For various reasons, public health messages do not always reach migrant and refugee populations. This means that many people in these communities routinely experience worse health outcomes. Many people from migrant and refugee populations have limited experiences of public health messaging or complex health systems like Australia’s. This makes work as multilingual health educators even […]

September 30, 2021
October is #healthliteracy month!
October is health literacy month! Join our promotional campaign If you are a health or community organisation, consider being a part of the Health Literacy Alliance‘s joint campaign. We will be promoting four free resources that support organisations to be more health literate: Make it Easy Handbook Health literacy primer for managers and executives […]

September 1, 2021
Saying Goodbye COVID in 20 languages
Thanks Brendan Park, from North Western Melbourne PHN for your informative and interesting presentation on Wed 25 August 21. The topic of the presentation was the Goodbye COVID campaign, a multilingual video campaign using digital targeting and community leaders to encourage people to get vaccinated – in their first language. Audio recording and powerpoint slides […]

April 12, 2021
Trust in COVID communication
“How does a communication officer decide which COVID message to share on? If I share every piece of information I receive, does that create greater confusion?” HealthWest’s communication officer reflects on these and other unexpected questions that COVID raised in her work and how this led to the development of the Better Health Communication project. […]

September 30, 2020
Take steps towards becoming a health literate organisation
This Health Literacy Month, let’s celebrate by taking steps towards becoming a health literate organisation. A health literate organisation makes it easy for anyone to find, understand and use information and services. The Make it Easy handbook supports organisations to become health literate by providing: A clear understanding of what it means to be a […]

July 8, 2020
Health literacy, inequalities and COVID-19
Health Literacy, News@HealthWest
COVID-19 has been a painful and sad reminder of the link between health inequities and health literacy. It’s also been a reminder that communicating health messages to culturally diverse communities isn’t just a question of providing translations of information. Organisations are well placed to reduce health inequities by responding to health literacy needs. Doing so […]

March 6, 2019
Supporting diverse communities in the West
March 21st is Harmony Day in Australia, known internationally as the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. Harmony Day is a good time to celebrate the huge cultural diversity of Melbourne’s west, with around 40% of residents speaking a language other than English at home, and almost as many born overseas. However it’s important […]

February 1, 2017
Diabetes Expo 2017
Community Participation, Health Literacy, Prevention
Thank you to for Diabetes Victoria for writing this guest post on the upcoming Diabetes Expo. Diabetes Victoria is the leading charity and peak consumer body working to reduce the impact of diabetes. Connecting the diabetes community at Diabetes Expo 2017 Diabetes Victoria will be connecting the diabetes community […]

November 8, 2016
Bridging the Gap
Community Participation, Health Literacy, Prevention
Thank you to Bridging the Gap for writing this guest post on their programs and professional development: What is Bridging the Gap? Bridging the Gap is a partnership response to health and health care inequalities for families of refugee background. Women of refugee background are less likely to access and remain engaged in pregnancy […]

October 4, 2016
Werribee Mercy Hospital – Healthy Happy Beginnings
Community Participation, Health Literacy
Thank you to Werribee Mercy Hospital for writing this guest post on the Healthy Happy Beginnings program. Werribee Mercy Hospital is a general hospital providing surgical, medical, maternity, newborn, renal dialysis, emergency, mental health, rehabilitation, aged and palliative care services in the south west region of Melbourne. People from refugee backgrounds often experience […]
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