At GenWest we believe that everyone deserves access to quality healthcare no matter a person's gender, age, race, ability or language. That's why our Multilingual Health Education (MHE) team have been breaking down barriers to health education for women and young people who speak a language other than English at home.
Bringing Breast Cancer Screening to Community
In partnership with BreastScreen Victoria, the MHE team has supported 31 women aged 60–72 years to attend breast cancer screening and for 28 of them, it was their very first time. That number represents 28 women who, for any number of reasons - language, transport, unfamiliarity with the system, or simply not knowing where to start - had never been screened before and this time, they didn't have to navigate it alone.
To achieve this, our team delivered three information sessions on breast screening in language, coordinated four group bookings, and organised transportation to and from the clinic. At the clinic itself, we made sure women felt welcomed, supported, and culturally safe throughout the experience.
The feedback from participants reflected what this kind of wraparound support can mean. Women spoke about how much they valued receiving information in their own language, having practical barriers removed, and feeling comfortable and supported in what can otherwise be an unfamiliar or daunting environment.
Supporting Multicultural Students to Navigate Australian Healthcare
The MHE team also delivered two sessions on the Australian healthcare system to 57 multicultural students from 25 countries, hosted at Djerriwarrh campuses in Sunshine and Melton.
Understanding how to access healthcare can be confusing, especially for those new to the Australian healthcare system. These sessions gave students the knowledge and confidence to find their way through the system, ask the right questions, and get the care they need.
We'd like to thank our partners, Breast Screen Victoria and Djerriwarrh Community & Education Services, and the communities who took part. We look forward to continuing this work across Melbourne's west.
