Recent days have brought some worrying indications of a COVID-19 outbreak in the northern suburbs of Melbourne. As a result, new restrictions have been instituted that Victorians must follow from 6 pm tonight.
Message from the Chairperson
I hope you have all been enjoying the warm, final days of autumn. Winter is coming and the colder weather will allow colds, flu and coronavirus to spread more easily.
I hope that anyone who has visited an exposure site or is experiencing COVID-19 symptoms will isolate and get tested. We all want to prevent people from suffering the virus, and limit the impact of further restrictions on our daily lives, so we need to do the right thing.
In this week's update, we've got several announcements that should be of great interest to multicultural communities.
The City of Melbourne has opened nominations for its annual Melbourne Awards. Now in its 19th year, these awards celebrate Melburnians who dedicate their lives to making the city greater. Every week I attend events and speak to people from diverse communities who make Melbourne a more vibrant and joyful place to live, and I hope they consider nominating themselves.
Also worth noting for Melburnians, the Metropolitan Partnerships are now recruiting new board members, and they're particularly interested in appointing people from CALD backgrounds.
Moving to Victoria-wide news, there are many employment opportunities arising in the family violence space. This is such vital, meaningful work where you can make a real difference to people's lives.
Finally, we have two surveys calling for feedback from multicultural communities. Positive Choices wants the thoughts of Arab, Chinese and South Asian Australians on their new drug and alcohol fact sheets. Cultural Pulse also seeks multicultural perspectives on the COVID-19 vaccine rollout. Participating in these studies gives you the chance to win a gift card; but more importantly than that, the organisations running them will use the concerns of diverse communities to inspire change.
Take care and stay safe.
Viv Nguyen, Chairperson
Nominations now open for the Melbourne Awards | nominations close Friday 11 June 2021
The Melbourne Awards celebrate the people and projects that make a difference to our city. Applications are now open across eight categories, including:
- Knowledge and Innovation
- Hospitality
- Urban Design
- Arts and Events
- LGBTIQ
- Aboriginal Melbourne – Kommargee Ketherba
- Sustainability and Community.
Help the City of Melbourne celebrate the researchers, innovators, game changers and future shapers.
Apply to become a Metropolitan Partnerships board member | applications close Monday 31 May 2021
The Metropolitan Partnerships (the Partnerships) are boards that represent their local communities across six regions, covering all of Melbourne’s suburbs.
The Partnerships work with community, business, local and state government to explore the needs and opportunities of Melbourne’s suburbs.
The Partnerships are now seeking new board members.
It’s important that the membership of the Partnerships reflects the diversity of the suburbs they represent – including young and culturally and linguistically diverse Melburnians. Members of the Partnerships work with community, stakeholders, and local and state government to identify and explore local priorities and opportunities. Your insights can help government understand the specific needs of your community and drive local action.
Jobs open in family violence sector for multicultural Victorians
Right now across Victoria there are opportunities for people who want to make a difference in a career that’s meaningful, challenging and rewarding. From social workers and educators, to communicators and researchers, the family violence sector needs people with different skills, experience and backgrounds for roles as diverse as the communities served.
Be part of a team working to make positive change and end family violence.
Parents of teenagers and healthcare workers sought for fact sheet feedback
Positive Choices is an online portal to help school communities access accurate, up-to-date drug education resources and prevention programs. They are developing drug education fact sheets for Arab, Chinese and South Asian communities. The resources provide advice and information to help parents talk to their teenagers about drugs and alcohol.
Positive Choices would like the help of health workers and parents to make sure these fact sheets are both informative and suitable for the intended communities.
To access the survey for multicultural health workers, click here.
To access the survey for parents, please click on the relevant survey link in the languages below. Each survey is also available in English.
Multicultural perspectives wanted on COVID-19 vaccine rollout | survey closes tonight at midnight, 25 May 2021.
Cultural Pulse have engaged a research company to assist in better understanding perceptions about COVID-19 and its impact in the community.
The research is vital to help provide the right assistance and advice on COVID-19 related issues. Of particular focus to this study is the COVID-19 vaccine – Cultural Pulse want to understand your thoughts on the rollout.
The survey will take approximately 10 minutes to complete.
Coronavirus hotline
- Coronavirus hotline: 1800 675 398 (24 Hours).
- Interpreting service: If you need an interpreter, call TIS National on 131 450.
- Testing locations: Find a testing location near you.
- Triple Zero: Please keep Triple Zero (000) for emergencies only.
- Coronavirus in-language information
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Victorian Multicultural Commission (VMC)
Address: Level 3, 1 Macarthur Street, Melbourne VIC 3000
Tel: (03) 9651 5901
Email: contact@vmc.vic.gov.au