Dear friends and stakeholders,  

We’re pleased to share with you our first newsletter for 2025.

What a busy start to the year it has been! We have plenty of updates to share about the work of Embrace and our partners – look out for information about our new user-friendly website, which will soon be rolled out.

This month, we acknowledge the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination on Friday 21 March, as well as Harmony Week (Monday 17 March to Sunday 23 March). We know that the effects of racial discrimination are far-reaching, and can negatively impact mental health and wellbeing. Every day, we are working towards creating a mental health system that is culturally responsive, inclusive and supports the needs of Australia’s diverse multicultural community.

The Federation of Ethnic Communities’ Councils of Australia (FECCA), our Alliance Partner, has been doing important work to combat racial discrimination. Following national consultations with 866 people from multicultural backgrounds, FECCA prepared a report to support the establishment of a National Anti-Racism Framework.

The report reveals that major changes are needed, including stronger anti-racism policies, better education, and more support for diverse communities. It suggests ways to tackle everyday racism and discrimination in institutions, protect human rights, and promote fairness for people from all cultural backgrounds in Australia through 11 compelling recommendations directly informed by the consultations

We look forward to another year of working with our community, partners, the mental health and suicide prevention sectors to make a more culturally responsive mental health care system a reality.

The Embrace Project team

Get in touch: multicultural@mhaustralia.org

Embrace Project Updates

• Upcoming webinar
• New Embrace website coming soon!
• Report on the State of Multicultural Mental Health in Australia update
• CALD Community Engagement Project (CCEP) update

Partner and Sector Announcements

• Department of Health and Aged Care 
• Federation of Ethnic Communities’ Councils of Australia (FECCA)
• National Ethnic Disability Alliance (NEDA)
• Emerging Minds
• Helpful resources
• Service spotlight

Are you a mental health service professional who works with clients from a multicultural background?

You are invited to join our upcoming webinar: Delivering Safe, Quality and Culturally Responsive Mental Health Services.

This webinar will include a deep dive into Module 2 of the Framework for Mental Health in Multicultural Australia, exploring principles of Equitable Access and Service Delivery. It will focus on practical skills that can be used when working with refugee and migrant clients and will examine what cultural responsiveness looks like when people access and use mental health services.

We are excited to announce our guest speaker – Ms. Maria Cassaniti, Manager of the NSW Transcultural Mental Health Centre, who will share her insights and expertise.

Date: Wednesday, 26 March 2025
Time: 1:00-2:00 PM (AEDT)

We are in the process of updating our website with a fresh new look, improved navigation, and a more user-friendly experience.

Our updated site will feature better access to key resources and information, to help you find the information you need quickly and easily.

Check out the snapshot below for a preview of what’s to come and keep an eye on our website for updates!

A sneak peak at our new website homepage.

We’re excited to share our progress to date on the Report on the State of Multicultural Mental Health in Australia. Led by Western Sydney University (WSU) through the Embrace Project, this report will provide valuable insights for policymakers, researchers, service providers, and communities.

Research is progressing across 2 phases: Phase 1 focuses on data analysis and a literature review, which will inform community engagement and consultations in Phase 2.

An Advisory Group has been established, which includes representatives from the Embrace Lived Experience Group, Federation of Ethnic Communities' Councils of Australia, the Arab Council of Australia, Western Sydney Community Forum, Chinese Australian Services Society, Queensland Transcultural Mental Health Service, NSW Transcultural Mental Health Service, South Western Sydney Primary Health Network, Assyrian Resource Centre, and NSW Refugee Health Service.

This group will help ensure diverse multicultural voices inform the research and final report.

For more information on the research, email multicultural@mhaustralia.org.

Meeting with the Advisory Group for the Report on the State of Multicultural Mental Health in Australia.

The Ezidi community in Armidale in partnership with the NSW Service for the Treatment and Rehabilitation of Torture and Trauma Survivors (STARTTS), is embracing new opportunities for healing and connection through Embrace’s CALD Community Engagement Project (CCEP).

At the heart of these efforts is the Shingal Community Garden, a space designed by the Ezidi community and STARTTS with support from Bunnings Armidale and the Men’s Shed. More than just a garden, this space has become a place of shared purpose, reflection, and renewal. “This garden bed will not only be a place to remember my parents, but also where members of our community can come together to work towards a shared goal,” shared Swzan. “It will be a space for healing and hope, where I can honour their memory and we can rebuild our lives here in Australia.”

For older community members, the garden is an opportunity to pass on traditions and create a space of intergenerational connection. “The garden will be a vibrant hub for our community,” said Bakarat. “We’ll share traditional gardening techniques, exchange stories, and create a space where we can connect with nature and each other. It’s a chance to heal, grow, and build a stronger community together.”

Alongside the garden, a six-week Ezidi women’s choir and music program is bringing women together to learn traditional tambour playing, strengthening cultural identity and confidence. Pottery workshops led by a trauma-informed ceramicist provide a creative and therapeutic outlet for self-expression and healing. A new community radio program is also taking shape, training Ezidi members to run a weekly show on wellbeing, health, and Ezidi music, ensuring their voices are heard and their stories shared.

By centering cultural strengths and lived experiences, these initiatives are fostering resilience, strengthening mental wellbeing, and creating lasting opportunities for healing and connection.

For more information on this project, check out this STARTTS blog post.

Visit the Embrace CCEP webpage to learn more about our other CCEP projects and access valuable resources, developed by and for multicultural communities.

An Ezidi community member at the Shingal Community Garden.

Members of the Armidale Ezidi community taking part in a pottery class.

Medicare Mental Health Centres provide a welcoming place where everyone can access free mental health information, services and supports. The centres are free to attend, and you don’t need an appointment, referral or Medicare card to access services.

The centres offer support for people in distress, including their family and carers. They can also connect people with services to support them into the future, from health or mental health, to social supports like housing and employment.

For more information or to find your nearest centre, visit the Medicare Mental Health Centre webpage or call 1800 595 212.

Medicare Mental Health Centres provide free, walk-in mental health services.

Are you using the ‘my health app’? The Federation of Ethnic Communities’ Councils of Australia (FECCA) is working with the Australian Digital Health Agency (ADHA) to help increase awareness and usage of the my health app and improve health outcomes in multicultural communities through community engagement and training initiatives.

The new and improved my health app allows you to:
 - safely store your health information, including prescriptions, all in one place
 - access your health information and prescriptions at any time
 - share your health information with a GP or healthcare provider
 - find and book health services.

The my health app is available for download from the App Store or Google Play.

More information about the my health app is available in more than 60 languages here.  

Visit the App Store, Google Play or use the QR code to download the my health app.

Many culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) people with disability face barriers when seeking support, such as language difficulties and a lack of culturally safe services. Despite not being explicitly excluded, they remain under-represented in the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), making up only 9% of participants as of June 2024.

The National Ethnic Disability Alliance (NEDA) has submitted its response to the Department of Social Services' consultation on Proposed Foundational Supports. The submission called for greater accessibility to disability services, especially for those excluded from the NDIS, including people from refugee and asylum seeker backgrounds.

You can read NEDA’s full submission to learn how Foundational Supports can better serve multicultural communities.

Working together with culturally diverse practitioners and families, Emerging Minds has developed a wide range of resources to meet the needs of practitioners, parents, and organisations regarding infant and child mental health.

You can find Emerging Minds’ free resources for:

• Working with culturally diverse families here
• Suicide intervention resources here

Emerging Minds also offers free online courses, including Understanding and responding to childhood suicidal ideation, and Understanding children's mental health in culturally diverse communities.

You can find more information and register for their free courses here.

Deakin University has developed six best practice guides to support educators, practitioners, and organisations working with international students.  

Addressing mental health and wellbeing is crucial to improving students’ experiences and safety in Australia.

The guides, as well as a framework for developing innovative programs to enhance international student engagement, can be found here.

Find helpful information to enhance the mental health and wellbeing of international students.

The International Student Wellbeing Journey Mapping Project explores the lived experiences of international students in Victoria, highlighting key challenges impacting their mental health, wellbeing, and access to support services.

Developed through consultations, this report identifies systemic barriers, opportunities for change, and practical recommendations to improve student support and enhance suicide prevention efforts.

This resource is essential for policymakers, educators, service providers, and anyone working with international students.

Access the summary report here.

We know that current events may be triggering for people who are affected by conflict overseas. If you need someone to talk to, help is available.

Witness to War is a free, national multilingual telephone hotline for people affected by overseas conflict. Witness to War staff can speak to callers in Arabic, Hebrew, Dari, Ukrainian and English and in other languages with an interpreter.

You can call the hotline for free on 1800 845 198 at the times listed below or find more information here.

The Embrace Multicultural Mental Health Project is delivered by Mental Health Australia in partnership with the Federation of Ethnic Communities' Councils of Australia (FECCA) and the National Ethnic Disability Alliance (NEDA). The Project is funded by the Commonwealth Department of Health and Aged Care.

The Embrace Project is on social media and we would love to connect with you. You can find us on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube - or search for us @EmbraceMultiMH.

For more information visit the Embrace website embracementalhealth.org.au

If you would like further information about the Embrace Project or to discuss how we could support you, please contact us.

02 6285 3100

9-11 Napier Close, Deakin ACT 2600

multicultural@mhaustralia.org

www.embracementalhealth.org.au