Art-making, mutual Support and partnership Peer support program for - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Art-making, mutual Support and partnership

Peer support program for CALD women affected by gambling related harm

Yue Gao Multicultural Centre for Women’s Health (MCWH) Bic Gresty Springvale Indo-Chinese Mutual Assistance Association

Who are we?

Who we are

A national voice for immigrant and refugee women’s health and wellbeing

Who are we?

What do we do?

• Health Education Programs (Industry

visits, community workshops, Multilingual Library)

• Training and Evaluation (Accredited

Course, Bilingual Health Educator Training, Cultural literacy)

• Research and Advocacy (International

Students, FGM/C, The WRAP, Policy submissions)

• Nationally (National MWHA network)

The GAP Project

• Funded by the Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundation (VRGF)
• Raise awareness about gambling related harm
• Bridge the gap between service available and the community

members in need

• Community education & peer support& Resource developing and

collating

• Among women from migrant and refugee background across Victoria
• For more information, please visit the GAP project webpage

http://www.mcwh.com.au/responsible-gambling-project.php

The Peer Support Program (PSP)

Literature

• The provision of emotional, appraisal and information support from

people who have experiential knowledge of a condition;

• Non-hierarchical and reciprocal relationship;
• Flexible supplement to formal health service;
• Empower and influence the quality of life for cancer patients

The Peer Support Program (PSP)

Gambling in Migrant Communities

• The rate of problem gambling is around five times greater than in the

wider community

• Not well represented in gambling support services and usually lack

adequate help and support services

The Peer Support Program (PSP)

Reasons

• Migration experience: Trauma, intersectional issues such as language,

employment, structural inequality, visa

• Cultural belief: culturally specific perceptions on gambling and gambler, stigma
• Barrier to access service: language, unaware of the service available, shame and

stigma

The Peer Support Program (PSP)

Question

• How can the peer support be run among

1) people affected by gambling related harm 2) women from immigrant and refugee backgrounds

• In what ways it might work for them

The Peer Support Program (PSP)

Brief intro

• Aim: try to reduce the harm and stigma around problem gambling
• Communities involved: Piloted in Chinese, Vietnamese and Arabic

community

• Participants: Women directly affected by gambling related harm

The Peer Support Program (PSP)

Recruitment

• Recruit through various channels: education sessions (Arabic

community), through partner organisation: e.g., the Vietnamese group (16 women aged between 30-70), flyers and radio talks

The Peer Support Program (PSP)

Structure

• Run for consecutive 5-10 weeks, 60-90 mins per session
• Brief introduction – Art activities – Story sharing – Discussion - Debrief
• Topics including Perception on Gambling, Triggers, Journey of Recovery

and Hope, Gambling Related Harm and Support Services

• Tailored to suit the specific needs of the group

The Peer Support Program (PSP)

What’s unique: Flexibility

• Time and number of sessions
• Group rules
• Topics and structures
• Choices of the art activities

The Peer Support Program (PSP)

What’s unique: Art Activity

• Tailored and culturally appropriate
• Flexible
• Therapeutic and trust building
• Facilitated by an art therapist

The Peer Support Program (PSP)

Issues

• Time and venue
• Members’ participation and contribution to the group
• Integration of art activities into the sessions

The Peer Support Program (PSP)

Outcomes

• Connection and trust are built
• Social isolation is reasonably

reduced

• Awareness and knowledge are

increased

• Feeling empowered and hopeful

“I join the group because I want to share. Before (coming to the group), I felt really heavy in my chest. But sharing makes me feel relief”. – Vietnamese PSP participant

The Peer Support Program (PSP)

Suggestion for future program: Flexibilities

• Program design & implementation
• Group rules
• Incorporating art activities: Types and the roles of the facilitators
• Follow up and ongoing support

The Peer Support Program (PSP)

How It Works in the Vietnamese Community by Bic Gresty

Q & A