Cultural Diversity Network Inc (CDNI) has brought mental health to the forefront with their partner organisations Filipino Sports Arts & Recreational Club (FILSPARC) and Transcultural Mental Health Centre.
Last week, workshops were held in Eaglevale and Mount Druitt to educate attendees about mental health for culturally diverse Australians, with speakers such as Cecile Sy from Beyond Blue, Michele Sapucci from the Transcultural Mental Health Centre, mental health clinician Kamal Pasha, Len Puzon from FILSPARC, and Ashikur Rahman Ash from Aus-Bangla Community Connect.
The workshops discussed the causes, signs and treatment of different mental illnesses, and had a particular focus on newly arrived migrants, asylum seekers and refugees, given the unique challenges faced whilst settling in Australia.
The event was met with praise from participants, according to CDNI Vice President Ms. Linda Sun.
“People find it hard to discuss or recognise mental illness, especially when it affects them personally or someone they dearly love, and that’s why I’m delighted that our Mental Health workshops focusing on culturally diverse communities in Greater Western Sydney were so well received”, she said.
The President of CDNI, Dr Sabrin Farooqui said that because the workshops were so well received and were clearly valuable to participants, the CDNI is hopeful that in the future, they may be able to have more similar events to spread further awareness about mental illness in New South Wales’ multicultural communities.
– Cassidy Pearce
