Thank you for all your hard work in 2019

From the Victorian Refugee Health Network

Photo: Victorian Refugee Health Network participants at a statewide meeting. Image credit: Annette Ruzicka Photography 

It has been a big year with lots of changes for the Victorian Refugee Health Network, and we would like to thank everyone for your contributions. We hope you have a safe and restful break and we're looking forward to working together in the new year.

Women’s Health in the North wins VicHealth award

The Victorian Refugee Health Network congratulates Women’s Health in the North for winning a 2019 VicHealth award in the category of Promoting Gender Equality for their financial literacy program ‘Let’s Talk Money”.

Let’s Talk Money aims to support the economic empowerment of migrant and refugee women, recognising that they face particular barriers to economic participation and independence. The program uses a bilingual peer educator/trainer approach to deliver practical, tailored financial literacy and money-management workshops, covering topics such as banking, loans and debt, Centrelink and tax and super.

For more information about 'Let's Talk Money' visit the website.

Applications for VicHealth Partnership Grants open now

The first round of VicHealth Partnership Grants, offering a multi-million-dollar funding pool, is open now. A number of grants are available, including, Alcohol Culture Change Partnership Grant, Art of Good Health Partnership Grant, Everyday Creativity Partnership Grant, Healthier Masculinities Partnership Grant and Ideas Partnership Grant.

Research grant EOIs close on 10 February 2020, and all other applications close on 24 February 2020.

VicHealth Partnership Grant applications will go through a multi-stage assessment process involving VicHealth and external content experts. This will take place in March-April 2020, with all applicants to be notified of the outcomes by 30 April 2020.

More information

Road 2 Work Internship Program – information for businesses

Road 2 Work is an internship program for people from refugee backgrounds to help them gain professional work experience and ideally employment in the long term. Businesses located in or within close proximity to the City of Whittlesea can sign up to the program to host a Road 2 Work internship, receive free cultural awareness training for staff and gain access to a pool of motivated and skilled interns. For more information about hosting an internship please contact Oreste Pompetti on opompetti@whittleseacc.org.au or 0460 446 856 or Norma Medawar on nmedawar@whittleseacc.org.au or 0459 159 050 to arrange an initial discussion.

Resources and reports

Pelvic Floor Exercises – translated resource

The Royal Women’s Hospital has developed fact sheets about pelvic floor exercises in English, Amharic, Arabic, Farsi, Oromo, Somali, Turkish, and Urdu.

Who are GPs and what do they do? – translated resource

Health Direct Australia has developed brochures that explain the role of the doctor in Australia. Brochures are available in English, Arabic, Bengali, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese and Vietnamese.

Australian Health Services – translated resources

Health Direct Australia has developed brochures to explain the different types of health services available in Australia. The brochures are published in English, Arabic, Bengali, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese and Vietnamese.

2019 Mapping Social Cohesion Report

Scanlon Foundation

This report presents the findings of the twelfth Scanlon Foundation Mapping Social Cohesion Survey conducted in 2019. It includes discussion of public opinion on social cohesion, trust, immigration, asylum seekers, and ethnic, cultural and religious diversity.

Delivery of the Humanitarian Settlement Program

Australian National Audit Office (ANAO)

This audit assessed whether the Department of Social Services and Department of Home Affairs have managed the Humanitarian Settlement Program (HSP) effectively following the commencement of the HSP in October 2017.

Professional development and events

Refugee Alternatives Conference 2020
The 2020 Refugee Alternatives conference will be held in Brisbane on Thursday 13 February 2020 and Friday 14 February 2020. The conference is a two-day event focusing on improving policy, practice and public support for refugee and asylum seeker issues, bringing together a broad range of expertise covering topics of displacement; protection; cooperation; wellbeing; resilience; education; advocacy; and unity from across the country and across the globe. Queensland University of Technology (QUT) will also be hosting QUT Collaborative Conversations: Co-creating a Research & Action Agenda on Wednesday 12 February 2020 (see here for more details). 

For more information about the Refugee Alternatives Conference 2020 visit the website or register here

2020 statewide meeting dates - put them in your diary

In 2020, Victorian Refugee Health Network statewide meetings will happen on the following dates:

Thursday 23 April 2020

Thursday 20 August 2020

Thursday 3 December 2020

Sign up to receive updates and invitations to upcoming statewide Victorian Refugee Health Network meetings in 2020.