009

Expansion to Auckland-metro region

Secured Ministry of Health funding for the provision of CALD face-to-face and online training programme to the Auckland-metro DHB health and disability workforce working in District Health Boards, primary care and NGO sector for stage rollout.

ccr original 2

2006-2007

The development of the first cross-cultural resource

Produced the “Cross-Cultural Resource for health practitioners working with CALD clients”.

timeline1

2005 - 2006

Initial development of CALD courses

Produced four CALD Cultural Competency face-to-face courses for working with patients for the Waitematā DHB workforce.

timeline2 v3

2006 - 2009

Providing training to the Waitematā DHB health workforce

Provided CALD face-to-face training programme to Waitematā DHB health workforce.