The North West Multicultural Network (known as North West Ethnic Patnership) is a forum for Home and Community Care (HACC) agencies in the North and West Metropolitan Region of Victoria that provides services to people from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds.

Purpose:

• Advise the Department of Human Services and other regional bodies about policy and funding priorities relating to the HACC needs of ethnic communities in the region.
• Encourage and support partnerships between member organisations   (and where appropriate other like-minded organisations) to better meet the HACC needs of members of ethnic communities in the Northern section of the region.
• Enable peer support for member organisations.
• Provide and support education, training and research opportunities relating to the needs of ethnic communities from HACC service providers in the northern metropolitan region.

Network membership is open to all HACC funded organisations providing services to ethnic communities in the northern suburbs of Melbourne, including mainstream, multicultural and ethno-specific organisations.

Network meetings involve:

• Discussing issues involved in working with people from diverse cultural backgrounds
• Sharing resources and information
• Discussing initiatives across the health and community care sector
• Developing cooperative working relationships to improve the quality of services received by clients from ethnic communities and their access to those services. 

HACC and Ethnicity Training Day-Tuesday 30th May

The Northern HACC CALD Service Providers Network through the Northern Metropolitan Area HACC Training Committee presented an exciting one day training program on "HACC and Ethnicity" on Tuesday 30th May. The forum enabled participants to gain a deeper understanding of issues faced by HACC consumers from ethnic backgrounds, gain skills and exchange practice wisdom. The day included contributions by experts, practitioners, consumers and the creative involvement of participants.

Sessions include topics such as:

• Cultural Issues around Ageing and Disability
• Trauma and Ageing
• Inter and Intra-Generational Cultural Issues
• Barriers to Access
• Challenging Traditional Models of HACC
• Loss and Grief in Migration
• Issues for Carers
• Playback Theatre

Participants had the opportunity to consult individually with organisations providing services to ethnic communities and obtain information about various service-providers in the region.

A delicious lunch and morning tea was provided.

Cost: Free to staff and volunteers from HACC funded agencies and SRSs.

Resources from the day:

• Trauma and Ageing Powerpoint presentation: The Impact of Earlier Trauma on Older Clients and their Carers by Ruth Wein, Holocaust Services Coordinator at Jewish Care Victoria
• Challenging Traditional Models of HACC: Good Practice Initiatives by Betty Haralambous, Research Fellow, National Ageing Research Institute.
• HACC and Ethnicity Training day registration form

Further Information

If your organisation is interested in participating in the Network or if you would like further information about the HACC and Ethnicity Training day, please contact:

Wesa Chau
Multicultural Network Coordinator
Phone: (03) 9480 1666
Fax: (03) 9480 3444
Email: wesa@adec.org.au

 

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