Priority 1: Multicultural community education

1. Accessible Diversity Services Initiative

Grant title: Breast Cancer awareness for CALD women
Target programs: Breast screening 
Timeframe: May 2023 – October 2024
Funding awarded: $10,552

Description of project: Accessible Diversity Services will aim to provide 20 breast health and breast cancer/screening information sessions in six community languages (Mandarin, Arabic, Dari, Urdu, Tamil and Eritrean). Each session will include a 15-minute component of self-care to ease into the topic of wellbeing and minimise the stigma of talking about breast health in some communities and consider breast health as a part of normal wellbeing and personal health. The self-care component will focus on activities such as stretching, light yoga, mindfulness, or skincare. After the sessions are completed, the facilitators will contact the participants to gather feedback and follow up to see if further support is needed in booking a mammogram.

 

2. Advance Diversity Services

Grant title: Advance Diversity Services Multicultural Cancer Screening and Prevention Community Education Project
Target programs: Bowel, breast and cervical screening and healthy living 
Timeframe: May 2023 – October 2024
Funding awarded: $29,080

Description of project: Advance Diversity Services (ADS) will deliver 32 community education sessions on bowel, breast and cervical screening and healthy living in selected languages in the South-Eastern Sydney Local Health District (with an emphasis on the St George area). The project will target 8 CALD communities/language groups, which include: Arabic, Bengali, Cantonese, Indonesian, Mandarin, Nepali, Thai and Ukrainian. ADS will be utilising 8 existing ADS bilingual staff who have already been trained to deliver education sessions on the four topic areas under a 2022 pilot project with the Health Equity, Promotion and Prevention Service of SESLHD. They will also work in partnership with the CESPHN which has committed to supporting the project with promotional activities e.g. communications to general practices and targeting communications to GPs and practice nurses from specific language and cultural groups and suburbs.   

 

3. Arab Council Australia

Grant title: CanScreening and Healthy Living
Target programs: Breast and cervical screening 
Timeframe: May 2023 – October 2024
Funding awarded: $15,000

Description of project: The project will provide education sessions about the importance of breast screening, cervical screening and healthy living for women of Arabic-speaking backgrounds in Sydney Local Health District, South Western Sydney Local Health District and Western Sydney Local Health District.

The sessions for women will include: 3 x breast screening and 3 x cervical screening sessions.

The 1-hour sessions will be delivered together where appropriate and depending on the needs and age of participants. They will also be interactive, facilitated in Arabic and in a culturally appropriate way to ensure the information is received and understood, and will use flipcharts and resources provided by the Cancer Institute NSW. ACA will collaborate with LHDs to coordinate the attendance of a mobile BreastScreen NSW van to enable participants to access screening services at the same location as the education sessions, if possible. Participants will be encouraged to join ACA’s other services such as a weekly walking group and volunteer program where appropriate.

 

4. BreastScreen NSW Northern Sydney Central Coast - Northern Sydney Local Health District

Grant title: Raise Awareness of the Importance of Healthy Living and Breast Screening with Cantonese, Mandarin and Spanish-speaking women within Ryde
Target programs: Breast screening and healthy living 
Timeframe: May 2023 – October 2024
Funding awarded: $11,050

Description of project: The project will deliver 3 culturally appropriate combined healthy living and breast screening information sessions to Cantonese, Mandarin and Spanish-speaking women in the Ryde LGA. The sessions will be approximately 5 hours in duration and will be delivered by a bilingual community educator at culturally appropriate venues. Each session will have 25 participants. The healthy living presentation will include a physical activity component. Following the information sessions, group screening sessions using a health interpreter will be scheduled. The sessions will be conducted separately for each language group. Multilingual resources on healthy living and healthy lunches/refreshments will be provided to participants.

 

5. Charles Sturt University

Grant title: “Healthy Living in Sydney” A community partnership program for promoting cancer awareness screening practices among Chinese Australians
Target programs: Bowel, breast and cervical screening 
Timeframe: May 2023 – October 2024
Funding awarded: $23,328

Description of project: 20 education seminars will be conducted in Cantonese and Mandarin, using Cancer Institute NSW resources with the aims of educating the Chinese community on cancer screening awareness (bowel, breast and cervical), myths about cancer, the importance of screening and early detection. Each session will involve at least 30 participants. The presence of a cancer survivor and screening participant from a Chinese background to share their experience (peer model) will form one of the focuses of the sessions.  The program will be implemented in partnership with Chinese Australian Services Society(CASS) in suburbs including, but not limited to Rockdale/Hurstville, Campsie/Burwood/Ultimo, and Chatswood/West Ryde and Chinatown. In addition, 2 training sessions for community health advocates (Chinese-speaking community workers) will be conducted, one in each language, Mandarin and Cantonese (at CASS head office).

 

6. Community Migrant Resource Centre 

Grant title: Healthy Together: Multicultural Cancer Prevention
Target programs: Bowel screening and healthy living 
Timeframe: May 2023 – June 2024
Funding awarded: $20,000

Description of project: The focus of the project is to promote healthy living and raise awareness about bowel screening in 2 language/cultural groups: Mandarin (Simplified Chinese), and Hindi (in the Ryde, Parramatta and Cumberland LGAs). The project will deliver for each of the 2 language groups the following:

• 2 healthy living community education sessions, 1 x session per language group.
• 2 bowel screening community education Sessions for females only, 1 x session per language group.
• 2 bowel screening community education sessions for males only, 1 x session per language group.
• 4 physical activity sessions combined for both males and females, 2 x sessions per language group.

Sessions will focus on cancer prevention and risk reduction using evidence-based resources such as the Staying Well and Preventing Cancer: Community Education Flip charts and the educator's guide, manual. The sessions will also include a physical activity component, such as yoga or walking, which will be selected by the ambassadors and planned in the early stages of the project.

 

7. Co.As.It – Italian Association of Assistance

Grant title: Breast Screen Program – Italian Community Engagement
Target programs: Breast screening 
Timeframe: May 2023 – October 2024
Funding awarded: $15,000

Description of project: Project activities will include: 5 information sessions with women aged 50-74 from Italian background in the targeted areas of South Western Sydney Local Health District and Sydney Local Health District; a social media campaign incorporating key messages from the Cancer Institute NSW resource kits; Italian media releases for digital print; Italian media promotion via radio Rete-Italia; and promotion of breast screening at events such as Seniors Festival, Ferragosto street fair and Norton Street Festa. 

 

8. Diversity Programs & Strategy Hub - Sydney Local Health District 

Grant title: Healthy Living, Better Life
Target programs: Healthy living 
Timeframe: May 2023 – October 2024
Funding awarded: $20,000

Description of project: Sydney Local Health District will deliver 10 Healthy Living education sessions in six languages. The breakdown of sessions is to include: three Healthy Living community education sessions for Chinese speaking community, two Healthy Living community education sessions each for Arabic and Vietnamese speaking communities, and one Healthy Living community education session for Bengali, Nepali and Mongolian communities. Nine of our community support workers will be trained to deliver the education sessions, which include: 2 x Arabic, 1 x Bangla, 2 x Chinese, 1 x Nepali, 2 x Vietnamese and 1 x Mongolian.

Using a health equity framework and underpinned by a partnership approach the ‘Healthy Living, Better Life’ project aims to increase knowledge about healthy living. The ‘Healthy Living, Better Life’ project will target both new and emerging and established populations in the SLHD. Key strategies include workforce development through the delivery of workshops to staff of key community organisations and multicultural leaders; community engagement and education through the delivery of in-language education sessions to community members; and promotion of healthy living practices and programs.

 

9. Ethnic Communities Council of NSW

Grant title: Prevention – Take the Offer!
Target programs: Bowel, breast and cervical screening
Timeframe: May 2023 – October 2024
Funding awarded: $26,700

Description of project: Delivering 12 community education sessions about bowel, breast and cervical screening for Assyrian in the South Western Sydney region, Arabic-speaking communities in the Illawarra region, Vietnamese communities in the Fairfield and Inner West council areas, and Urdu communities in the Canterbury council area (3 workshops for each community). ECCNSW will include opportunistic information for Mandarin communities in the education sessions and other ECCNSW activities. In addition, the project will deliver 4 promotions through SBS and/or community radio in the focus languages (Arabic, Mandarin, Vietnamese and Urdu). The project aims to educate, create knowledge, and increase capacity and participation of the focus communities in the three screening programs.

 

10. Gymea Community Aid & Information Service

Grant title: Living Well
Target programs: Bowel, breast and cervical screening and healthy living 
Timeframe: May 2023 – October 2024
Funding awarded: $25,000

Description of project: Engage a project facilitator to deliver a culturally tailored education program of information sessions and workshops on bowel, breast and cervical screening and healthy living across Sutherland in partnership with SESLHD, to improve knowledge, attitudes and intentions to participate in cancer screening and healthy living choices. 20 sessions are planned overall (including 2 bowel screening sessions, 6 breast screening sessions, 6 cervical screening sessions and 6 healthy living sessions). Additional activities will include up to 20 follow-up sessions with trained facilitators focusing on topics such as healthy diet, weight, avoiding alcohol and smoking cessation) and a 1-day health forum in partnership with SESLHD Women’s Health Program. Language groups targeted will include Greek, Spanish, Russian/Ukrainian and diverse groups who are newly arrived in Australia (via the TAFE Loftus Adult Migrant English Program classes).  

 

11. Hunter New England Local Health District  

Grant title: Information your way: Increasing access to cancer screening and prevention information among populations from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds
Target programs: Breast and cervical screening and healthy living 
Timeframe: May 2023 – October 2024 
Funding awarded: $20,000

Description of project: Hunter New England Local Health District will identify bi-lingual health professionals to facilitate and deliver 9 education sessions covering Breast and Cervical Screening and Healthy Living in the Hunter New England Local Health District. The Healthy Living education sessions will focus on exercise, healthy eating and smoking cessation. 

The sessions will be delivered as follows: 

• 1session for Arabic-speaking women, covering the topics of cervical screening, breast screening and healthy living
• 1session for Farsi-speaking women, covering the topics of cervical screening, breast screening and healthy living
• 2 sessions for Kurmanji/Ezidi women, covering the topics of cervical screening, breast screening and healthy living
• 1 intergenerational session for Arabic-speaking men focussing on healthy living
• 1 session for the Chinese community focussing on healthy living 
• 1session for the Vietnamese community focussing on healthy living
• 2 education sessions for women from multicultural backgrounds without interpreter needs focussing on healthy living, breast and cervical screening. These 2 sessions will be delivered in English to reach those migrant communities who have conversational English proficiency, but with low participation in screening programs often due to low health literacy and other access barriers. An interpreter may still be present at these sessions.

Education sessions on the national cancer screening programs will be customised and matched to community demographics, needs and access. All education will be facilitated by health professionals and interpreters to reduce communication barriers and facilitate community discussion on the topics presented. The sessions will utilise the Cancer Institute NSW flipcharts which would be delivered by staff members and facilitators who attend the Cancer Institute NSW training. Hunter New England Local Health District will partner with the Primary Health Network to identify primary care providers who can deliver in-language cancer screening education. 

 

12. Metro Assist

Grant title: Cancer Prevention Community Education – Cervical Cancer
Target programs: Cervical screening 
Timeframe: May 2023 – October 2024
Funding awarded: $15,000

Description of project: The project aims to raise awareness of the importance of cervical screening within Metro Assist’s main catchment areas – Inner West, Canada Bay, Burwood, Strathfield and Canterbury Bankstown LGAs. We will achieve this by providing 4-5 community education sessions as well as a social media campaign based on available resources from funding bodies and other health stakeholders, targeting the Bengali, Korean and Vietnamese communities.

 

13. Mount Druitt Ethnic Communities Agency 

Grant title: Community Care - Multicultural Cervical Cancer Prevention and Healthy Living
Target programs: Cervical screening and healthy living 
Timeframe: May 2023 – October 2024
Funding awarded: $20,000

Description of project: The project will work in partnership with Western Sydney Local Health District, Settlement Services International and SydWest Multicultural Services to focus on providing 6 Cervical Screening and 12 Healthy Living sessions to community members from Arabic and Dari-speaking communities who live in Blacktown LGA from May 2023 to July 2024. Mt Druitt Ethnic Communities Agency will ensure at least 1 staff member attends the Cancer Institute training, along with a member from Western Sydney Local Health District.

The program aims to provide a safe space where accurate information can be administered as well as a culturally inclusive space for discussion and questions. This space ensures that each community has a clear understanding and adequate resources about cancer prevention from practicing a healthy lifestyle, encouraging the communities to learn how and when to seek medical advice in the future, and ensuring safety, good health and wellbeing.

 

14. South Western Sydney Local Health District

Grant title: Demystifying Cervical Screening amongst Hindi and Urdu Speaking Women living in South Western Sydney
Target programs: Cervical screening 
Timeframe: May 2023 – October 2024
Funding awarded: $10,000

Description of project: The proposed project seeks to encourage Hindi and Urdu-speaking women living in SWSLHD in partnership with Pink Sari Inc to undertake cervical screening through the delivery of 4 education sessions that: promotes the importance and benefits of cervical screening, addresses common misconceptions and concerns about these respective cancers and their screening process, are culturally appropriate and utilises an evidence-based approach to empower participants to undertake screening and disseminate this information within their communities.

 

15. Western NSW Primary Health Network

Grant title: Healthy Living for Cancer Prevention – Multicultural Community Education
Target programs: Healthy living 
Timeframe: May 2023 – October 2024
Funding awarded: $13,200

Description of project: Western NSW PHN will focus on Healthy Living education sessions, with 10 multicultural community group sessions in 10 towns across Central West NSW. Languages will include Urdu, Arabic, Vietnamese, Simplified Chinese, Filipino and Nepali. Sessions will be for already established multicultural community groups in two language groups in Dubbo, Orange, Bathurst, Oberon, Wellington, Forbes, Parkes, Cowra, Mudgee and possibly Narromine.  Each session will have up to two language groups run by a community multicultural support officer and a language assistant per language group. Western NSW PHN will present culturally appropriate face-to-face education sessions using resources (flipcharts/PowerPoints and facilitator guides) developed by the Cancer Institute NSW. At least one Western NSW PHN staff member will attend the Cancer Institute NSW training for community education facilitators. The project will include a physical activity selected in consultation with multicultural groups that is  tailored to meet the needs of each community group.

 

Priority 2: Improve equity of outcomes for people affected by cancer from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds

1. Arab Council Australia

Grant title: Sanadi Volunteer Project
Timeframe: May 2023 – November 2024
Funding awarded: $50,000

Description of project: Arab Council Australia proposes to deliver the Sanadi Volunteer project. “Sanadi” in Arabic means “my support”, “my pillar” or “someone I know I can lean on” and the project will aim to provide quality, culturally appropriate and accessible social, practical and emotional support for Arabic-speaking background (ASB) people affected by cancer and their carers/families. The project will run over 18 months and involve recruiting, training and overseeing 10-15 Arabic speaking volunteers (with lived experience affected by cancer) to provide one-to-one support to ASB clients (15-20 people) affected by cancer and facilitate support groups and respite activities/outings for carers and families (15-20 people). The one-to-one supports to be provided will be identified in consultation with individual participants and depend on the needs of the individual. These could include:

• Accessing information relating to cancer and available services i.e., information in Arabic and assistance in attending medical appointments.
• Emotional support – sharing experiences.
• Practical support such as assistance with shopping, household chores and cooking.
• Social support - accessing fitness, outings, and self-care activities.

 

2. Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District 

Grant title: How sensitive are we, really? Creation of an audit tool to vigorously test culturally sensitivity and responsiveness of the  ISLHD Cancer Service
Timeframe: May 2023 – August 2025
Funding awarded: $50,000

Description of project: Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District will create an audit assessment/tool to test the cultural sensitivity and responsiveness of the ISLHD Cancer Service that impact the day-to-day care of patients. The audit resource will have easy and rapid capability to minimise disruption or burden on care providers. The audit tool will encompass the spectrum of patient care including environment, policies, communication and practice. The audit tool will be codesigned with cancer patients from CALD backgrounds. Based on audit results an action plan would be created to guide implementation of changes to improve the cultural sensitivity in preparation for re-audit (in 12 months time) to measure outcomes of agreed changes.

 

3. Pink Sari Incorporated 

Grant title: CanInfo & Care: A support channel for South Asians impacted by cancer and their carers
Timeframe: May 2023 – April 2025
Funding awarded: $42,100

Description of project: The project seeks to establish Pink Sari Inc. as a channel for culturally sensitive information and support for a target population of persons of South Asian/Indian subcontinental origin (including Indians, Sri Lankans, Bangladeshis, Nepalese and Pakistanis) who have been diagnosed with cancer and undergoing treatment and for their carers. Briefly, the project activities are expected to include identification of the target population at several major cancer treatment hubs in Sydney’s west and South-west through a collaborative arrangement with these centres. Small group interactive sessions will be held periodically onsite to provide attendees with useful information and available resources in a culturally sensitive manner. Their specific needs will be noted and addressed by directing them towards suitable services where they exist or else will be brought to the attention of cancer support service providers/social workers at these centres. We also propose to engage with cancer patients of all ages and their carers outside of these sessions, based on our resources and their identified unmet needs. These needs could include help with navigating through the health system, understanding Medicare, private insurance and gap payments, specific dietary needs, requirement for interpreters, counselling, transportation and financial assistance.

 

4. South Western Sydney Local Health District 

Grant title: Development of a scalable bilingual trial navigator model to support health and research literacy among Arabic-speaking patients with cancer
Timeframe: May 2023 – August 2025
Funding awarded: $49,248

Description of project: This project targets a fundamental area of need in cancer clinical trials – to ensure they adequately represent the actual community and not a narrow segment (traditionally Caucasian, privileged and highly educated). We aim to utilise the pre-existing bilingual community educator workforce and train them to become trial navigators, then deploy these navigators in the clinic in a pilot model to demonstrate the feasibility of this approach.  

The training module will be co-designed in consultation with Arabic speaking populations, consumers, clinicians and researchers. We have engaged SWSLHD Multicultural Services, 2 Arabic-speaking health workers who have extensive experience in engaging Arabic populations and have formed a collaboration with the Arab Council of Australia. The goal will be that the trial navigator will provide support to Arabic-speaking patients with cancer who are considering clinical trial participation, by providing basic health literacy tools (asking questions, requesting evidence and alternatives, becoming aware of options) and research literacy (feeling comfortable with research, asking about research and being confident with core research concepts).

 

5. Western Sydney Local Health District 

Grant title: Talking to Me – In Language improvements to support Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Cancer Patients
Timeframe: May 2023 – May 2025
Funding awarded: $50,000

Description of project: The project will focus on three priority areas. Firstly, better engagement with referrers to identify language and cultural needs for all culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) patients before first presentation to the cancer centre. In conjunction with WSPHN (WentWest) and WSLHD Multicultural Health Service, this aims to improve the identification of language and cultural considerations received from referrers. Secondly, to improve our response to patients identified as coming from CALD backgrounds to ensure these patients then have support planned prior to their visit. Working closely with the WSLHD Health Care Interpreter Service to ensure an interpreter is available for the first clinical consultation. Thirdly, focusing on both our top CALD languages of Mandarin, Cantonese and Arabic, and countries covered by our partnership with Pink Sari Inc. (South Asia), improve our response to patients identified as coming from CALD backgrounds to ensure these patients then have in-language resources provided and are linked to appropriate support networks like Pink Sari Inc.

Title: Heathier You, Heathier Communities
Recipient: Metro Assist
T​arget programs: Healthy living and bowel screening

The project’s aim is to raise awareness of the importance of bowel cancer screening and to promote healthy living to a selected group of migrant communities within Metro Assist’s catchment areas – Inner West, Burwood, Strathfield and Canterbury Bankstown Local Government Areas (LGAs). This will be achieved by providing a series of community education sessions as well as a social media campaign based on available resources from the funding body and other health stakeholders.

Bowel screening activities will target those 45 and over in the Arabic, Chinese, Vietnamese and Indonesian speaking communities. Healthy living activities will target those 30 and over in the Arabic, Chinese, Rohingya and Bengali speaking communities.

Timeframe: Nov 2021 – April 2023
Funding: $17,600

 

Title: Strive Towards Change – Healthy Eating and Bowel Screening program
Recipient: South Western Sydney LHD (Multicultural Health Service)
T​arget programs: Healthy living and bowel screening

Through the project “Strive Towards Change – Healthy Living and Bowel Screening Program”, Multicultural Health Services at South Western Sydney Local Health District (SWSLHD) will encourage participation in the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program among people aged 48-74 in four language groups (Arabic, Assyrian, Macedonian and Vietnamese) through community education sessions and other related key activities.

The project will also promote healthy living amongst people aged 18 and over across the aforementioned communities (healthy eating, being active, drinking less, ceasing smoking, skin protection and maintaining a healthy weight).

Peer educators (Multicultural Health Officers and Bilingual Community Educators) will be trained to deliver face to face community education sessions. Additional strategies enhancing access will be employed to promote healthy eating and cancer screening such as using flipcharts and translated resources created by Cancer Institute of NSW and organising/attending community events.

Timeframe: Nov 2021 – April 2023
Funding: $20,000

 

Title: Live Healthier - YES We Can
Recipient: Accessible Diversity Services Initiative Limited
T​arget programs: Healthy living

The project focuses on promoting healthy living for cancer prevention amongst people from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds in Central Western Sydney and surrounding areas, who are 18 years and over. Specific language groups/communities that will be targeted include Dari, Arabic, Eritrean, Nepalese and Bengali/ South Asian.

Accessible Diversity Services Initiative Limited (ADSI) will support CALD communities by improving their health through different interventions such as educating them about healthy lifestyle, being active, doing exercise and behavioural changes to reduce the risk of cancer. The program will assist the attendees to increase their knowledge in using prevention methods taught to prevent getting the diseases. Sessions will be conducted through community education provided by ADSI bilingual workers who are trained by the Cancer Institute NSW to provide the information. The community education will utilise resources and translated materials developed by the Cancer Institute NSW to support people from CALD communities.

Timeframe: Nov 2021 – April 2023
Funding: $9,258

 

Title: Healthy Living and Bowel Screening Programs – Macedonian community education
Recipient: Illawarra Shoalhaven LHD (Multicultural Health Service)
T​arget programs: Healthy living and bowel screening

The Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District (ISLHD) Multicultural Health Service will deliver community education sessions to the local Macedonian community in Illawarra, including Wollongong and Shellharbour area, to improve their health and cancer outcomes and to increase the cancer screening rate.

People aged 48-74 from Macedonian background will be invited to participate in the bowel screening information sessions and activities. The focus will be on improving outcomes in cancer prevention, diagnosis, treatment, care and survival for the local Macedonian community, demonstrations on how to use the bowel cancer screening self-testing kit at home and promoting the translated resources in screening for bowel cancer.

The project will also promote a healthy living program through a Wellness Expo promoting bowel cancer screening, and prevention activities such as physical activity, incorporating skin protection, relaxation techniques and mental health ‘walk and talk’ community events in the Illawarra region. For healthy living activities people aged 18 and over from Macedonian community will be invited to participate in social and physical activities.

Timeframe: Nov 2021 – April 2023
Funding: $20,000

 

Title: Stay Healthy & Live Well
Recipient: Gymea Community Aid & Information Service
T​arget programs: Healthy living and bowel screening

Gymea Community Aid & Information Service (GCAIS) will engage a project facilitator to deliver a culturally tailored education program of information sessions and workshops on bowel screening & healthy living across Sutherland and St George regions in partnership with South Eastern Sydney Local Health District (SESLHD) and 3Bridges Community, to improve knowledge, attitudes and intentions to participate in cancer screening and healthy living choices.

Bowel screening education will target Chinese, Macedonian and Indian (Hindi, Gujrati and English speaking) community members aged 48-74 years whilst healthy living education will target newly arrived migrants and refugees from diverse backgrounds which may include Arabic, Nepali, Spanish & Chinese communities. An additional cohort the project will target is the Muslim Deaf Community whom are from diverse cultural backgrounds.

Bilingual health workers (from GCAIS, 3 Bridges and SESLHD) will facilitate health information sessions with assistance from interpreters where required.

Activities could also include follow up sessions on nutrition, exercise, use of smart apps and additional health promotion sessions as well as training and supporting community members to become cancer care /healthy living advocates.

Timeframe: Nov 2021 – April 2023
Funding: $19,830

 

Title: Healthy living education sessions for the Coffs Harbour CALD Community
Recipient: Mid North Coast LHD (Refugee Health Service)
T​arget programs: Healthy living

The Coffs Harbour Refugee Health Clinic (at Mid North Coast Local Health District) will deliver face to face education sessions on healthy lifestyle topics to culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) community members aged 18 and over through the:

• Local TAFE where people from humanitarian refugee and CALD backgrounds attend ESL classes.
• Settlement Services International (SSI) program for newly arrived humanitarian refugees.
• Women's and men's groups organised by the NSW Service for the Treatment and Rehabilitation of Torture and Trauma Survivors (STARTTS).

These sessions will be conducted by registered nurses and be supported by bilingual workers / interpreters utilising the Cancer Institute NSW resources. The project will target the main language groups (Burmese/Chin, Arabic, Kurdish - Kumanji).

Timeframe: Nov 2021 – April 2023
Funding: $15,000

 

Title: Healthy Living and Bowel Screening Programs – Multicultural community education
Recipient: Arab Council Australia
T​arget programs: Healthy living and bowel screening

The project, which will extend over 18 months, will include six (6) information sessions regarding bowel cancer screening to Arabic speaking background (ASB) people aged 48-74 that live in the Local Government Areas where Arab Council Australia (ACA) has established footprints (South, Western and South West Sydney).

As well as raising awareness of the importance of screening, the project will promote healthy lifestyle practices addressing issues such as healthy eating, regular exercise, and the dangers of smoking cigarettes and shisha.

These sessions will be supported by a social media campaign and incorporate flipcharts and other resources in English and Arabic developed by Cancer Institute NSW and the Australian Government Department of Health.

Timeframe: Nov 2021 – April 2023
Funding: $15,000

 

Title: Speaking Your Language: Destigmatising and Simplifying Bowel Cancer Screening for CALD Communities
Recipient: Hunter New England LHD (Multicultural Health Service)
T​arget programs: Bowel screening

Hunter New England Local Health District (HNELHD) Multicultural and Refugee Health Service will work collaboratively with specific culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities to deliver targeted information on bowel cancer screening in language through community information sessions. These communities are from Macedonian, Vietnamese, Chinese, Arabic and Italian speaking backgrounds. HNELHD will also work with colorectal surgeons to deliver sessions that outline the benefits of early screening in reducing the risk of bowel cancer.

The project will also promote existing ‘how to do the test’ videos featuring the bowel cancer screening kit in language for these specific communities.

Timeframe: Nov 2021 – April 2023
Funding: $15,000

Women from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) communities are identified as a priority population for cervical and breast screening as they are less likely to participate in these screening programs. These women face various barriers that prevent them from getting screened. Cervical cancer can be prevented through regular cervical screening, and breast screening saves lives by detecting breast cancers early.

The Cancer Screening and Prevention Grants 2020 fund community organisations to use the Cancer Institute NSW flipchart resources to provide education, information and support to women in CALD communities to encourage and increase participation in breast and cervical screening programs. The projects target women within the age range for cervical screening (25-74 years) and/or breast screening (50-74 years) in communities identified as having low participation rates in those screening programs. The projects commenced in October 2020 and will run for 12 months. 

Candidates	Project title	Target population	Screening program	Total funding
Arab Council Australia	Screening and Linkages: Arab Women in NSW	Women of Arabic speaking backgrounds residing in Blacktown and Fairfield LGAs.	Breast Screening	$15,000.00
Boronia Multicultural Services	Screening for Wellbeing	Women in Afghan communities residing in Blacktown (for breast and cervical screening) and Cumberland LGA’s (cervical screening only).	Breast and cervical screening	$18,500.00
Cancer Council NSW	Building on strong community ties to increase breast and cervical screening participation	Chinese (focusing on breast and cervical screening) and Korean women (focusing on cervical screening only) residing in Blacktown LGA and Western Sydney LHD.	Breast and cervical screening	$19,744.21
Liverpool Women’s Health Centre	“Sahhatik” – Cervical and Breast Cancer Screening	Women from Arabic speaking backgrounds residing in Liverpool and Fairfield areas.	Breast and cervical screening	$20,000.00
Pink Sari Inc	Cervical Screening for Survival	Women of Indian and Sri Lankan backgrounds residing in Western and South Western Sydney.	Cervical screening	$15,000.00
Vietnamese Community in Australia - NSW Chapter Inc.	New Journey for Greater Growth	Vietnamese women residing in South Western Sydney LGAs, particularly in Fairfield.	Breast and cervical screening	$16,671.12