Seasons Greetings

We take this opportunity to thank you for supporting VTMH during 2018.

We wish you happy and relaxing times these holidays.

We're looking forward to working with you again in 2019. 

Vale: Daryl Oehm (1952-2018)

With great sadness, we pay tribute to Daryl Oehm, VTMH Manager, who passed away on the 5th October following a short period of illness.

Daryl was a strong advocate for mental health, health equity and social justice. He had a long career in mental health,

government policy, education, Aboriginal health and international development.

Daryl was Manager at VTMH for 10 years, and was a much loved, warm, and very supportive leader. He is greatly missed by the team, and countless others across the state and nationally. 

The team has appreciated all the kind messages of support received during this sad time.

New manager appointment

Adriana Mendoza was appointed to the role of manager of VTMH in November this year. 

Adriana has extensive experience in the mental health sector, both in Australia and internationally.

Please join us in welcoming Adriana to the role.

Read more about Adriana

"I am looking forward to supporting VTMH to continue encouraging the mental health and community sectors to grow in cultural responsiveness" 

What's coming up in 2019?

Preparations are underway for education and training events in 2019. 

You'll find 2019 dates and information about our collaboration with the Victorian Mental Health Learning & Development Clusters here. 

For information about all the ways to learn with VTMH, download the Workforce Education and Practice Support flyer.

To get updates about upcoming events, register with our mailing list.

Program updates

LGBTIQ-inclusive multicultural and multifaith communities

We've just concluded a two-year partnership with GLHV that was supported by a Community Harmony Grant from the Office of Multicultural Affairs and Social Cohesion. VTMH led the co-design and co-production of the LGBTI Intersect website. 

The project, OUT in the CALD, consulted many individuals and groups - people who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and queer (LGBTIQ); those identifying as Queer Transgender Intersex People of Colour (QTIPOC); those from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds (CALD) inclusive of asylum seekers, refugees and migrants; and those with diverse intergenerational migration histories and those from faith communities inclusive of faith and community leaders. 

We'll have more to say, early next year, about education and networking opportunities.

Community project grants evaluation

Our work evaluating thirteen projects, funded by the Department of Health and Human Services is also drawing to a close. The projects aim to improve mental health and social and emotional wellbeing among immigrant and refugee communities. They were undertaken by community health services, migrant settlement services and community organisations, across metropolitan Melbourne, and in Bendigo, Geelong and Gippsland. A report will be available in early 2019.

Working with Interpreters: new resources available soon

We've been conducting consultations, creating content and designing new resources to support mental health practitioners to work with interpreters.

The online resource is already available. Updated practice materials and videos will be released next year.  

Between You and Me/Let’s Talk About ‘It’ 

Published by Families where a Parent has a Mental Illness (FAPMI) in 2015, Between you and me (for children 8-12 years) and Let’s talk About ‘It’ (for parents) is a colourful 44 page ‘flip’ book, so two books in one. It describes mental illnesses, some myths, what helps and more, in clear simple language.

Thanks to the efforts of FAPMI  coordinator, Helen Carter, based at St Vincent's Mental Health and Naomi Chapman, VTMH Consumer Consultant, this resource is now also available in Vietnamese, Chinese (Simplified and Traditional) Arabic. 

For copies in English and other languages, email Helen Carter helen.carter2@svha.org.au 

Helen Carter & Naomi Chapman

VTMH Partners in Diversity Program

Are you keen to work with others in your organisation to plan and implement cultural diversity initiatives? Are you registered with the Victorian Cultural Portfolio Holder (CPH) Program?

Every year, VTMH works intensively with a small number of mental health organisations through the Partners in Diversity Program. 

Partnering takes a variety of forms. It commonly involves VTMH consultants and organisational leaders working together to review internal policies and procedures, undertake workforce training, and collaborate on evaluation and other projects.

To find out more, download the Partners in Diversity flyer and contact us to speak with an Education and Service Development Consultant.

2018: Looking back

Engaging communities

One of VTMH's core aims is to engage communities. We work directly with community groups or alongside organisations that already have community connections.

Once a month during 2018, we joined Matoc Mordecai Achol, coordinator of the South Sudanese community radio program at 3ZZZ. The program discusses mental health alongside broader socio-political issues that impact the wellbeing of South Sudanese communities.

We also partnered with Foundation House and Catholic Care to facilitate a group with women from Afghanistan resettled in the Greater Dandenong area. Meeting regularly over several months, the sessions empowered the women, built on their strengths and encouraged them to connect with each other. They also explored the mental health issues facing their families and communities. An evaluation report that describes the approach and participants' experiences will be available in 2019. 

Education and training snapshot 

• 20 full-day workshops in collaboration with partner services.
• Introductory and advanced workshops delivered via the Victorian Mental Health Learning & Development Clusters
• We added Cultural diversity and assessment to our collection of free online learning resources
• Trialled an online webinar series offered through the Victorian Cultural Portfolio Holder Program
• Continued to offer a range of continuous learning activities, including team-based reflective practice sessions
• ​Forums and seminars​
• ​Sessions on cultural diversity, LGBTIQ+ communities and intersectionality in collaboration with VAADA, the peak body representing alcohol and other drug (AOD) services in Victoria
• A program of workshops with the North Western Melbourne Primary Health Network. 

News from our website

Vocation Works!

Almost 100 people came together during mental health week for the Vocation Works! Diverse Voices on Vocational Rehabilitation Forum, hosted by VTMH. Speakers explored relationships between recovery, vocation and diversity.
Read more

VTMH team at the Forum

The Victorian Cultural Portfolio Holder Network Oration 

For a second year, we celebrated the contributions of Victorian Cultural Portfolio Holder Network members at the Oration Evening.This year’s guest speaker was award winning journalist and documentary film maker, Santilla Chingaipe. Read more 

Oration speaker, Santilla Chingaipe

VTMH Seminar Series in 2018 

This year, over 250 people attended nine seminar sessions hosted by VTMH. 

We heard about providing mental health support for asylum seekers and refugees; a spotlight on issues affecting young refugees; interpreters' perspectives on mental health encounters; the consequences of gambling harm; the role of bicultural practitioners in mental health; structurally marginalised communities; how a human rights framework can help fight the rise of racism; understanding complex trauma; and responding to family and domestic violence.

Thank you to all our guest speakers. Seminars will resume in March 2019.
Read more

Guest speaker Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commissioner, Kristen Hilton (centre), with VTMH team at September, Seminar 2018

Victorian Cultural Portfolio Holder Program at TheMHS 2018

The Victorian Cultural Portfolio Holder (CPH) Program, facilitated by VTMH, featured at this year's The Mental Health Services (TheMHS) Conference in Adelaide on Thursday August 30th 2018. Read more