Challenges of Development Projects in CALD Communities: Lessons Learned from Non-profit Practitioners

While the term global development suggests development efforts spanning the entire globe, in practice, such projects are predominantly associated with the Global South. As a result, development initiatives have been criticized for reinforcing paternalistic and colonial narratives of progress, deepening the divide between the "developed" West and the "less developed" rest. Similarly, HCI4D research is largely focused on the Global South, often overlooking the challenges faced by marginalized communities in high-income countries. In this paper, we examine an underexplored context for HCI4D: culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities in Australia. Drawing on interviews with 10 non-profit practitioners experienced in working with CALD communities, we report on key challenges encountered in Development work. Our findings highlight the need to (i) secure genuinely informed consent, (ii) recognize the mediating role of local volunteers, and (iii) address cross-cultural communication gaps to support authentic community representation. While grounded in a specific setting, our insights offer broader implications for both HCI4D and the wider HCI community.