Welcome to the Winter edition of Polyglot.

For current translations on COVID-19 information from multicultural health services across the sector, visit the NSW Health page or the Multicultural Health Communication Service  MHCS Publications page.

To link your translated health resources to the MHCS website, register and submit here.

The NSW Multicultural Health Communication Service has been engaged by the Mental Health Commission of NSW to coordinate the recruitment of people from a CALD background, with a lived experience of mental health issues and/or caring, to participate in an online survey to be launched in August 2020.

The Mental Health Literacy Project is part of The Health Literacy Initiative, a Commonwealth Health Innovation funded program that will develop health literacy initiatives for clinicians/systems to improve the mental health of people with lived experience of mental health issues and caring.

To find out more about the project contact: Michael.camit@health.nsw.gov.au 

The NSW Multicultural Health Communication Service, in partnership with NSW Refugee Health Service, has launched an updated online Appointment Reminder Translation Tool. This tool allows you to translate appointment details into your client's language. Immediate translations are available in 43 languages.

Type in the details of the appointment within the form. The translated appointment is automatically created in a pdf document which you can either print and give to your client or directly email to them.

If you have any feedback or enquiries, you can contact us by visiting our contact form.

The NSW Multicultural Health Communication Service has launched a new WeChat platform for Chinese-Australian community members to access the latest NSW Health information in-language, available as online posts.

Follow the MHCS WeChat via the QR code to access health news in Chinese.

The NSW Multicultural Health Communication Awards were announced during the launch of Multicultural Health Week 2019. The winner of the ‘Keeping People Healthy Category‘ was the Women’s Health Program and Multicultural Health Service, Priority Populations, South Eastern Sydney Local Health District, who produced the multilingual resource, “Screening saves lives: Increasing cervical screening in Bangladeshi & Nepalese women.”

A list of all the winners and the award winning resources are available here.

Feeling unwell? Avoid large family gatherings and get tested immediately

If you’re part of a large, extended family, staying away can be the greatest act of love. COVID-19 testing clinic information. Social media graphics are available in 13 languages: Arabic, Chinese - Simplified, Chinese - Traditional, English, Gujarati, Hindi, Punjabi, Italian, Sinhalese, Somali, Tamil, Turkish, Urdu and Vietnamese.

Help protect your family from COVID-19 Animated Graphics

Social media animated graphics with COVID-19 testing information to protect your family are available in 15 languages: Arabic, Armenian, Bangla, English, Filipino, Greek, Indonesian, Macedonian, Mongolian, Nepali, Portuguese, Russian, Simplified Chinese, Spanish, Traditional Chinese, Thai, and Vietnamese.

Getting tested at a COVID-19 testing clinic is safe 

Social media graphics about getting tested at a COVID-19 clinic are available in 37 languages: Arabic, Armenian, Assyrian, Bangla, Burmese, Croatian, Dari, Dinka, English, Farsi, Filipino, French, Greek, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Kurdish-Kurmanji, Korean, Lao, Macedonian, Maltese, Mongolian, Nepali, Portuguese, Polish, Punjab, Russian, Samoan, Serbian, Simplified Chinese, Spanish, Swahili, Tamil, Tongan, Traditional Chinese, Thai, Turkish, Urdu and Vietnamese.

COVID-19 testing is simple

Social media graphics are available in 37 languages: Arabic, Armenian, Assyrian, Bangla, Burmese, Croatian, Dari, Dinka, English, Filipino, French, Greek, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Kurdish-Kurmanji, Korean, Lao, Macedonian, Maltese, Mongolian, Nepali, Portuguese, Polish, Punjab, Russian, Samoan, Serbian, Simplified Chinese, Spanish, Swahili, Tamil, Tongan, Traditional Chinese, Thai, Turkish, and Urdu.

Testing at public COVID-19 clinics is free

No Medicare card is required to get tested at a public COVID-19 clinic. You must self-isolate until you get your results. Social media graphics are available in 37 languages: Arabic, Armenian, Assyrian, Bangla, Burmese, Croatian, Dari, Dinka, English, Filipino, French, Greek, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Kurdish-Kurmanji, Korean, Lao, Macedonian, Maltese, Mongolian, Nepali, Portuguese, Polish, Punjab, Russian, Samoan, Serbian, Simplified Chinese, Spanish, Tamil, Tongan, Traditional Chinese, Thai, Turkish, Urdu and Vietnamese.

Health worker contact after testing

If your test is positive, a health worker will phone you. Social media graphics are available in 37 languages: Arabic, Armenian, Assyrian, Bangla, Burmese, Croatian, Dari, Dinka, English, Filipino, French, Greek, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Kurdish-Kurmanji, Korean, Lao, Macedonian, Maltese, Mongolian, Nepali, Portuguese, Polish, Punjab, Russian, Samoan, Serbian, Simplified Chinese, Spanish, Tamil, Tongan, Traditional Chinese, Thai, Turkish, Urdu and Vietnamese.

COVID-19 symptoms and testing posters

If you have symptoms such as a scratchy/sore throat, cough, unexplained fever or shortness of breath, you should be tested for tested for COVID-19. Call your GP or visit a COVID-19 clinic. Posters available in 44 languages: Arabic, Assyrian, Farsi, Urdu, Armenian, Croatian, Russian, Serbian, Bangla, Nepali, Punjabi, Tamil, Burmese, Karen, Swahili, Tibetan, Chinese - Simplified, Chinese - Traditional, Korean, Vietnamese, Dari, Khmer, Kurdish, Kurmanji, Dinka, Kirundi, Samoan, Tongan, French, Portuguese, Spanish, Turkish, Greek, Italian, Macedonian, Polish, and Indonesian, Japanese, Mongolian, Thai.

COVID-19 - Who to call posters

Call 1800 020 080 (24/7) for health questions or to check symptoms. For free help in your language, call 131 450. Visit a COVID-19 testing clinic near you. Posters available in 37 languages: Arabic, Armenian, Assyrian, Bangla, Burmese, Croatian, Dari, Dinka, English, Farsi, French, Greek, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Khmer, Korean, Kurdish-Kurmanji, Lao, Macedonian, Mongolian, Nepali, Polish, Portuguese, Punjabi, Russian, Simplified Chinese, Serbian, Spanish, Swahili, Tamil, Traditional Chinese, Thai, Turkish, Urdu, and Vietnamese.

Help us stop the spread posters

Help us stop the spread of COVID-19 between people. Hygiene posters available in 40 languages: Arabic, Assyrian, Farsi, Urdu, Armenian, Croatian, Russian, Serbian, Bangla, Nepali, Punjabi, Tamil, Burmese, Karen, Swahili, Tibetan, Chinese - Simplified, Chinese - Traditional, Korean, Vietnamese, Dari, Khmer, Kurdish, Kurmanji, Dinka, Kirundi, Samoan, Tongan, French, Portuguese, Spanish, Turkish, Greek, Italian, Macedonian, Polish and Indonesian, Japanese, Mongolian, Thai.

Look after your mental health during COVID-19 posters

If you’re feeling overwhelmed, you can talk to a trained counsellor any time by calling the Coronavirus Mental Wellbeing Line: 1800 512 348. For a free telephone interpreter, call 131 450. Posters available in 37 languages: Arabic, Armenian, Assyrian, Bangla, Burmese, Croatian, Dari, Dinka, English, Farsi, French, Italian, Japanese, Khmer, Korean, Kurdish-Kurmanji, Lao, Macedonian, Mongolian, Nepali, Polish, Portuguese, Punjabi, Russian, Simplified Chinese, Serbian, Spanish, Swahili, Tamil, Traditional Chinese, Thai, Turkish, Urdu and Vietnamese.

Brochure – just got tested for COVID-19?

Brochure available in 19 languages: Arabic, Burmese, Croatian, English, Farsi, Greek, Hindi, Italian, Karen, Kirundi, Macedonian, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Serbian, Spanish, Swahili, Turkish and Vietnamese.

Home isolation guidelines for confirmed cases

Guidelines are available in 34 languages: Arabic, Armenian, Assyrian, Bangla, Burmese, Croatian, Dari, English, Farsi, French, Greek, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Khmer, Kirundi, Korean, Kurdish - Kurmanji, Kurdish - Sorani, Macedonian, Mongolian, Nepali, Polish, Portuguese, Punjabi, Russian, Samoan, Serbian, Swahili, Thai, Tibetan, Turkish, Urdu and Vietnamese.

Information for family and friends of people returning to Australia

Information available in 6 languages: English, Gujarati, Hindi, Nepali, Punjabi and Tamil.

Physical Distancing and COVID-19 information videos

COVID-19 preventative video information available in 11 languages: Arabic, Cantonese, Dinka, Filipino, Hazaragi, Indonesian, Karen, Kurdish, Mandarin, and Swahili.

COVID-19: A message from our Community Leaders videos

Community leader health updates available in 10 languages: Arabic, Bangla, Chinese, Greek, Indonesian, Korean, Italian, Filipino, Spanish, and Vietnamese.

Healthy Eating in Australia – Videos for New Arrivals

The NSW Refugee Health Service and partners have produced Healthy Eating in Australia, a series of multilingual educational videos, which provide advice on healthy food choices for newly arrived refugee and migrant communities. Available in Arabic, Dari, English, Karen and Tibetan.

The videos were developed by NSW Refugee Health Service; Promoting Healthy Outcomes for Refugees Inc.; Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District (ISLHD) Health Promotion Service; ISLHD Multicultural Health Service; Northern Sydney LHD Multicultural Health Service; South Western Sydney LHD Health Promotion Service; and TAFE Illawarra (Wollongong).

Translated Resources about Cancer

The Cancer Institute NSW’s Patient Information link brings together in-language resources on cancer from across New South Wales and Australia in a single place for ease of access. Available in Arabic, Chinese (Simplified), Chinese (Traditional), English, Greek, Italian, Korean, Spanish and Vietnamese.

Diabetes Information in your Language

The National Diabetes Services Scheme has translated diabetes resources in over 20 languages for use by the general public and health professionals. Available in Arabic, Bengali, Chinese (simplified), Chinese Traditional, English, Farsi, Greek, Hindi, Italian, Khmer, Korean, Macedonian, Punjabi, Samoan, Spanish, Sinhalese, Tagalog, Tamil, Turkish, Urdu, and Vietnamese.

The impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on refugee health and resettlement – where will we be in one year? Webinar presented by NSW Refugee Health Service and the Ingham Institute of Applied Medical Research on 18 June, 2020 is now available for viewing online.

Previous COVID-19 webinar recordings are available at the Australian Government, Department of Health including the COVID-19 Response update for GPs Webinar with a focus on patients from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander or culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.

17 July 2020: Australia Post Community Grants offers grants up to $10,000 for organisations to increase opportunities for people to experience meaningful connections that enhance mental wellbeing and to support mental health awareness and early intervention. Applications close 17 July 2020.

29 July 2020: 2020 NSW CALD Covid Summit presented by the NSW Local Government Multicultural Network from 10-11:30am AEST. Register to attend.

31 July 2020: The Royal Commission into Aged Care has been extended until 31 July 2020. Submit your story. Translated guides and resources can be found at FECCA.

31 July 2020: WayAhead are offering NSW Mental Health Month 2020 Grants to assist with mental health promotion activities during October's Mental Health Month. Five categories of grants available: General; Youth; Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD); Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander; and LGBTIQA+. Applications close 31 July 2020.

12 August 2020: Cultural Diversity, multicultural perspective of End of Life care presented by PEPA NSW, MCCI and NNSWLHD from 9am-12:45pm AEST. Register to attend.

NSW Multicultural Health Communication Service
LMB 5003 Buildling 41 Gladesville Hospital
Punt Road Gladesville NSW 2111
Website: http://www.mhcs.health.nsw.gov.au/
Email: seslhd-mhcs@health.nsw.gov.au

This newsletter is distributed to all our stakeholders, health workers and general public who requested to be in our mailing list.
If you want more information about our privacy policy, please visit this page:
https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/pages/privacy.aspx 

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