With COVID-19 cases still at a high level, we need to continue our efforts to get tested and tested early.
Message from the Chairperson
The Delta variant moves rapidly but symptoms can take some time to show. If you wait for two or three days to get tested after noticing symptoms, it could mean that the virus has been circulating for six to seven days in the community. This is dangerous for you, your family and all Victorians.
Please get tested, even with the slightest of symptoms – like a runny nose or a sore throat.
It is, however, encouraging to see such high vaccination rates across Victoria recently. This shows we're all doing our part to protect ourselves and our communities against COVID-19 and the damaging social and economic effects the pandemic has brought with it. If we can keep this up, the end of lockdowns may soon be in sight.
If you're aged 16 or over and haven't booked your vaccination yet, please do so here. (Some young people aged 12 and above are also eligible as well.) There are new appointments coming online regularly.
Please find the Premier’s statement about more vaccine centres here. I also find this link helpful in understanding how we fare in comparison to the rest of the world on vaccinations.
As many of you would know, there is a lot of work underway to reform Victoria’s social housing system. Over the last few months, I’ve met with the Victorian Public Housing Tenants Association, the Commissioner for Residential Tenancies, Heather Holst and Homes Victoria to discuss ways we can encourage multicultural Victorians to have their say in the Victorian Government’s Social Housing Review.
I believe listening to the ideas and concerns of our diverse community residents is essential to the improvement of social housing in our state.
In this week's Community Update, I would like to remind you it's not too late to contribute feedback to the Social Housing Regulation Review consultation paper. If you have ever lived in social housing, please fill out the short survey. You will have a chance to win gift vouchers and, more importantly, you will be helping make Victoria's social housing system fairer and safer. In the meantime please find the announcement regarding rental relief here.
This weekend, we will host a Curious Conversations session that is shaping up to be our highest attended yet. The event will focus on the current status and future of multiculturalism in the media. The panel will look at how diverse Victorians are depicted in mainstream media, as well as the opportunities for multicultural communities to share their own stories in a changing media landscape. It promises to be be a captivating Sunday afternoon discussion.
Elsewhere in this week's Update, we present the chance to have your say on the design of new Local Adult and Older Adult Mental Health and Wellbeing Services; we invite you to a presentation on foster care in multicultural communities; a chance to join the new Refugee Group Mentorship Program and much more.
Finally, I would like to wish a happy New Year to all Victorians celebrating Rosh Hashanah. We know it’s difficult you can't be with your loved ones at this important time. But celebrating at home with just the people you live with is the best way to keep yourselves and our community safe. Shana Tova.
Take care and stay safe.
Viv Nguyen AM, Chairperson
Curious Conversations – Media
The VMC's Curious Conversations series returns this Sunday for our biggest event yet. The panel will discuss depictions of diversity in the media as they look towards the future of multiculturalism in 2030.
The panel will be facilitated by Donna Lu, a journalist with The Guardian, and will feature:
- Michelle Cheng - Content Industry Diversity Manager, SBS
- Dr Nasya Bahfen - Radio Journalist, ABC and Lecturer Media Studies at LaTrobe
- Ahmed Yussuf - Digital Producer, ABC
Last call: Multicultural Awards for Excellence 2021 | nominations close Sunday 12 September 2021
The Victorian Multicultural Awards for Excellence recognise the outstanding achievements of people and organisations who strengthen multiculturalism across 15 categories.
The awards are proudly coordinated by the Victorian Multicultural Commission, and are now open for nomination. Individuals and organisations can self-nominate.
Have your say on Victoria’s social housing
The Victorian Public Tenants Association is running a survey for current or past tenants of social housing.
The survey will take about 10 minutes to complete and is multiple choice. Survey participants can go into the draw to win one of eight $100 gift vouchers. Participants can also register their interest in attending a focus group via Zoom. People who attend a focus group will receive a $50 gift voucher.
This is a rare opportunity to help design Victoria’s social housing system – and every voice counts. Don't miss out on having your say.
The Independent Panel for the Social Housing Regulation Review has also published a third public consultation paper on Engage Victoria, viewable here. Submissions on this paper and previous papers are currently open. You can provide comments to the Review directly via Engage Victoria or by email to info@shrr.vic.gov.au.
Mental health services call for feedback
In March 2021, the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System released its final report. The report contains 65 recommendations, set over a 10-year reform vision, in addition to nine recommendations from the Royal Commission’s interim report. The Victorian Government has committed to implementing these recommendations in full.
The Royal Commission recommended that Victoria establish up to 60 new Local Adult and Older Adult Mental Health and Wellbeing Services (Local Services). Local Services are a new service stream and by the end of 2022, the first six Local Services will be set up in Benalla, Brimbank, Frankston, Greater Geelong, Latrobe Valley and Whittlesea.
Over the coming weeks, Engage Victoria will be engaging with individuals and organisations on how they can ensure the Local Services provide the best possible treatment, care and wellbeing supports for people with mental illness or psychological distress.
If you would like to take part in one the focus groups (General Community, CALD, LGBTQI+, People with a Disability or Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander), please register here.
Fostering Connections presentation for multicultural communities | Wednesday 22 September 2021 | 6pm
The VMC has invited Fostering Connections to present to multicultural and multifaith leaders about the needs of children, young people and families in their community, and discuss how foster care might fit in.
New translated vaccination videos
Watch new videos from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) community members speaking in Mandarin, Cantonese, Nepali, Vietnamese and Dinka about why they got their COVID-19 vaccine.
Aged care residents have also shared their experience getting the COVID-19 vaccines. Videos come with captions in Arabic, Chinese Simplified, Chinese Traditional, Greek, Hindi, Italian, Korean and Vietnamese.
Support the Refugee Group Mentorship Program
Community Refugee Sponsorships Australia (CRSA) are expanding their Group Mentorship Program, after a successful trial last year.
The program offers an opportunity for local community groups to provide practical support and friendship to newly-arrived refugee households in Australia while our borders are closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
CSRA are running online public information sessions for you to gain a better understanding of the program and to find out if it’s right for you. You can register for a session using the links below.
VEOHRC share research snapshots through the pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic has compounded existing inequalities facing parents, carers and workers with disability. New research from the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission shows this period provides important lessons for employers on how to create more inclusive workplaces.
A survey of 1500 Victorians and targeted follow up interviews were used to create the commission’s two new research snapshots – Supporting workers with disability and Juggling parenting, caring and work during the pandemic.
PACE Migrant Women's Leadership Program
The Multicultural Centre for Women’s Health are offering free interactive Zoom workshops for migrant and refugee women in Victoria. The PACE (Participate, Advocate, Communicate, Engage) Women’s Leadership Program builds on migrant women’s knowledge and experiences to take on leadership roles in their lives, work and community.
PACE provides migrant women an opportunity to learn, practise and receive feedback to participate, advocate, communicate and engage. The program will run every Friday for five weeks from 25 October.
Spots are limited.
Victoria Police now recruiting new officers
Victoria Police serve the Victorian community and uphold the law to promote a safe, secure and orderly society.
People from diverse backgrounds are highly valued at Victoria Police, so if you are considering taking on a new career.
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