Welcome to the first MYAN WA Newsletter for 2020! This year we hope to continue to represent, advocate and provide platforms to refugee and migrant young people. 

Take the MYAN WA annual survey

Do you have five minutes to take this survey - maybe after your lunch break or during a break for a cuppa? MYAN WA wants to find out about how you engage with us, what you value, what you think are the biggest issues for refugee and migrant young people and how you want to get involved with MYAN WA in the future. And to say thanks, all those who complete a survey will go in the draw to win a $50 Coles/Myer gift card. The survey closes on 31 January.

Opportunities

Youth waste reduction consultations

Are you are young person (aged 17 to 25)? Then come and share your ideas on waste reduction. The Youth Affairs Council of Western Australia (YACWA) is hosting three consultations as a part of our new pilot project—Youth Educating about Waste (YEW). These consultation sessions will focus on identifying young people's attitudes around waste, barriers that young people experience with engaging in waste reduction and ways that the YEW project can support young people to reduce their waste. You will receive a $40 Coles/Myer gift card for your input!

Consultation 1

When: Thursday  30 January, 5 PM to 7 PM

Where: Foyer Oxford, 196 Oxford Street, Leederville (in the Spark/Kindle room)

Register: http://bit.ly/LetsTalkaboutWasteinLeederville

Consultation 2

When: Wednesday 5 February, 5 PM to 7 PM

Where: City of Cockburn— Youth Centre, 25 Wentworth Parade Success

Register: http://bit.ly/LetsTalkaboutWasteinCockburn

Consultation 3

When: Wednesday 12 February, 5 PM to 7 PM

Where: 70 Davidson Terrace, Joondalup

Register: http://bit.ly/LetsTalkaboutWasteinJoondalup

CALD Peer Mentoring in Co-Design program

Are you from a multicultural background? Do you have personal experience with mental health difficulties and would like to be involved in designing peer support for your community? Consumers of Mental Health WA are organising a partial-paid mentoring an training program for multicultural mental health systemic advocacy. Participants will explore and gain skills in peer-mentoring, co-design and the NDIS in their community, through focus groups (paid), peer-group meetings, information sessions, mentoring and training in a ten session program.

When: Wednesday 15 January, 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM

Where: CoMHWA, 31 Manning Road, Cannington

Western Australian Multicultural Awards 2020

Do you know someone who is a champion of multiculturalism in WA? Perhaps you know about an initiative that promotes social cohesion and cultural diversity? Nominate them for a WA Multicultural Award. Nominations close at 5pm on Monday 20 January 2020.

Events

Wanneroo Festival 

This lively, family-friendly event celebrates the City of Wanneroo’s diverse multicultural community. Experience delicious cuisine from all four corners of the globe; browse market stalls; and see performances from local dance groups, singers and choirs. Enjoy family-friendly activities like go karts, bouncy castles, mini golf, bowling, a nerf shootout, and a climbing wall.

When: Sunday 26 January, 4 PM to 8 PM

Where: Wanneroo Showgrounds, Ariti Ave, Wanneroo

Byford Multicultural Festival

A free fun family event in Byford full of dance, music, singing, cultural activities, craft stalls, food stalls, displays, kids rides and lot more!

Where: 18th January 2020 4 PM to 9 PM

Where: Kalimna Oval, 31 Wodalla Parade, Byford

Workshops

Weaving Culture 

These workshops hosted by the Edmund Rice Centre are a free opportunity for CaLD women to learn about Noongar ways of life and history. Attendees will be mentored by female Aboriginal artist. Light morning tea is provided! An exhibition of the work will take place in April at Cool Change Contemporary.

When: Tuesdays 10AM to 12PM from January to March

Where: Sudbury Community House, 30 Chesterfield Road, Mirrabooka

For more information call the Edmund Rice Centre on 9440 0625 or email kylie@ercwa.org.au

Grants

Australian Government Community Languages grants

Applications are open for the Australian Government's new $10 million Community Languages Multicultural Grants program. Around 1,000 community language schools across Australia may be eligible for the grants. Applications for the first stream of funding are now open and will close on 17 February 2020. A second stream of funding will open in early 2020, with up to $25,000 available for projects that support the community language school sector.

Services

EDAC peer support group

The Ethnic Disability Advocacy Centre has created an online peer support group. This is a safe online space in which people from immigrant and refugee backgrounds with disability, or their carers and families, when they can share their experiences and information.

Financial Counselling Service

Uniting Care West provides a free service for families and individuals looking to regain control of their finances. If you are experiencing any kind of financial difficulty and would like one-on-one counselling, advice or education contact Amanda Ghouse at Uniting Care West on Amanda.Ghouse@unitingcarewest.org.au

Surveys

Migrant blood-borne virus and sexual health survey

MiBBS is a national project looking at sexual health and blood-borne virus disparities among migrant populations and is funded by the Australian Research Council. They have received ethics approval from Curtin and have commenced stage 1 of the project which is comprised of interviews and focus group discussions about the provision of STI and BBV services in Australia.

They are looking for people who were:

• Born in South East Asia, North East Asia or Sub-Saharan Africa
• Are over the age of 18
• And who have been in Australia for at least two (and no longer than 10) years.

Interviews usually take around one hour and participants receive a small gratuity of $30. If you need further information, you may contact the Project Coordinator (Dr Daniel Vujcich) by email at Daniel.vujcich@curtin.edu.au

Research on African men and families
The African Men and Family study is a PhD research project run by the University of Western Australia's School of Population and Global Health. The research explores the impact of traumatic experiences before migrating to Australia. The project is in two phases and seeks participation from men born in countries of research interest (Eritrea, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Republic of Congo-Brazzaville, Sierra Leone, Democratic Republic of Congo, Liberia, Sudan, Burundi and Somalia) who reside in WA to complete a 15-minute questionnaire. 

MYAN WA e-News 
If you would like any of your events, programs, services, or projects that are relevant to refugee or migrant young people and the sector that supports them shared in the MYAN WA newsletters or Facebook page, please send it through to myanwa@yacwa.org.au