Novel coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19)
For comprehensive information about COVID-19 including information in a wide variety of languages and information about maintaining your mental health at this time visit our Coronavirus (COVID-19) webpage here.
One Door Connector Program
One Door's 'Connector' empowers people living with mental illness to build their capacity to live well and connect with others. The program is designed to support individuals living with severe and persistent mental health conditions who are not receiving NDIS funding, with individual support and group-based activities that build their capacity to live well. Examples include: social support, fun activities and outings, money and budget assistance, linking to other services, and other daily activities. Local Government Areas covered for the Connector program: Blacktown, Parramatta, Auburn, Mt Druitt, Hills District, and Cumberland.
If you would like to make a referral, which includes self-referral, please download and complete this form (PDF 276 KB) and email to connectorreferrals@onedoor.org.au
Contact Josh Manzione, Coordinator Connector Western Sydney on 0419 932 413 for any questions.
Mental Health and Cognitive Impairment Forensic Provisions Bill 2020
The NSW Parliament has passed reforms related to acts committed by people with mental illness and cognitive impairments. The Bill is a remake of the existing Mental Health (Forensic Provisions) Act 1990 which will be repealed. The Bill implements a number of important recommendations made by two reports of the Law Reform Commission. The Bill also carries over amendments made in 2018 following the Whealy review of the Mental Health Review Tribunal that better support victims of forensic patients. One important aspect of the bill according to Attorney General Mark Speakman and Minister for Mental Health Bronnie Taylor is that it alters the language of the verdict ‘not guilty by reason of mental illness’ to acknowledge the impact of the harmful acts.
To view the Mental Health and Cognitive Impairment Forensic Provisions Bill 2020 click here.
Mental Health Australia Statement: Cultural Diversity and Respect
Mental Australia have released a statement on Cultural Diversity and Respect. As the world debates, and protests, over the divide between racism and respect, the statement affirms Mental Health Australia's position on cultural diversity. The statement asserts that today, in 2020, people in our community are still marginalized, treated poorly or discriminated against because of race, gender, disability, age or sexuality and that these are social determinants of health and such discrimination is clearly detrimental to one’s mental health.
View the full statement here.
Australian Mental Health Awards 2020
Each year during the National Mental Health Month, Mental Health Foundation Australia recognises and celebrates the achievements and contributions of individuals, organisations and groups working tirelessly to stamp out stigma and raise awareness for Mental Health. To also provide support and build resilience in those lives impacted by Mental Health across Australia.
Nominations are invited from those who have made a significant contribution towards a positive mental health sector; provided an inspirational role model for the sector to follow and demonstrated excellence or innovation in service delivery. For more information and to nominate someone visit the Mental Health Foundation website.
Expressions of Interest - WayAhead Translation Project
WayAhead are currently seeking Expressions of Interest for an exciting new translation project which will provide culturally relevant mental health information to people from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds. The project is designed to help reach people who might not access information about mental health through currently available sources, and those who may have difficulty with written fact sheets. Click here for more information.
Living Library 2020 - Save the date and Expression of Interest
In 2020, the Living Library will return for Mental Health Month. This year, the event will be streamed entirely online. The Living Library is an opportunity to listen to community members and a clinician sharing their personal stories of mental health, wellbeing and recovery.
If you would like to be a Living Library speaker in 2020 or to learn more, go to: https://mylibrary.liverpool.nsw.gov.au/whats-on/adults. The organisers encourage speakers who are young people, older people, LGBTIQA+, refugee, and from migrant communities
Click here to download a flyer about the Living Library PDF 221 KB
Mental Health Month Small Grants Now Open
Each year Way Ahead offers a number of small grants to assist the staging of mental health promotion activities or events during October’s Mental Health Month. There are five categories of grants available including the Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) grants. CALD grants are for projects focusing specifically on Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) communities. In this category the judges are looking for projects which are especially creative or innovative; applications from small, community-led organisations or groups; projects which respond to the needs of their local/target community; projects which have a clear mental health focus and projects with a strong link to the Mental Health Month theme (“Tune In”).
For more information and to apply for a Small Grant click here.
2020 National Carer Survey
The 2020 National Carer Survey will help Carers NSW and their partners to advocate for carers, influence policy development, and improve service delivery for carers into the future. The survey will take around 20 minutes to complete. If you are a carer and are interested in completing the survey click here.
NSW Humanitarian Awards Applications Now Open
Each year, as part of National Refugee Week in June, the STARTTS NSW Humanitarian Awards provide an opportunity to acknowledge and thank those who have made an exceptional positive contribution towards refugee issues in the state of NSW. The Humanitarian Awards also provide a chance to further promote the hard work and achievements of both individuals and organisations in various fields that play a substantial role in improving the lives of refugees. Anyone can nominate, and anyone can be nominated!
Nominations Close 31 May 2020. Click here for further information and to nominate someone.
Nominations for Mental Health Matters Awards 2020 Now Open!
The Mental Health Matters Awards recognise the outstanding achievements of individuals, groups and organisations that have worked to improve understanding, awareness, service provision and the general mental health of communities in NSW over the past year (2019 — 2020). Do you know someone doing excellent work in mental health? You can nominate yourself, a program you work for/with, or a program or person you know. Nominations are open in a range of categories including the Community Initiative Award, which recognises small, grass-roots, community-run groups, particularly Culturally and Linguistically Diverse community groups.
For more information and to make a nomination for an award visit the Way Ahead website.
NSW Interpreter Scholarship Program
Multicultural NSW is offering fully funded scholarships to study an online skill set course through RMIT University to become a Recognised Practicing Interpreter for people from new and emerging communities, or languages where there is a critical need. The program is offered to people who meet the eligibility criteria and speak one or more of the following languages: Burmese, Chinese-Chiu Chow, Creole, Dinka, Fijian, Fiji Hindi, Igbo, Khmer, Kinyarwanda, Kirundi, Krio, Kurmanji Kurdish, Mongolian, Nepali, Oromo, Samoan, S’Gaw Karen, Somali, Swahili, Telugu, Tetum, Tigrinya, Tongan, Twi, Urdu or Uyghur.
If you fit the criteria and are interested in becoming an interpreter visit the Multicultural Website for more information.
Red Cross Emergency Relief and Casework Support for People on Temporary Visas
The Australian Red Cross has received funding from the Australian Government for the next six months to deliver emergency relief and casework support for people who are on temporary visas. These are emergency relief payments, not income support and provide one-off, limited amounts to help people with essential needs like food and medicine. The funds are for people on temporary visas who have no way to support themselves and who have urgent needs. If you believe or your client may be eligible for this support visit The Australian Red Cross website for further information.
One Door Bilingual Mental Health Support Service
In times of uncertainty it is important to take care of your mental health, just as you would with your physical health. If you have lost your job, feel lonely at home, feel worried or overwhelmed, or simply just want to talk One Door can help. One Door's Bilingual Mental Health Support Service is offering people living with mental illness, their families and carers who live in Auburn and neighbouring suburbs, support in finding the right services. One Door have bilingual mental health support workers who speak Arabic, Mandarin, Vietnamese.and Farsi , Dari.
Contact One Door Bilingual Support Service on 8737 5566
Visit the One Door Bilingual Mental Health Support Service website for more information
Download a Flyer about this service here (PDF 6.3MB)
FECCA Access and Equity Survey 2020
The Federation of Ethnic Communities’ Councils of Australia (FECCA) is the national peak body representing Australians from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds. Over the years, FECCA has produced Access and Equity reports for the Government based on consultations and surveys across Australia. This survey is designed to get insights and opinions from people from CALD backgrounds about your experience finding and using government services. The survey will take about 10-15 minutes to complete. For more information and to complete the survey click here.
Embrace Multicultural Mental Health - Feedback Survey
The Embrace Multicultural Mental Health Project provides a national focus on mental health and suicide prevention for people from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds. Embrace would like to hear from you about your experiences, knowledge, understanding and how you would like to receive information about mental health, mental illness, and wellbeing. If you would like provide feedback complete the Embrace survey here.
How can aged care services be better?
Do you have ideas about how aged care services can be better for people from migrant and refugee backgrounds? The Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety wants to hear from you.
The Federation of Ethnic Communities' Councils of Australia (FECCA) provides information about how you can tell the Royal Commission what you think, in your own language. Visit the FECCA website for more information.
Harmony Week
In these difficult times many of us will need to change, cancel or postpone Harmony Week activities. In lieu of pubic events to celebrate, the Australian Race Discrimination Commissioner has prepared a short Harmony Week Address reminding us all of our responsibility to end racism. You can view the message by following the links below:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ChinTanRDC/status/1239759116689534976
Race Discrimination Commissioner’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rdc.chin.tan/videos/193828481906955/
Multicultural March
It's Multicultural March, a month long celebration of our cultural diversity in NSW. In NSW we come from more than 307 ancestries, speak 215 languages and dialects, and follow 148 different religious beliefs. In Multicultural March across the state, there are festivals and events that are bursting with energy, colours and flavours. Saturday 21 March is Harmony Day and the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. Take a look at the Multicultural March calendar of events, visit www.multicultural.nsw.gov.au/multiculturalmarch
The NSW Refugee Health Service Walking Program
The NSW Refugee Health Service’s volunteer led walking program for newly arrived refugees is up and going! The walking program aims to not only promote physical activity but reduce social isolation and connect/ introduce new arrivals to various physical and social activities that are taking place in Liverpool and Fairfield. The walking program runs every week in either Liverpool or Fairfield respectively and is led by trained volunteers from the NSW Refugee Health Service.
Download a Flyer in English about the program here (PDF 1789 KB)
Download a Flyer in Arabic/عربي about the program here (PDF 1830 KB)
Download a Flyer in Dari/دری about the program here (PDF 1856 KB)
Download a Flyer in Farsi/فارسی about the program here (PDF 1843 KB)
Vinnies Xtra Eyes and Escape the Noise Kits
St Vincent De Paul's (Vinnies) Access and Inclusion team have developed two new resource kits for people with low vision or sensory overload.
Xtra Eyes Kit
The primary aim of Xtra Eyes is to provide an inclusive and comfortable space for people who may have low vision. It contains a number of items that may assist people who have low vision: Magnifying glass, magnifier strip, magnifier sheet, laminated conversation cards, whiteboard marker, wipes. Download a Flyer about the Kit here (PDF 455KB).
Escape the Noise Kit
This kit is being provided to community organisations and businesses as a resource to support people who may experience sensory overload. Contents of the Headphone Kit: drawstring bag, information booklet, display poster, noise reducing headphones, multiple single use earplugs, wipes. Download a Flyer about the Kit here (PDF 589KB).
NSW Women's Week 2 - 8 March 2020: a celebration of women
NSW Women’s Week has been established as a centrepiece to support the improvement of the lives of women in NSW. Through a series of events and activities, it celebrates the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women, and promotes gender equality.
The week coincides with International Women’s Day on Sunday 8 March. The theme for International Women’s Day this year is “An equal world is an enabled world”.
Visit the Women NSW Website for more information about events and activities happening across the week.
NSW Health wants to hear from people with Intersex variations
The NSW Ministry of Health is in the process of developing the first NSW Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Intersex (LGBTI) Health Strategy. One part of the strategy will be to improve the experience of people with intersex variations with healthcare in NSW. As part of developing this strategy a research company called Urbis is running a survey and some face-to-face and phone consultations with people with intersex variations to learn what your health needs are? What’s working well? What’s not working so well? and How could services be improved?
If you are interested in participating: Complete the online survey before Monday 16 March 2020 at 5pm https://bit.ly/2uQHNyq
or Register to take part in a consultation session before Monday 2 March 2020 at 5pm https://bit.ly/2uQ1PsP
Peter Meyer Fund - Applications are open!
The Peter Meyer Fund of Schizophrenia Fellowship NSW Ltd invites applications from researchers for the Peter Meyer Research Grant of $10,000.
The Peter Meyer Fund provides financial support for research projects into schizophrenia, including research into the causes of schizophrenia, treatments for schizophrenia, psychosocial factors and how they relate to schizophrenia and psychosocial support services for people with schizophrenia. To be elgible for the grant researchers must be based in NSW and be under 35 years of age. The project must be completed within 2 years and joint funding with other funding organisations would be considered.
For more information about the grant and to make an application visit the One Door Mental Health website.
Liverpool’s Living Library is returning in 2020 for Mental Health Month
Save the Date - Wednesday 14th October 2020.
The Living Library program helps the community understand the lived experience of mental illness, it tackles stigma and normalises how and where to seek help. Instead of borrowing a book, a story is borrowed through a speaker. Speakers talk to and take questions from an audience.
Find out more about what the Living Library is and how you can participate here (PDF 558KB)
DrugInfo
The Alcohol and Drug Foundation’s DrugInfo helps thousands of Australians every year by listening, providing the facts and sharing contact details for counselling, treatment and support services. It’s free and confidential.
Get in touch:
Phone: 1300 85 85 84
Email: druginfo@adf.org.au
(9am-5pm, Mon-Fri)
South Western Sydney Recovery College - Men's Focus Group
The South Western Sydney (SWS) Recovery College is seeking interested men to establish a Men’s Focus Group to develop male specific learning and education courses/workshops. The SWS Recovery College Men’s Focus Group will be instrumental in co-designing and informing SWS Recovery College of courses that will best meet the needs of men to support them in their recovery.
Expressions of Interest will close Friday 28 February 2020.
For further information and instructions on how to express interest click here (PDF 389KB).
Australian Multicultural Ambassador Program
The Mental Health Foundation Australia invites all multicultural community members to join its Australian Multicultural Ambassador program 2020. The aim of the program is to further engage multicultural and Indigenous communities in promoting positive mental health and well being, through a network of dedicated volunteers throughout Australia. It will also provide community leaders with an official platform to become involved in the introduction and coordination of Mental Health related programs in their communities, as well as opportunities for professional development.
Applications close 28 February 2020
Support for Bushfire affected communities
The following links provide information and resources to assist culturally and linguistically diverse communities affected by bushfires.
Bushfires can have a significant impact on our mental health. The following resources aim to provide information about coping with the ongoing mental health impacts of the fires and other traumatic events.
Digital Storytelling Workshop - for Syrian/Iraqi Youth with Disabilities
Researchers at the University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney and the Community Migrant Resource Centre are seeking volunteer research participants to learn about using art and film making to understand the experience of living with disability.
Download a brochure about this project in Arabic عربي here (PDF 1278KB)
Download a brochure about this project in English here (PDF 1066KB)
Community Languages Multicultural Grants
The Australian Government is inviting applications through a demand driven process to apply under the Multicultural Affairs and Citizenship Program: Community Languages Multicultural Grants Stream One in 2019-20 and 2020-21. The objective of the grant opportunity is to support the administration of community language schools through the provision of funding based on student enrolment numbers to help cover school operating costs.
Applications for stream one grants close 17 February 2020
For more information and to apply for grants click here
Support the young carer research project!
Carers NSW wants to hear from young carers (aged 16-25 years and under) about their needs and experiences caring, studying, working, participating in their community and accessing services. Carers NSW plans to conduct qualitative research in the first half of 2020 to complement the Carers NSW 2020 Carer Survey. Participating in the project is a great way for young carers to provide qualitative feedback about what is and isn’t working for them and how to service providers might better engage young carers in accessing support.
Express your interest in participating in the project here.
Cumberland Community Grants Program
Cumberland Council's Community Grant's Program provides grants to local not for profit organisations and individuals for projects which aim to develop a more vibrant, sustainable and inclusive community.
Round two will fund projects in the following streams: community events, community participation, creative cumberland., minor capital works and small equipment grants program.
Applications open 29 January 2020 and close 26 February 2020. For further information visit www.cumberland.nsw.gov.au/cumberland-community-grants
Are you interested in becoming a Bilingual Community Educator (BCE)?
The South Western Sydney Local Health District (SWSLHD) Health Promotion Service is currently recruiting interested eligible people to be trained to become BCEs. BCE’s are trained to deliver health education programs to culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities.
SWSLHD is currently recruiting BCEs in the following languages:
- Male BCEs: Arabic, Assyrian, Vietnamese, Cantonese and Mandarin
- Female BCEs: Hindi (Fijian Hindi), Vietnamese, Dari, Nepalese and Samoan
languages.
For further information about this opportunity download a Flyer here (PDF 720KB).
Go to News for 2019