July updates
No images? Click here
In this July issue:
- News and Events
- Health and Community-based resources
- Disability Updates
- COVID-19 Updates
- Research, Submissions and Advocacy Opportunities
- Professional Development Opportunities
News and Events
Register now for the Victorian Refugee Health Network's Statewide Meeting!
27th of July 2023 (Online)
Dear colleagues,
The Victorian Refugee Health Network will be holding our next Statewide meeting via Zoom on the 27th July 2023.
Date: Thursday 27th July 2023
Time: 2.00 pm - 4:00pm AEST
Where: Zoom (details provided after you register)
RSVP: by 25th of July to ensure you receive the Zoom details and meeting notes following the meeting.
Conclusion of asylum seeker utility support pilot program
The Utility Subsidy Program was a two-year pilot to help people seeking asylum in Victoria pay their household bills like water, gas and electricity. The pilot program highlighted the importance of flexible utility bill help for people seeking asylum. The pilot program has informed policies on providing utility bill support to at-risk households. The Utility Subsidy Program is a two-year pilot program, and it will no longer be available from 1 July 2023.
People seeking asylum can still get help with their bills from Red Cross. The Victorian Government continues to support Red Cross to provide this assistance.
Click the link below for more information on assistance provided by red cross:
Improving connections for multicultural seniors
The Victorian Government is supporting seniors from multicultural communities to foster stronger community connections and promote vibrant local activities.
An investment of $2000 is being provided to each community group to deliver social and cultural activities, purchase equipment and establish digital support networks. Recipients also benefit from complimentary public liability insurance and group accident cover
For more information click the link below:
UN Global Trends Report
The United Nations latest Global Trends report was recently published, providing key statistical trends on forced displacement. The report comprises the most up-to-date official statistics on refugees, asylum-seekers, internally displaced and stateless people, as well as the number of refugees who have returned home.
Click the link below to read full report:
New Health Guide launched to help new arrivals navigate the Health system
A new Health Guide developed by Mater Refugee Health with support from Brisbane South PHN, reviews by multicultural communities and clinicians via the Refugee Health Network Queensland, in consultation with Queensland Health has been launched.
The information is for humanitarian arrivals and covers information about navigating the Health system such as:
• Interpreters
• Health cards
• Doctors & medical care
• Specialists
• Emergency
• Hospitals
• Medicines
• Mental wellbeing
• Health checks
• Vaccinations
This resources will be adapted and translated into several languages including Swahili, Arabic, Dari and Farsi.
To access the health guide in English click the link below:
Health and community-based resources
Translated mental health videos
The Multicultural Centre for Women's Health has produced a video series in 20 languages to help promote the Victorian government's new Mental Health and Wellbeing Local (MHWL) services, which are currently in six locations across the state with six more set to open by the end of the year. MHWL services offer free, culturally inclusive mental health support for Victorians aged 26 and over without the need for a Medicare Card or referral from a GP.
Click the link below to watch the videos
Parenting in a new culture course
Spectrum has developed a course that supports migrant and newly arrived families in settling in Australia. The Parenting in a New Culture (PINC) program will build parenting skills, give practical exercises and offer information on a wide range of topics, from the different development stages of the child to the education and legal systems.
For more information, you can contact Sihem Sayoud by calling 0431 574 482 or emailing sihem.sayoud@spectrumvic.org.au.
Assisting young people in Melbourne’s west on their citizenship journey
Victoria Legal Aid in partnership with WEjustice is delivering the Youth Citizenship in the West project and is reaching out to eligible young people aged up to 24 years through schools and community groups so they can access free legal support to make an application. The project aims to increase awareness of the benefits of gaining Australian citizenship and provide legal assistance to young people in Melbourne’s western suburbs who are on a visa, are eligible for citizenship and for different reasons have not applied for it.
Click the link below for more information:
Cold chain breach eLearning modules now available
Cold chain management is important to ensure that effective and potent vaccines are administered to the public. The department’s Cold Chain Management eLearning modules have been developed to assist Victorian immunization providers with staff education to effectively manage the vaccine cold chain. There is one module for clinical staff/practice managers, and another for non-clinical staff.
Click the link below to access the modules:
Key organisations for working with culturally and linguistically diverse families
Child Family Community Australia (CFCA) resource sheet is a directory of key organisations and resources for practitioners and service providers working with families and children from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds.
Click the link below to access the resource sheet:
Health Translations
Health Translations is a free online library of high-quality translated health and wellbeing information for Australian health practitioners working with multicultural communities. The newsletter features the latest multilingual resources on COVID-19, tax, legal help, parenting, gambling, hepatitis, food safety standards, disabilities, ageing and aged care, dementia and mental health to help Victoria's service providers and multicultural communities stay safe and informed.
Perinatal mental health videos in twenty one languages
Multicultural Centre for Women’s Health has developed videos about perinatal mental health in twenty one languages.
You can view the video by clicking the links below:
Healthy relationships fact sheets in Arabic, Chinese, Hindi and Vietnamese
Family Planning New South Wales has developed fact sheets about healthy relationships in Arabic, Chinese, Hindi and Vietnamese.
You can read more about healthy relationships by using the links below:
Help with tracing family members and finding missing loved ones.
Red Cross is providing a free and confidential service to help with:
- finding a family member missing as a result of war, disaster or migration through family tracing
- sending a message to a relative where there is no formal means of communication
- check the welfare of a relative overseas whom you are unable to reach due to illness or other circumstances
- by providing you with a confirmation of detention if the International Committee of the Red Cross visited you in detention overseas.
For more information click the link below:
Free English lessons for people with migrant and refugee or asylum seeker backgrounds
The Adult Migrant English Program (AMEP) is a free service which helps eligible migrants and refugees or asylum seekers to improve their English language skills and settle into Australia. It can further education, a new career, or a chance to transfer existing skills to the Australian workplace. You can also meet other people learning English and make new friends.
The program is delivered at around 300 locations across Australia in major cities, as well as regional and remote areas. You can join your class online, go to COVID-safe face to face classes, or learn remotely by distance learning.
click the link below for more information
Disability Updates
The age of children supported under the NDIS early childhood approach is changing
From July 1, 2023, Children younger than 6 will continue being supported by an early childhood partner if they have:
- a permanent disability
- developmental delay
- developmental concerns
- Children under 6 with developmental concerns may be offered early supports.
- Children aged 6-8 with developmental delay, and who are not eligible for NDIS funded supports will be supported through early connections.
- Children younger than 9 with a permanent disability that are new to the NDIS from 1 July 2023 will be supported by our early childhood team.
Find out more in the link below:
Resources for children with autism
Positive Partnerships works with families, educators, and communities to help improve outcomes for young people with autism.
Resources have been developed with diverse communities to help school-aged children on the autism spectrum. These translated resources include information about autism, professional help, and how to use visual supports for communication.
Find out more and download the resources on the Health Translations websites in the link below:
COVID-19 Updates
COVID-19 Chief Health Officer Update
There were 2,560 COVID-19 cases reported in Victoria this week as of 30th of June. The average daily number of new cases this week was 366, down from 489 last week.
Click HERE to read full update
COVID-19 Community Grants Program
The Department of Health has invited applications for its Community Grants Program to support community groups to undertake COVID-19 related projects.
WPHU would like to continue its support for local community groups by providing guidance to those groups seeking to make grant applications. Please contact wphu@wh.org.au for questions and further information on how they might assist.
Grant application deadline: Monday 17 July 2023, 09:00 AM
For more information about these grants, including program guidelines, and to submit an application, please click the link below:
Research, Submissions & Advocacy Opportunities
"Reflections on implementing and facilitating a multidisciplinary and equity-oriented model of Group Pregnancy Care for women of refugee background”
Murdoch Children's Research Institute GPC paper “Finding our own ways of working together: reflections on implementing and facilitating a multidisciplinary and equity-oriented model of Group Pregnancy Care for women of refugee background” has now been published with Midwifery.
Click the link below for 50 days free access to read and download the paper.
Final report of the Senate Inquiry into Universal Access to Reproductive Healthcare: Ending the Postcode Lottery
The report noted the range of health system barriers that prevent migrant and refugee women from having equitable access to reproductive healthcare. The 36 recommendations are broad ranging, from maternity care to contraception, medical termination and health literacy.
Click the link below to read the full report
This interim report outlines the initial findings from the Senate Select Committee inquiry into oral health and dental health services provided in Australia.
Click the link below to read the interim report:
PRISM Family: Project Researching The Impact Of Separated And Missing Family
The University of New South Wales, Australian Red Cross and the International Committee of the Red Cross have joined together to shine a light on the stories of those with missing family. The PRISM Family study is a new Project Researching the Impact of Separated and Missing Family. The research study is available in 6 languages.
For more information contact prism@unsw.edu.au or email Belinda Liddell on b.liddell@unsw.edu.au or click the link below:
A new resource to support migrant and refugee women, non-binary and gender diverse people's leadership
Multicultural Centre for Women’s Health has developed for community leaders, project designers, project officers running programs for migrant and refugee women, non-binary and gender diverse people. Set the PACE supports leaders to implement community-based projects that empower and strengthen our communities. This guide offers five ways you can improve migrant and refugee women, non-binary and gender diverse people’s leadership by centering their experiences, challenging traditional leadership models, increasing accessibility, collaborating with others, and using an intersectional approach.
To access the resource click the link below:
Carla Zampatti’s legacy in breaking barriers and supporting the aspirations of CALD women
The Carla Zampatti Scholarship for Young Women is a national initiative developed by the Australian Multicultural Foundation.The Scholarship supports young women from new and emerging culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds to achieve their aspirations and goals in life where there may be hardships, barriers or challenges to achieving these goals.
Eligible applicants can receive a grant of up to $10,000 toward a personal venture, goal, or activity. Applications are close at 5.00pm, Friday 14 July 2023.
Click the link below to apply:
Have your say on anti-racism
Victoria University is working with the ECCV and ICV to conduct a survey to better understand existing reporting barriers and support needs for Victoria’s multicultural and multi-faith communities. The insights will help identify gaps in the existing reporting and support services and develop recommendations on how to improve anti-racism services in line with the needs and expectations of people from Victoria's multicultural and multi-faith communities.
Click the link below to complete the survey.
19 July Actions – 10 Years Too (bloody) Long
On Wednesday 19th July 2023, it will be 10 long years since former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd announced that anyone seeking asylum who arrived by boat would be ‘never allowed to settle in Australia’ and would be subject to offshore detention. This resulted in the regime of cruelty under which thousands of men, women and children suffered years in appalling conditions in detention on Nauru and Manus Island.
For listing of 10 Years Too Long Events ( 19 – 23 July) click the link below:
Action concerning PNG: email your MP
The evacuation of refugees from Nauru brings one chapter in a decade of harm to an end. But ten years after our government forced them to brutal overseas detention camps, dozens of people who came here for safety are still trapped in Papua New Guinea.
Tell your MP that Home Affairs Minister Clare O'Neil must evacuate the last refugees abandoned in PNG, so they can rebuild their lives here or in another safe country.
Click the link below to email your local MP:
Professional Learning Opportunities
Foundation House Professional Learning Calendar
Incidental Counselling with Survivors of Trauma
When: Tuesday August 1 and 15, 9.30 – 4pm
Where: Foundation House, Brunswick
This two-day workshop will provide practitioners with the knowledge and skills to integrate into practice key theories, approaches, and methods for providing counselling to survivors of refugee trauma when this is incidental to their primary roles. Practitioners will gain incidental counselling and other skills for responding to difficult and distressing situations. The workshop involves presentations, practical exercises, roleplay, and discussions in large and small groups.
For more details and to register click HERE
Incidental Counselling: Nurses and Allied Health Professionals Working with People from Refugee Backgrounds - Rural & Regional
When: Thurs August 17 and 24, 9:30- 3:30pm
Where: Online Via Zoom
This two day workshop will provide practitioners with the key theories, approaches, and methods for providing counselling to survivors of refugee trauma when this is incidental to their primary roles. Practitioners will gain incidental counselling and other skills for responding to difficult and distressing situations. The workshop involves presentations, practical exercises, roleplay, and discussions in large and small groups.
For more details and to register click HERE.
WEBINAR - Connecting with Multicultural Clients over the Phone
When: Thu, Jul 27, 12:00 PM - 12:30 PM GMT+10
Working with clients over the phone poses unique challenges. In this webinar learn specific tips to help you communicate more effectively across language and culture and have your questions answered.
For more information and to register for the webinar click the link below:
Health Literacy & Cultural Competence courses
Centre for Culture, Ethnicity & Health provides E-learning courses & specialist training to help organisations, staff and systems be more responsive to clients from migrant & refugee backgrounds.
Click the link below to register:
About the Victorian Refugee Health Network
The Victorian Refugee Health Network brings together health, settlement and community services to be more accessible and responsive to the needs of people from refugee backgrounds, including people seeking asylum. The e-Bulletin provides a regular forum to share news, resources and information to support practitioners and services in providing health care to people from refugee backgrounds.
Connect
You can contact the Victorian Refugee Health Network secretariat at refugeehealth@foundationhouse.org.au You can subscribe to become a Network Member.
