Knowledge Hub

'The How’s Your Haal? (HYH) Project is a youth-driven community initiative that seeks to reignite the conversation about mental health for Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) youth in Western Australia (WA). The heart of this project is about creating “brave spaces” for conversation about mental health, both amongst youth in CALD communities, and between CALD Youth, Community Leaders and Service Providers.' (Australian Multicultural Foundation)

This report was produced by the Australian Multicultural Foundation How's Your Haal? Project, 2020.

The literature review outlines the key determining factors that influence the mental health and wellbeing of young people from migrant and refugee backgrounds. It identifies the enablers and barriers to implementing good practice approaches to improving mental health and wellbeing and provides an outline of the relevant frameworks that have been implemented in Australia. This literature review was written by the Centre for Multicultural Youth for Orygen as part of the Youth Enhanced Services program, National Programs.

Victorian Transcultural Mental Health (VTMH) has created four free online modules. 

• Orientation to cultural responsiveness
• Cultural diversity and assessment 
• Working with interpreters 
• LGBTIQ interest 

Enter the Learning Hub here or use one of the links below to open a specific module. You will be prompted to register or login.

Cultural responsiveness is an integral component of recovery-oriented service delivery and a critical consideration in improving the quality and safety of mental health services.

By Mental Health in Multicultural Australia (MHiMA), 2014

When providing mental health services  to people from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities a range of additional risk and protective factors need to be taken into consideration. The factors that are particularly important are migration and acculturation, racial discrimination and equity, language acquisition, and refugee experiences. These factors are inter-related and can exacerbate the likelihood of a mental illness or conversely protect against the development of a mental illness.

By Mental Health in Multicultural Australia (MHiMA), 2014

Mental health services and individual workers who work within them will often have very different understandings and explanations of mental illness from consumers who are from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds. Culturally responsive workers must seek to understand the illness experience of CALD consumers in order to gain their trust and respect, determine shared priorities, and plan and implement sensitive and effective intervention, treatment and recovery.

By Mental Health in Multicultural Australia (MHiMA), 2014

Consumer and carer participation with culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities needs to be approached in a way that respects cultural differences and shows understanding of the needs of CALD consumers, carers and their families. Consumer and carer participation with CALD communities needs to start with the mental health services actively engaging with their local CALD communities to build trust and tailored partnerships. Strategies for improving participation need to be multifocal and address jointly agreed goals.

By Mental Health in Multicultural Australia (MHiMA), 2014

Mental health services play an important role in supporting culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) consumers in their recovery by reducing impediments and barriers, and creating opportunities. To assist CALD consumers on the recovery journey, mental health services need to understand that recovery and its principles are not universal concepts and as a result  may present challenges for mental health workers and CALD consumers.

By Mental Health in Multicultural Australia (MHiMA), 2014

Department of Home Affairs (DHA)

Visit the DHA website to find out more about translation and interpreting services available nationally, including the Free Translating Service and Free Interpreting Service programs.

LGBTIQ Intersect and more broadly the Out in the CALD Harmony Grant is part of a larger initiative across Victoria to promote increased dialogue, shared understandings and the development of culturally safe and inclusive practice among multicultural, faith-based and LGBTI communities, health and wellbeing providers and community organisations. LGBTIQ Intersect has been developed by Victorian Transcultural Mental Health (VTMH) in collaboration with GLHV@ARCSHS, La Trobe University (GLHV)