Multicultural Communities Council Gold Coast Newsletter 

IN THIS EDITION OF OUR MONTHLY NEWSLETTER:

* International Café 2021*

* Work Towards Program*

*Walk Together 2021*

*COVID-19 Updates*

*Spotlight on our Community*

*City of Champs 2021* 

*Members of the Month*

…and more!

INTERNATIONAL CAFE 2021

Multicultural Communities Council Gold Coast and CÜRA are back with the biggest inter-generational cultural event on the Gold Coast!

Join us for this FREE community event to celebrate Queensland Seniors Month. We're bringing together people of all ages and backgrounds to showcase the diversity in our community through unique performances, workshops, food tasting and more!

Come share in the fun with a diverse group of people from across the region including seniors, carers, students and local multicultural groups. Let's celebrate all the wonderful ways our diversity adds to the vibrant and welcoming culture of the Gold Coast!

Where: Southport Church of Christ - 1 Griffith Way, Southport. 

When: Wednesday October 27th 

Time: 10am-1pm 

Keep in the event loop by clicking 'GOING' to our Facebook event here: https://bit.ly/3AWDP3S

We would love you see you there! 

This event will operate within the Queensland Government's COVID-SAFE guidelines. 

We are excited to announce we are now accepting participants in our new Work Towards program! The Diverse Queensland Workforce program is proudly funded by the Queensland Government and provides access to a hub to increase employment opportunities for work ready migrants and refugees and international students.

Work Towards helps you get the job and reach your career goals. We work with you one on one to create a unique support plan and connect you with a range of services to increase your employment opportunities.

It's a flexible program that provides you with tailored support based on your individual needs which can include:

• Resumes & cover letters
• Interview preparation
• Mentorship & workshops
• Overseas qualifications
• English language skills
• Career planning & guidance
• Study groups & space
• Transport, dress, etc.
• And more!

Please help spread the word so we can reach communities across the Gold Coast! Click here to access the Work Towards flyer. 

For more information on Work Towards:

• Email worktowards@mccgc.com.au 
• Call 07 5527 8011
• Visit our Southport Office at Unit 9, 204 Bay Street, Southport. 

WALK TOGETHER 2021

Everyone is welcome to join us in this annual walk that brings together communities to celebrate diversity and inclusion in Australia!

Walk Together is Welcoming Australia’s annual national celebration of Australia’s diversity, designed as a tangible expression of the welcoming, fair, and compassionate society we are committed to building.

Come along for a walk with a difference - learning culture and joining together as an inclusive community. Everyone is welcome!

2021 will mark Walk Together Gold Coast’s tenth year and will feature local communities and services celebrating of our shared humanity, regardless of our background, culture, or faith.

Where: Broadwater Parklands- Great Lawn

When: Saturday 23rd of October 

Time: 10am-12pm

Walk Together Gold Coast is organised and supported by the Gold Coast Multicultural Network.

Keep in the loop with further details by clicking 'GOING' to our Facebook event here: https://bit.ly/3op8vHZ

If you are wanting to get involved or are wanting some more information, please email our CAMS Officer Candice Sullivan on candices@mccgc.com.au.

Thank you to Queensland Government for their funding towards this event.

Gold Coast Diwali Fair - Festival of Lights 2021

We are proud to be sponsoring the first annual Gold Coast Diwali Fair this wekeend hosted by one ouf or members, GOPIO Gold Coast. Everyone is welcome  to come together to celebrate this joyous occasion! 

The event will include a showcase of Indian culture, food trucks, Indian inspired clothing/homewares stalls, cultural performances and a fireworks show.

Come down to the Broadwater Parklands and enjoy what will be first of such events in Gold Coast! 

For more information or how to secure your FREE ticket- click HERE. 

To see the event on Facebook click HERE.

ANGIE BELL MP VOLUNTEER AWARDS 2021

Each year the Federal Member for Moncrieff, Angie Bell MP, invites nominations from the southern Gold Coast community to present volunteers with well deserved awards and recognition.

The Awards recognise volunteers who inspire others and enrich our community through their contributions. The Awards seek to publicly thank and celebrate volunteers for their selfless service. 

This year MCCGC nominated Ms. Antonella Russo for her work with our SETS program. We also nominated Ms. Wendy Wang and Ms. Keiko Bass for volunteering with our Community Visiting Scheme. 

Our Multicultural Community Development Officer Rhee also nominated all our I Speak your Language volunteers.

Lovely recognition for our amazing volunteers!

Queensland Mental Health Week (QMHW) is an annual awareness week that aims to shine a spotlight on individual and community mental health and wellbeing.

The initiative is linked to National Mental Health Week and World Mental Health Day, which is held on 10 October every year.

QMHW encourages all of us to think about our mental health and wellbeing, regardless of whether we may have a lived experience of mental illness or not, and encourages help seeking behaviours, when needed.

The week also gives us the opportunity to understand the importance of mental health in our everyday lives. It affects how we think, feel, and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make choices.

Each year, people across Queensland come together during QMHW through local events, conversations and activities to raise awareness of the importance of positive mental health and wellbeing.

We encourage community members to support these activities in 2021!

Click here so view an interactive map where you can find events happening in your local area.

 DREAMY- Sleep stories from First Nations storytellers

How would you like to be gently carried off to your dreams by First Nations storytellers drawing on an impeccable 80,000-year-old oral tradition?

Dreamy is a collection of sleep stories created by First Nations storytellers. ​These soothing tales will help you quiet your minds and drift off to sleep. First Nations people are the original storytellers.

Sleep matters, but our worries often feel loudest when the world around us is quiet. Scrolling through social media is an easy distraction, ​but the further we scroll, the further we get from a restful night’s sleep.​​
‍
​​Thankfully, sleep stories can help to reduce screen time and unhook our minds.​​The stars you sleep under tonight are the same stars that First Nations people have told stories beneath for millennia. ​

The idea behind Dreamy was sparked after its creators came across the 2016 Australian Reconciliation Barometer. Research found that whilst most Australians believe it’s important to know the histories of First Nations peoples, less than half (42%) say they have a high knowledge of that history.

You can listen to Dreamy's sleep stories on Spotify, Apple Podcast and on the Dreamy website. 

Dreamy is a collaboration between Common Ground, Snapchat, a Registered Psychologist, and First Nations storytellers and artists from across the continent. ⁠

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

We've been working with BreastScreen Queensland over the last year to share information about the importance of regular breast screening with multicultural communities across the Gold Coast. Women from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) backgrounds had been underrepresented in the women who were getting regular screenings and we wanted to help spread the message as early detection can save lives.

Over the last year over 4000 women who were screened in the Gold Coast spoke a language other than English at home and there were more than 700 new clients from CALD backgrounds, but there are still a lot more women to reach! 

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, which is an annual campaign to increase awareness of the disease.

Here are just a few ways you can help women in need this month: 

Screening, Access & Treatment

• A breast screen can detect breast cancer early, well before you or your doctor can see or feel anything. Breast screens are recommended for women aged 50-74, every two years. It only takes 15-20 minutes and it could save your life! See HERE for your nearest FREE BreastScreen Australia Hub.
• Make a one-time or monthly donation to help a woman in need. New this year, choose exactly where your donation goes. Learn more.

Education
Download National Breast Cancer Foundation's free Breast Problems That Aren’t Breast Cancer eBook.

Support
Volunteer to join virtually in Helping Women Now. Spread the word about Breast Cancer Awareness Month on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or LinkedIn. Host a virtual fundraiser or Facebook fundraiser benefitting the National Breast Cancer Foundation.

Hope
Share the story of how you or a loved one have been affected by breast cancer.
Proudly wear a pink ribbon during October or year-round.

Queensland restrictions update: From 4:00pm AEST 30 September 2021, the following Local Government Areas were classified as high-risk impacted areas and returned to Stage 2 restrictions:

• Brisbane City Council
• Gold Coast City Council
• Logan City Council
• Moreton Bay Regional Council
• Townsville City Council (including Magnetic Island)
• Palm Island Aboriginal Shire Council

Anyone who has been in, or resides in the same household as a person who has been in, the above Local Government Areas will be subject to the same Stage 2 restrictions.

Read more about Stage 2 restrictions here. 

Hotspot update: The Australian Capital Territory, the Jervis Bay Territory, New South Wales, and Victoria are declared hotspots. See more information about Travelling to Queensland.

FECCA 2022: Advancing Multicultural Australia is the premier conference on multiculturalism, diversity & inclusion, and migration. The conference will host multicultural communities, policy makers, service providers, academics and many more, over two big days of interesting presentations, speakers and topics.

The FECCA 2022 Conference website can be found here: https://www.fecca2022.org.au/. 

Designer Life Training

Who is Designer Life Training? 

Inspired by the passion to provide education and training that would help individuals meet their full potential no matter the barriers they had to overcome, Leisa Roberts started Designer Life in 2001, making it a wholly owned and operated Australian business. As a leading vocational education and training (VET) provider, with a demonstrated track record of engaging the long-term unemployed, the Brisbane-based company is now a prominent provider in the ‘training-to-work’ jobs market.

What are they about? 

Under the leadership of Leisa Roberts, the Designer Life ‘family’ has achieved great success in remote and disadvantaged communities, due to their strong sense of social equity and commitment to life-long learning.

As a Skills Assured supplier of vocational education and training we offer government-funded programs such as:

• Career Transition Assistance
• Employment Services Training
• Certificate 3 Guarantee
• Parents Next
• Job Trainer
• NDIS
• Skilling Queenslanders for Work; and
• Foundations Skills for The Future Program which addresses the language, literacy, and numeracy, as well as digital literacy needs contextualized to the workplace of those already working.
• These programs help to provide jobseekers with a clear path to the career they are seeking, a better quality of life resulting and financial stability gained through employment, as well as the self-esteem and pride that comes with completing a qualification.

Who do they help in the community? 

Designer Life’s vision is to continue as one of Australia’s premier training providers for Australia’s First Nations People, early school-leavers, the long-term unemployed and disadvantaged Australians. Because of this, client well-being is at the epicentre of every step in their business decision-making process.

Designer Life offers career pathway advice, and the scaffolding of qualifications for people ‘at risk’, in areas that are prioritised by government such as Community Services, Individual Support, Cleaning Operations, Educational Support,  and Hospitality.

How can you get involved? 

To find out more about Designer Life, their government funded Programs and qualifications, go to Career and Training Specialists | Designer Life or call (07) 33332500.

Towards the end of September we held our annual 'City of Champs' Soccer Tournament. 

The day's rivals were MCCGC Gold Coast team versus Goodna versus Access Logan. 

Logan won the cup- but last year we won and the 2019 winners were Goodna. It was a brilliant finals game to watch! 

Spectators were asked to bring a gold coin donation to go towards the developing humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan. 

headspace Southport & Upper Coomera

headspace is the National Youth Mental Health Foundation providing early intervention mental health services to 12-25 year old's. headspace can help young people with mental health, physical health (including sexual health) alcohol and other drug services, and work and study support.

headspace Southport & headspace Upper Coomera provide mental health support services to young people across the Gold Coast; uniquely designed to break down the barriers and stigma that young people often face when accessing support. With a focus on early intervention, we work with young people to provide support at a crucial time in their lives – to help get them back on track and strengthen their ability to manage their mental health in the future.

headspace Southport and headspace Upper Coomera can help young people when:

• they are feeling down
• they are feeling stressed
• they are being bullied
• they have concerns about drugs and alcohol
• Getting along with their family and friends
• Romantic relationships
• Questions about sex
• Questions about gender and who they are attracted to
• Getting advice about helping a friend
• Anything they want to talk about!

Good mental health and wellbeing allows us to live our lives in positive and meaningful ways and cope with life’s changes and challenges. It helps us work and study, feel connected to others, be involved in activities and bounce back when times are tough.

There are a number of things young people can do to help them look after and maintain their mental health and wellbeing. These are things like – staying active, doing things we enjoy, connecting with our family and friends, eating well, learning ways to handle tough times, getting enough sleep and cutting back on alcohol and other drugs.

You can find more tips below:

headspace also provides a service called eheadspace,  their national online and phone support service, staffed by experienced youth mental health professionals. It provides young people and carers with a safe, secure and anonymous place to talk or web-chat a professional –9am-1am everyday.

Would you like to come to their centre, see the space and know more?

headspace are celebrating 'headspace Day' and 'Queensland Mental Health Week' in Southport on Tuesday 12th October. So head down to headspace with your young person, indulge in a cupcake, paint a terracotta pot and plant a seedling to support your own mental health and wellbeing. 

Celebrate headspace Day at Upper Coomera on Friday 22nd October, see the centre, create your own badges and try a spin on our smoothie bike. Follow on https://www.instagram.com/headspace_uppercoomera/ for more details.

Follow the headspace Instagram https://www.instagram.com/headspacesouthport to keep up to date with activities and events.

For more details please contact Belinda Tessieri:

m: 0431 286 856;

e: belinda.tessieri@headspacesoutport.org.au

You can find out more about our membership program here.

October 2021 ​

15th of October - Vijay Dashami Festival

This Hindu festival marks the triumph of good over evil. The festival of Dussehra concludes the festival of Navaratri, which extends over a number of days.

FIND OUT MORE HERE

18th of October- Birth of the Prophet Muhammad

The Prophet Muhammad’s birthday is commemorated in most Muslim-majority countries, and usually marked by prayers, carnivals, fairs and public processions.

FIND OUT MORE HERE 

31st of October - Hungaro Spring Festival Gold Coast

Where: 231 Beaudesert-Nerang Road, Nerang.
When: Sunday 31 October from 11 am-5 pm
All-day entertainment, Folk songs & Dancing, Operetta, Popp songs, Latino, and much more!

FIND OUT MORE HERE

National Carers Week 2021

Running from October 10 to 16 2021, National Carers Week is a time to recognise and celebrate the 2.65 million Australians who provide care and support to a family member or friend.

This year’s theme is ‘Millions of Reasons to Care’ which aims to bring attention to the 2.65 million carers around the country who provide outstanding care and support to their loved ones.

By painting an authentic picture of caring in Australia, we will raise awareness of the incredible contribution that unpaid carers make to our nation.

At CÜRA, we offer Dementia specific respite services that are tailored to you and the loved one you are caring for.

See our flyer here: https://bit.ly/38YdE0J