People from refugee and migrant communities of culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds in Australia have experienced major social, economic, physical and mental health issues associated with COVID-19 but many have not benefited from the Federal Government’s changes - to Medicare legislation for subsidised access to medical care and advice via telehealth - in response to the pandemic.

As a result, this has excluded many refugees and migrants from an important source of online medical care and information about COVID-19 and other health issues.

In this impact2021 webinar, a panel of academics and practitioners will share insights from their work which aims to make health and technology systems more culturally and linguistically inclusive, including community-based approaches to research and evaluation.

The panel will also discuss options for future opportunities, including those focused on translation in video conferencing, the Health Translation Directory and Translation Interpreting Service, and the growing need to better support refugees and migrants living in rural and regional areas of Australia, with a specific focus on:

> Reducing language, cultural and technology barriers
> Improving social safety nets and broader conditions of life for refugees and migrants
> Specific conditions, such as trauma, anxiety and depression, dental health, sexual and reproductive health, and immunisation

Panellists:

Dr Devaki Monani: Lecturer - Social Work, College of Health & Human Sciences, Charles Darwin University
Mary Ann Geronimo: Director of Policy - Health & Ageing, Federation of Ethnic Communities' Councils Australia (FECCA)
Apajok Biar: Community Facilitator, CREATE Foundation / Chair - Women's, Gender and Diversity Working Group, Asia Pacific Refugee Rights Network / Chair and Co-Founder, South Sudan Voices of Salvation
Dr Ben O’Mara: Adjunct Research Fellow - Department of Media & Communication, Swinburne University of Technology / Information Resources Manager, Motor Neurone Disease Australia
Professor Gemma Carey (Moderator): National Research Director & Academic Director (UNSW), Centre for Social Impact

Please note: This webinar will commence at 12:00pm (AEST) and registrations will close an hour before.

The webinar will be recorded and made available shortly afterwards. Please register to receive the first release of the recording.

impact2021 is presented by the Centre for Social Impact.

About impact2021

These are unprecedented times and the upheaval to our society requires an extraordinary response from our leaders, our thinkers and our do-ers.

The Centre for Social Impact's webinar series in 2020 and 2021 have offered more than 50 free webinars for the Australian for-purpose sector, with our innovative researchers, educators, thought leaders and partners.

We have covered the breadth and complexity of social impact and brought our diverse sector together to join, learn and affect change.

We invite you to join us in 2021. Sign up for more info as we progressively announce our program and presenters.