Five bi-cultural and bilingual women from diverse cultural backgrounds have been busy supporting others in Mandurah and helping to connect communities.
A group of Community Cultural Ambassadors have stepped up and made a difference by helping others in their communities to connect to mainstream services, support and useful information through a series of workshops.
So far, they have helped more than 140 local people from 30 different countries through the workshops, which includes information about mental health, alcohol and drug awareness and building resilience.
Mayor Rhys Williams congratulated the women on making an important difference to the people in their communities, especially during the tough times of the pandemic.
"We are really lucky to have such a diverse and multicultural range of people who call Mandurah home, and I'm proud of our welcoming and inviting outlook," Mayor Williams said.
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"According to the 2017/18 National Health Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing, people from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CaLD) backgrounds have significantly lower levels of access to mental health care and support in the wider community.
"We know that during the pandemic, there were people who may have felt more isolated or vulnerable due to language or other cultural barriers, and that is where our Cultural Ambassadors have really stepped up to the plate.
"They've been able to help with culturally appropriate information about COVID-19, opportunities for further training, and linking people to many helpful local services.
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"We've partnered with Multicultural Futures to support these five women to become upskilled to help the people around them during this time.
"The work of these women is so admirable, as everyone deserves to feel connected, supported and understood during some uncertain times," he said.
The workshops have also been delivered to four local Mandurah Adult Multicultural Education Services (AMES) English classes based at TAFE.