MiCare’s Local Partnerships Project

MiCare’s Migrant Services unit has been working in various capacities to support several local communities. We have collaborated with local partners such as Brimbank, Melton, and Wyndham City Council and have established Local Partnerships project (LLP) for various projects. The Community Employment Connector (CEC) Program is to support community groups through our capacity-building approach. This was established in late 2020. MiCare collaborated with 7 community organizations – Gawad Kalinga Australia, Vietnamese Community in Australia Vic Chapter, Filipino Community Council of Victoria Inc., CMY, VICSEG New Futures, Vasa Consultancy, and African Australian Women and Youth Services to support CALD communities in Melbourne’s West.

Over the past year, MiCare has continued to promote Covid-19 safety measures. During the lockdown in 2021, 18 bicultural workers (BCWs) and 7 Cultural liaison officers (CLO) have supported over 33 different ethnic/language groups in the Brimbank, Melton, and Wyndham LGAs and also provided emergency food relief supports for people who were self-isolating at home, or in hotel quarantines. The LPP initiative has made significant achievements in delivering critical in-language health messaging and promotion of vaccine rollouts among CALD communities.

They have proactively campaigned, encouraged, and promoted vaccination uptakes through community forums, workshops, and Info sessions. Assisted at vaccination hubs, pop-up clinics, and testing sites. Provided critical in-language supports through flyers, social media platforms, and audio/video material aids on Covid-19 health messaging and safety.

MiCare & IPC Health were selected to represent and showcase the achievements of BCWs and health champions in response to COVID-19 for CALD communities in the Western Local Partnerships at the Fourth Victorian CALD Communities Capacity Building Workshop held on 14 May 2022 at Maribyrnong Town Hall, Footscray