North East Multicultural Association

The Voice of Multiculturalism
in North East Victoria

  • Alpine Shire
  • Benalla Rural City
  • Indigo Shire
  • Mansfield Shire
  • Rural City of Wangaratta

Programs

AGED MIGRANT CONNECTIONS PROJECT

The Aged Migrant Connections Project aims to increase the access of multicultural community members to Aged Care Services. This is done by providing resources and support to enable the community to make informed decisions about aged care and advocating for the needs of multicultural communities with aged care services. 

The Italian, Dutch and German communities residing in the local government areas of Wangaratta and Alpine are the key target populations for the Project.

WHAT CAN THE AGED MIGRANT CONNECTIONS PROJECT DO FOR YOU?

The Aged Migrant Connections Project employs a part time Project Officer and has recruited a group of volunteer Cultural Peer Facilitators.

For individuals from a multicultural background they can:

  • Provide you with information about the local aged care services in your area
  • Support an older person to make the first contact with these services

For the community they can:

  • Attend your meeting or event as a speaker and provide information about aged care services and how to access them
  • Organize a specific information session on aged care services for your community
  • Listen to what your community members have to say about difficulties accessing aged care services and provide this feedback to aged care services

For aged care service providers they can:

  • Provide information to their multicultural communities about the services you offer
  • Participate and invite other community members to community events or consultations you are conducting
  • Educate your staff and provide feedback about the needs of their communities in relation to aged care services

HOW DO YOU MAKE CONTACT WITH THE AGED MIGRANT CONNECTIONS PROJECT?

Contact the Aged Migrant Connections Project Officer at the NEMA office or speak with one of the Cultural Peer Facilitators in your area and they will liaise with the Project Officer: Nicky Tsolakis

NEMA Address:

PO Box 417, Wangaratta Vic 3676 (47b Reid Street, Wangaratta)
Contact number: (03) 5721 2090
Project email: cpp@nema.org.au

Aged Migrant Connections Project
July 2008 - June 2009

The Aged Migrant Connections Project aims to strengthen the relationship between people from multicultural communities and services providing aged care.

The Aged Migrant Connections Project is an initiative of NEMA in partnership with Moira Healthcare Alliance's HACC Cultural Diversity Initiative. The Project is supported by funding from the Australian Government under the Community Partners Program (CPP).

This will be achieved through training Cultural Peer Facilitators to consult their communities about the barriers to accessing aged care services and linking people to the support they require.

The funding application for the continuation to the next phase of the project has been approved with an amount of $80,000 granted!

The following is the list of activities that have been carried out:

  • The Project Plan and the budget allocation for all the activities have been sent to the Department of Health and Ageing (DoHA).
  • The last Reference Group meeting for the first phase was undertaken in July 2008.
  • Meetings and coordination with Bobbie Titcher (HACC Cultural Diversity Initiative Facilitator/Project Mentor) and Jane Rushworth (Evaluation Consultant) is ongoing.
  • Data collations of the Community Consultations was finalised on time for the Cultural Peer Facilitators' debriefing with Klaudia Vainshtein (Senior Project Officer of the Centre for Cultural Diversity/Project Mentor).
  • The final report for the first phase of the project was submitted to DoHA in August 2008.