Media Release: AVWA Mental health Literacy Web-based Application Launch 22 March 2024
Pathways to Wellbeing: AVWA launches an online tool to enhance mental health literacy in the Victorian Vietnamese community.
The Australian Vietnamese Women’s Association (AVWA) is delighted to launch its groundbreaking web application, "Pathways to Wellbeing". This innovative online tool is specifically designed to provide Vietnamese Victorians with access to essential mental health information and resources in Vietnamese and English.
This accessible and culturally appropriate online tool is an outcome of the Mental Health Literacy and Inclusion Project, spearheaded by AVWA in collaboration with the Mental Health Legal Centre (MHLC), Legal Tech Helper (LTH), and CQUniversity (CQU).
The primary objective of this initiative is to increase mental health literacy in the Vietnamese community and to ensure equitable access to information about existing and new mental health services, as well as legal and interpreter services.
Pathways to Wellbeing is available in English on the AVWA website, with the bilingual version to be launched during Cultural Diversity Week on Friday 22 March 2024 at Kensington Town Hall and attended by Minister Ingrid Stitt.
“We are thrilled to announce the launch of Pathways to Wellbeing, a milestone achievement in our ongoing commitment to supporting the mental health needs of Vietnamese Victorians," said Nicky Chung, CEO of AVWA. "The partnership model with MHLC, LTH, and CQU has proved to be a success, and we are confident that it will serve as a valuable resource for individuals and their families seeking guidance in navigating mental health information and resources. We also hope to share our learnings from the project with other cultural and ethnic communities.”
Pathways to Wellbeing will be officially launched by our guest of honour, Minister Ingrid Stitt, Minister for Mental Health, Ageing, and Multicultural Affairs. Minister Stitt's participation underscores the state government's recognition of the significance of initiatives aimed at promoting mental health awareness and accessibility within multicultural communities.
“We are honoured to have Minister Ingrid Stitt join us for this momentous occasion," expressed Nicky Chung CEO of AVWA. "Her support highlights the importance of fostering a culturally appropriate approach to mental health education and advocacy, and we look forward to collaborating further with government to advance our shared objectives.”
The launch event for Pathways to Wellbeing is scheduled for 22 March from 9:30 -11:30 am at the Kensington Town Hall, 30-36 Bellair Street, Kensington VIC 3031, and will feature presentations by key stakeholders, demonstrations of the web application's functionality, and opportunities for attendees to engage with experts in the fields of mental health, technology and community engagement. AVWA extends a warm invitation to all members of the community, stakeholders, representatives from cultural and ethnic communities, and media representatives to join us in celebrating this significant milestone in technologically-enabled mental health advocacy.
For more information about Pathways to Wellbeing please visit https://avwa.org.au/en/find-a-service/health-community-wellbeing-services/new-pathways-to-wellbeing
To RSVP for the launch event, please use this link: Mental Health Web-Based application Launch - RSVP , or call Thao Ha on Tel: (03) 7065 7440 Mob: 0434 378 495 by COB Friday 15 March 2024.
AVWA
The Australian Vietnamese Women’s Association (AVWA) is a non-profit organisation dedicated to promoting the health, wellbeing, and empowerment of Vietnamese community members. AVWA has 360 employees, 3 offices in Victoria, and five program areas – Family and Children Services, Training and Vocational Services, Aged and Disability Services, Health and Community Wellbeing and Cultural and Language Services. AVWA strives to address the unique needs and challenges faced by Vietnamese Australians and foster a supportive community environment.
