Projects and Activities - Phoenix Centre

Early Intervention Project

Children and young people from refugee backgrounds are at high risk of exposure to factors that impact negatively on health and wellbeing, such as experiencing multiple losses and surviving torture and abuse. In addition, access to factors that are known to protect and promote health are often reduced in this group of young people. Without specialist and timely intervention, these young people may develop psychological and behavioural problems which will not only affect their capacity to resettle successfully but will also impact negatively on the wider community.

The Department of Health and Human Services has funded the Phoenix Centre to conduct an Early Intervention project. The project aims to provide support for children and young people who are at risk of developing mental health problems, or who are showing early behavioural symptoms of mental health problems by:

  • 1. working closely with schools and child care services to enhance awareness of these issues,
  • 2. building referral pathways to existing support services, and
  • 3. offering individual and group therapeutic intervention where required.

If you would like further information on the project or would like to make a referral please contact the Phoenix Centre.

Documents for Northern Tasmania and Southern Tasmania are available for free download listing support services available to young Tasmanians from Refugee Backgrounds and their families. These documents provide service descriptions, intended client group, referral pathways, costs and contact details of available services in Southern Tasmanian and in Northern Tasmania. As services in the community sector are subject to change, please contact the Early Intervention Project Officers in Launceston or Hobart if you notice that any of the details have changed, or if you would like to add a service to the guides.

The Phoenix Centre is collaborating with Foundation House Victoria to provide free training in Launceston and Hobart recommended for those working in and with schools, 13th -17th May 2010:

  • Supporting Refugee Background Students in Schools:

    Launceston: Thursday 13th May.

This full day course offers the refugee experience, the impact of trauma of learning, wellbeing and behaviour, and focuses on recovery goals and classroom strategies from a whole-school perspective.

  • Incidental Counselling:

    Launceston: Friday 14th May, Hobart: Monday 17th May.

This full day course has a focus on developing basic counselling skills to enable school staff to work with more confidence with students and families from refugee backgrounds.

Supporting Refugee Background Students in Schools or equivalent experience is required for registering to attend the Incidental Counselling course.

Please submit registration form to kdostalek@mrchobart.org.au or call Kate on (03) 6221 0999 for more information.

Tasmanian Transcultural Mental Health Forum: CALL FOR PRESENTERS

Expression of Interest

Service providers and mental health workers are invited to express interest in providing a 20-30 minute presentation on their work, research or program development, focusing on supporting the mental health needs of peoplefrom Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Backgrounds.

The Forum will be held at the Launceston Tram Sheds Friday 27 August 2010.

To submit your expression of interest: Please email or call Renée Valentino at the Phoenix Centre by COB Friday 2 July 2010 ON (03) 6221 0999 or rvalentino@mrchobart.org.au

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    An Invitation to participate in an exciting project!

    Culture, Trauma & Rural Health

    National Suicide Prevention Strategy Project

    There has been a growing concern about the risk of suicide and suicidality within culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities, especially in the light of significant increases in the numbers of people arriving in Tasmania as refugee and humanitarian entrants. It has been postulated that the pre-arrival and settlement experiences of these groups may make them particularly vulnerable to a range of mental health problems, including suicide.

    An analysis of the Phoenix Centre client histories and consultations with community groups have indicated that suicide risk has been increased where people have experienced extreme interpersonal isolation associated with their dislocation from their countries of origin, exhibited serious mental health or health symptoms, and were difficult to engage. Unemployment, financial hardship, racism, family conflict and breakdown, intergenerational conflict and lack of control over lives, drug and alcohol use and family violence have all emerged as concerns among the African communities. Older migrants are facing another range of concerns, especially as they reach late life tasks.

    In the light of these concerns, a partnership has been formed between the Mental Health Team of the University Department of Rural Health based in Launceston, and the Phoenix Centre, the specialist service for survivors of torture and trauma, based within the Migrant Resource Centre (Southern Tasmania). Funding has been received from Department of Health and Ageing under the National Suicide Prevention Strategy which will enable the two organisations to work collaboratively to achieve the project objectives.

    The primary goal of this project is to increase the capacity for prevention, intervention and postvention management of suicide-related crises in refugee and other vulnerable migrant communities and associated support services in Tasmania.

    The PDF document below contains current information on the project and details of planned events. If you require further information on the National Suicide Prevention Project or any of the project activities please contact Gillian at the Phoenix Centre on 03 6221 0919.

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      FICT - Families in Cultural Transition

      The Families in Cultural Transition (FICT) program commenced in NSW in the mid 1990’s in response to service providers identifying a clear need for migrants and refugees to be involved in a structured, group program to help them better adjust to their new lives. The program aims to help survivors of torture and trauma better adjust to their new lives in Australia. The program is based on a ‘group-work’ model and utilizes a variety of methods to help engage participants, so that the group process itself becomes part of the experiential learning.

      The FICT program is divided into ten learning modules and delivered by a facilitator and bi-cultural worker who can understand the culture and language of the particular group.

      Each module covers an important topic relevant to adjusting to Australian society: social support systems, families, children gender, youth and trauma. The participants then have the chance to discuss the main issues that are affecting their settlement. It is within a context of shared experiences that many people begin to gain a more realistic understanding of the challenges that confront them as well as information and knowledge to settle more confidently.

      Further funding from FaCHSIA until the end of June 2010 is enabling the Phoenix Centre to continue to deliver the FICT program to new communities in Hobart.

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      African Elders Group

      This is a group for older Africans, people who are either over 50 years old or who are grandparents.

      The group meets every fifth Wednesday from 1pm in the Acacia room.

      The group provides an opportunity for people to meet socially and to participate in informal discussion on a topic of relevance chosen by the group.

      Guest speakers present on health and related issues.

      Interpreters are present to facilitate communication between different groups. New members are most welcome. Transport to and from the meetings is available on request.

      Invitation to African Elders Meetings

      • Wednesday 21st July 2010
      • Wednesday 18th August 2010
      • Wednesday 15th September 2010
      • Wednesday 20th October 2010
      • Wednesday 17th November 2010
      • Wednesday 15th December 2010

      Where: Migrant Resource Centre, Acacia Room

      49 Molle Street, Hobart

      Time: 2pm to 4pm

      Transportation to and from the Migrant Resource Centre is available. Please call Lynn on 6221 0999 for transport or for more information.

      ALL WELCOME

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      Raising Children in Australia

      Raising Children in Australia - A resource kit for early childhood services working with parents from African Backgrounds.

      The resource kit comprises a Guide for early childhood services working with parents from African backgrounds; and a DVD for parents from African backgrounds with young children.

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