Stepping out of the Shadows:
Stigma Reducation Project
Stigma creates barriers to seeking help, early detection and negatively affects upon recovery rates and prognosis. It also isolates individuals and their families and hinders them to fully participate in their communities and the broader society.
Stigma about mental illness exists in all cultures around the world. However, people from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities who experience mental illness face a double disadvantage and therefore increased discrimination. They not only live with a mental illness, they also belong to an ethnic community.
Due to these reasons, the “Stepping out of the Shadows” project has been developed by Multicultural Mental Health Australia (MMHA). It aims to reduce the negative impact of stigma with CALD communities by exploring how individuals and communities can deal with stigma and mental health issues in practical ways.
ADEC and MMHA have appointed a number of Expert Trainers throughout Victoria. They recruit and train Community Educators to deliver stigma reduction workshops to meet the specific needs of their CALD communities.
The sessions will cover the following topics;
- Where does stigma come from?
- What we know about mental health and how we feel about it
- What can we do?
- Working together for a community without stigma
Further Information
If you are interested in becoming a Community Educator for the “Stepping out of the Shadows” project, please contact ADEC on 9480-1666 to speak with the Project coordinator: Melissa Elston, or email: melissa@adec.org.au or Shehani De Silva via email on shehani@adec.org.au
Calling bilingual Community Educators flyer (word)
Stepping Out - Information kit for CT's (pdf)
Media Release - Stepping out of the Shadows(pdf)