The City of Greater Dandenong has the highest rate of psychological and socio-economic distress in the South Eastern Melbourne Primary Health Network (SEMPHN) region, along with high unemployment rates, housing distress and financial insecurity.
About 60 per cent of Greater Dandenong residents were born overseas – mostly in non-English speaking countries – and the area is home to almost 30 per cent of Victoria’s asylum seekers.
SEMPHN has identified past traumatic experiences, language barriers, visa uncertainty and disconnection from family as particular mental health risks for refugees and asylum seekers.
On June 1, beyondblue will launch beyondblueConnect, a new mental health peer support program that is free, informal and available to adults with early and emerging signs and symptoms of anxiety and depression.
beyondblueConnect – developed with local community service groups – is available to people of all cultural backgrounds and is funded by the Commonwealth Government through the SEMPHN.
The program will be accessible in person, by phone or online and it will be led by trained mentors from diverse backgrounds who have personal experience of mental health conditions.
Participants can attend up to eight private or group sessions where they will gain skills in protecting and managing their mental health, build new friendships and pick up practical knowledge to support successful settlement in Melbourne, such as navigating the public health system, finding childcare and more.
