Welcome to CEH News, the new quarterly eNewsletter from the
Centre for Culture, Ethnicity and Health.

There have been a number of changes to CEH recently. Most significantly, we now run three major programs:

Health Sector Development offers training and resources to health and community services

Multicultural Gambler's Help Program ensures that CALD communities are included in statewide responses to problem gambling

Multicultural Health and Support Service supports CALD communities and service providers in the areas of sexual health and hepatitis

These programs give CEH expertise in culturally sensitive health issues. We now offer a range of services including training, social marketing, resource development, research, community education and project management.

To reflect these changes, we've updated our logo. The new logo was created by the lovely and talented U-bahn Design. It represents the strong connections between culture, ethnicity and health, and suggests approachable and inviting complexity.

We've relaunched the CEH website with new information on our programs and services.

Visit www.ceh.org.au for more about our services and training opportunities, or to browse our library and download free resources on diversity and wellbeing. You'll also find culturally sensitive and multilingual information on problem gambling and sexual health.

We had a fantastic response to Crafting a message that works, the first CEH panel discussion for 2009. More than 76 government, health and community service representatives learnt about the dynamics of social marketing from the first-hand experience of our expert panellists.

Download the panel presentations from our website.

We’ll host a new panel discussion each quarter, inviting experts from across the sector to share good ideas on issues relating to diversity and health.

How to use an interpreter

One of our most requested workshops is back!

Working with Interpreters will help you identify when an interpreter is needed to help communicate with clients, and develop the necessary skills to use interpreters effectively.

Wednesday 22 April, 9.15am-2pm

Find out more or book your place 

A framework for real change

If you want to increase the cultural competency of your organisation, then our May workshop is a great place to start.

Cultural Competency for Managers and Supervisors offers participants a framework through which to effect real organisational change. You’ll learn how to apply this framework at all levels of your organisation, ensuring more effective and inclusive service for your clients.

Wednesday 20 May, 9.15am – 2pm

Find out more or book your place

Tailor-made training, just for you

You're probably aware that CEH holds monthly workshops … but did you know that we can tailor-make a training program for your organisation?

The Royal Dental Hospital, the City of Dandenong and Inner South Community Health Service are just a few of the agencies that recently participated in CEH training programs.

We’ll work with you to select the topics that are most relevant to your needs, and then we’ll deliver a practical and interactive training program – all at very low rates for health and community services!

Looking for culturally appropriate ways to talk to CALD clients about BBV and STI?

Our Multicultural Health and Support Service (MHSS) offers culturally appropriate information about BBV and STI in simple English on the CEH website site. We’ll soon have a range of multilingual brochures available to download.

We are grateful to the Queensland Ethnic Communities Council and the Australian Centre for Sex Health and Society for allowing us to use their research and information on our site. 

Visit the new MHSS site

You are invited to attend the Royal Women’s Hospital Comfort Momoh Lecture Series from 21-28 April 2009.

The Women’s is sponsoring Dr Comfort Momoh, specialist midwife working in the field of female genital mutilation (FGM), to conduct a series of lectures on FGM for people working with affected communities.

The Comfort Momoh Lecture Series will focus on improving the clinical care and social and cultural support provided to women and communities affected by FMG.

Find out more and book your place

Don’t forget to browse the CEH online library for specialist resources on diversity and health. We’ve added over 50 new resources this month, including:

Andrews, M. & Boyle, S. 2008, Transcultural Concepts in Nursing Care

A framework to improve nursing care for people from CALD and marginalised populations.

Scaling Up Effective Partnerships: A Guide to Working with Faith-based Organisations in the Response to HIV and AIDS 2006, Ecumenical Advocacy Alliance

A unique guide to the religious response to HIV and AIDS.

Parkinson, MG & Ekachai, D, 2006, International and Intercultural Public Relations

A must-read text for communications practitioners with culturally diverse audiences.

Download a complete list of new acquisitions

Browse the CEH online library

Here’s what we’ve been up to in the last three months:

• Writing community radio scripts on nutrition, reading and maternal and child health for Arabic, Mandarin and Cantonese-speaking audiences
• Reviewing the way that Victorian schools and early childhood services communicate with parents and carers of CALD backgrounds 
• Reviewing the cultural competencies of a community health service
• Assisting service providers to meet the health and wellbeing needs of Sudanese humanitarian entrants in the Latrobe Valley
• Producing an educational DVD on Gambler’s Help services, targeted at Somali, Italian and Mandarin-speaking communities.
• Producing a hip hop DVD aimed at preventing transmission of hepatitis C among young people in contact with the juvenile justice system
•  Using hip hop performances to promote safe sex messages among young people of CALD backgrounds 
  

More about these projects