Community Partners

Multicultural Own It Cervical Screening (self-collection) Community Partners

Federation of Chinese Associations of Victoria

The Federation of Chinese Associations of Victoria (FCA) is a non-profit Chinese community organisation based in Victoria which has operated for over 37 years to provide an extensive range of social and health services for the Chinese community. They currently represent over 180 member associations across Victoria, committed to diverse representation and engagement within the Chinese community. FCA works closely with local businesses, organisations, councils, and both state and federal governments to deliver impactful projects. FCA provides a wide range of social services, including mental health support, family services, education, employment assistance, and settlement services, benefiting thousands of community members annually. In addition, FCA organises hallmark events such as the Melbourne Chinese New Year Celebration, Australia Day, and Mid-Autumn Festival, which have become significant cultural celebrations in Victoria.

FCA worked with Cantonese and Mandarin speaking women in the Own It campaign. Participants were from eight Victorian municipalities, including Melbourne, Whitehorse, Melton, Whittlesea, Casey, Kingston, Greater Dandenong, Monash, and Boroondara. The FCA project delivered health seminars and workshops at target locations and at their International Women’s Day celebration. The co-designed campaign was shared across relevant social media platforms with targeted messaging. Health awareness seminars incorporating cultural performances encouraged participation in cervical screening. The project reached over 12,000 predominantly first-generation migrants from Mainland China, Hong Kong, and other Chinese speaking regions in person and online.

Asian Women Association Inc

The Asian Women Association Inc (AWA), formerly the Australian Chinese Women's Federation Inc, is a Queensland organisation committed to guiding new and established immigrants who identify as Chinese background Asian women to integrate into the local community. Their strategy prioritises social engagement and interaction to help Chinese women build their sense of self in the Australian context. Their values are Optimism (积极乐观), Community (团结互相), Learning (不断学习), Lifestyle (品质生活), and Enjoyment (享受快乐). They promote women’s health through workshops focused on bowel, cervical and breast cancer, and mental health. AWA has more than 2,500 community members in WeChat groups across the Gold Coast and Brisbane, enabling strong connections for campaign delivery.

AWA’s delivery of the Own It campaign engaged women aged 25 to 74 who speak Mandarin and Cantonese in Brisbane and the Gold Coast. AWA used social media and digital platforms to raise awareness of cervical screening and shared information at their International Women’s Day event on the Gold Coast. AWA also hosted multiple in-person health information workshops in Mandarin or Cantonese to further promote cervical screening.

NEWGENs Community Education

NEWGENs Community Education is an educational institution in Sunshine, Victoria that teaches Vietnamese language and culture in dynamic learning settings. They have hosted many community events, including the 2022 to 2024 Moon Festivals and the 2022 to 2023 New Year Festival in partnership with local Vietnamese organisations, demonstrating strong reach into the Vietnamese community. They continue to build trust with local Vietnamese families through tailored programs and events that help Vietnamese women access vital health information.

In the Own It campaign, NEWGENs worked with Vietnamese speaking women in Brimbank and Hume. Activities included developing and delivering a campaign video shared at campaign events where Vietnamese representatives led workshops. A group booking event for cervical screening sessions followed, supported by Vietnamese speaking health professionals and IPC Health. NEWGENs integrated resources and the promotional video within local clinics and at cultural events to sustain impact.

IPC Health

IPC Health is a community health service in Victoria, operating from six sites across Melbourne’s west. Through a single point of contact, people can access medical, dental, allied health and psychosocial services, as well as aged care supports. Services include GPs, nurses, diabetes education, paediatrics, podiatry, occupational therapy, speech pathology, physiotherapy, dietetics, cardiac rehabilitation, counselling, Gambler’s Help, alcohol and other drugs counselling, and Home Care Packages.

IPC Health has a Youth and Women’s Health Nurse team that provides cancer screening, including self-collect cervical screening tests, and education to many multicultural communities. The team has worked with Cancer Council Victoria since 2021 to promote bowel and cervical screening. In the Own It campaign, IPC Health engaged Arabic, Punjabi and Vietnamese speaking women in Wyndham and Brimbank. The project began with co-designing community activities and training Women’s Health nurses for information sessions. Community engagement events followed, with resources available for all attendees. Each session offered on-the-day cervical screening through the YWHN team. IPC Health partnered with NEWGENs to provide screening services at one event.

Enliven

Enliven, part of EACH, is a Victorian community engagement service that has operated for 20 years advocating for health equity. Services focus on Plain Language, community engagement that supports co-design and a bicultural workforce, and Planetary Health. Enliven participated in the Community in Conversation project, delivering awareness sessions on bowel, cervical and breast cancer to 573 community members across multiple language groups, reporting significant gains in knowledge and screening behaviour.

For Own It, Enliven worked with Arabic, Hindi, Punjabi and Chinese speaking communities in Bayside, Casey, Cardinia, Frankston, Greater Dandenong, Knox, Monash, Kingston, Melbourne and Nillumbik. After community consultation, Enliven collaborated with the South East Public Health Unit to better understand screening barriers. They delivered 12 engagement sessions and disseminated campaign videos, presenter toolkits and postcards in community languages. Post funding, Enliven continues to integrate campaign resources into other initiatives to sustain momentum.

The Vietnamese Australian Welfare Association NSW

The Vietnamese Australian Welfare Association (VAWA) NSW provides the Vietnamese community with access to education, training, referrals, employment pathways and social support. Since 1989, VAWA has hosted regular information sessions for Vietnamese speakers. As the only organisation providing domestic violence counselling for Vietnamese families, it is a trusted service for women seeking information and advice. VAWA has also partnered with the Sydney Vietnamese Workers’ Interagency to provide cancer prevention training for female members.

In the Own It campaign, VAWA worked with Vietnamese speakers from Cambodia, Lao, Vietnam and other Southeast Asian countries, focusing on women aged 25 to 74. Community engagement took place in Fairfield, Canterbury-Bankstown and Liverpool. The campaign launched with co-designed information stalls at the Tet Festival. VAWA delivered further sessions at local women’s health centres and promoted the program via their website, which saw a significant traffic increase. VAWA also produced a directory of Vietnamese speaking female medical professionals who provide cervical screening in the local area.

Thriving Multicultural Communities

Thriving Multicultural Communities (TMC) is a Queensland organisation with three sites that fosters inclusion and advocates for the rights of diverse communities. TMC is well connected with women from target communities through programs such as the Gold Coast Women’s Collective. Their reach is recognised through Federal and State funded health initiatives, including the Health Check Campaign for breast, bowel and cervical screening in 2024 and the Improving Women’s Health Outcomes project.

In Own It, TMC worked with Arabic speaking women from Egypt, Eritrea, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Palestine and Syria, and with women from India, Malaysia and Pakistan who speak Hindi, Malayalam, Marathi and Punjabi. The Gold Coast was the selected area. TMC prepared 12 community leaders to co-design resources and deliver engagement sessions. Following cultural competency training, ten information sessions were delivered and six video testimonials were recorded and shared on social media.

Didi Bahini Samaj Victoria

Didi Bahini Samaj Victoria (DBSV) is a women-led organisation formed in 2012 by CALD women seeking better lives for women in Nepal and Australia. DBSV encourages participation and stronger communities, with a focus on women’s health and wellbeing. Events include the International Women’s Day Celebration with Nepalese Women in 2024 and the Free Breast Cancer Screening Support Program in 2022. DBSV’s Health Check Campaign engaged 242 community members and supported screening for 108 women.

DBSV worked with Hindi speaking Nepali women in Hume, Wyndham, Whittlesea and Melbourne or Merri-bek. The project began with community-led consultation to develop effective cervical screening awareness strategies. The campaign launched via social media, Hindi or Nepali language radio and community networks. An innovative theatrical advocacy initiative increased engagement. Workshops and informal gatherings, such as a PJ night and sleepover, promoted comfortable discussion. DBSV hosted group booking sessions via community camps and staffed a stall at the popular Nepali Festival in Melbourne.

AMES Australia

AMES Australia has supported multicultural communities for more than 70 years in Victoria. Programs include settlement services for recent arrivals and refugees, and referral pathways to support services. AMES has experience raising health awareness through Cancer Screening Sessions for the Settlement Council of Australia in 2024 and a Cancer Awareness project for Cancer Council in 2021 to 2022.

AMES engaged Arabic, Hindi, Mandarin, Punjabi and Vietnamese speaking communities in Adelaide’s Salisbury, Port Adelaide Enfield and Marion, and in Melbourne’s Hume, Whittlesea, CBD, Whitehorse, Wyndham and Brimbank. Activities included a co-design approach, translated materials and ten information sessions, with three in Adelaide and seven in Melbourne. A social media campaign used in-language promotional videos. AMES also engaged more than 100 staff to raise internal awareness and leveraged partnerships with Spectrum and local Neighbourhood Houses to extend reach.

The Water Well Project

The Water Well Project is a charity that improves the wellbeing and health of migrant, refugee and asylum seeker communities. Founded in 2011, it empowers communities to understand their health and navigate the Australian healthcare system. The organisation delivers free, community-based health education sessions facilitated by healthcare professionals to build health literacy. More than 1,800 sessions have been provided in over 40 languages across New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania, reaching more than 27,000 participants. Most sessions are delivered to women and cover issues such as heart health, mental wellbeing, and breast and cervical screening.

For Own It, Water Well engaged women primarily aged 30 to 64 from Arabic, Hindi, Punjabi, Mandarin, Cantonese, Vietnamese and English speaking CALD backgrounds. Activities took place in Liverpool in NSW, Greater Dandenong, Hume, Casey, Whitehorse, Melbourne and Manningham in Victoria, and Glenorchy in Tasmania. The campaign began by exploring new partnerships and developing culturally appropriate materials. Interactive, informal in-person education sessions then delivered up-to-date cervical screening information.

ASHA Global Foundation

ASHA Global Foundation is a Melbourne based organisation that empowers culturally and linguistically diverse communities through health awareness, digital literacy and social integration initiatives. The foundation focuses on South Asian seniors, with programs such as the Digital Literacy Program training more than 2,000 seniors, and health campaigns promoting early detection of chronic disease. ASHA has established trust with CALD women through activities like the Screen and Save campaign and the COVID-19 vaccination program.

ASHA’s Own It delivery focused on Hindi, Punjabi and Gujarati speaking women in Casey, Wyndham, Brimbank and broader Melbourne. Educational workshops and Q and A sessions addressed specific community concerns. A Community Champions Program enabled respected community figures to share experiences and encourage screening, supported by podcasts and ethnic radio featuring health professionals and survivors. Media content, social posts and flyers were provided in Hindi and Punjabi.

Sudanese Australian Health and Wellbeing Association

The Sudanese Australian Health and Wellbeing Association (SAHWA) is a multicultural community based organisation that empowers Sudanese Australians across ages and genders. SAHWA prioritises community education and awareness on women’s health and chronic disease. Despite being recently established, SAHWA has already delivered community led health initiatives, including cervical screening events.

In Own It, SAHWA worked with primarily Arabic speaking Sudanese women in Auburn, Blacktown, Liverpool and Riverwood in NSW. Following a pre-intervention questionnaire to establish baseline knowledge, SAHWA hosted an Iftar gathering health information session where doctors discussed cervical screening and addressed concerns. A Jubana gathering and clinical outreach event followed, where doctors and nurses supported screening in a culturally sensitive setting. A community picnic concluded the program, sharing next steps and experiences with self-collection.

Professional Migrant Women’s Network

The Professional Migrant Women’s Network (PMWN) is a community led organisation in Western Australia that empowers migrant women through advocacy, education and community initiatives. PMWN addresses health and wellbeing service gaps for multicultural women and has extensive experience with Hindi and Punjabi speaking communities. The Health Check Campaign reached more than 1,500 women and PMWN has built key partnerships with healthcare providers to ensure culturally sensitive support.

PMWN’s Own It initiative engaged Hindi and Punjabi speaking women aged 25 to 60 in Stirling, Canning, Gosnells, Wanneroo, Swan, Bayswater, Melville, Cockburn and Armadale. Insights from focus groups informed training for community influencers in cervical screening awareness and communication. Each influencer engaged at least ten women through awareness activities. Two community health education events, co-facilitated with a doctor, incorporated cultural activities to drive engagement. Tailored videos in Hindi and Punjabi featured local influencers and were shared on social media. Flyers were distributed to community hubs, businesses, places of worship and stakeholder networks.

Arab Council Australia

Arab Council Australia (ACA) is a community based organisation that has advocated for improved health and social wellbeing of the Arabic speaking background community in Australia for more than 45 years. Projects include a Cervical Screening Awareness Campaign delivering culturally appropriate information sessions and consultations on cancer issues. ACA has also supported Arabic speaking community participation in research, strengthening networks of health professionals and leaders ready to assist local communities.

For Own It, ACA worked with Arabic speaking background women aged 25 to 40 in South Western and Western Sydney. ACA launched an online information campaign with testimonials and education in Arabic and English. This was followed by community engagement sessions and volunteer training for existing cancer support volunteers, who shared accurate information across the community. ACA developed a bilingual digital flipchart to support activities. The final event was an information and Q and A session with a health practitioner covering concerns, access pathways for cervical screening and a recap of campaign activities. Participants were encouraged to distribute local service details and support screening participation.

Family Planning Australia

Family Planning Australia (FPA), the oldest family planning service in Australia, provides reproductive and sexual health services across NSW. In addition to accredited clinical services, FPA delivers health promotion, community education and referrals through numerous outreach sites. With a mission to enhance sexual health, FPA works closely with Women’s Health Centres and CALD communities, including Arabic speaking women.

For Own It, FPA partnered with Western Sydney Local Health District’s Multicultural Health team to connect with Arabic speaking and other women aged 25 to 74 in Blacktown and Auburn and surrounding areas. The Multicultural Health team delivered community education on cervical screening. FPA facilitated cervical screening tests through mobile and outreach clinics. New resources in English and Arabic clarified eligibility for self-collection and post-test referral pathways. The collaboration created a service pathway from community education to self-collection CST services, improving access for hard-to-reach women.

Cancer Council NSW

Cancer Council NSW (CCNSW) is a leading cancer charity that supports the NSW community across every cancer type. CCNSW invests in prevention and delivers in-language cancer screening workshops, including cervical screening education for key multicultural communities. CCNSW has strong experience in co-design, with previous workshops reaching hundreds of participants across many languages.

In Own It, CCNSW worked with Cantonese and Mandarin speaking communities in Castle Hill and extended reach to Hindi and Punjabi speaking communities in Mount Druitt, Bella Vista and Parramatta. Following discussions with community champions, co-designed education sessions were delivered by respected healthcare professionals and CCNSW staff and were supported by Own It resources.

Bukjeh

Bukjeh is a multicultural community organisation that fosters social cohesion, inclusion and intercultural connection, particularly for displaced and multicultural communities. Through culturally safe and creative spaces, Bukjeh prioritises diversity and meaningful engagement across Australia. Bukjeh has strong relationships with Arabic speaking communities through cultural performances and workshops, including Eid celebrations.

For Own It, Bukjeh worked with Arabic speaking women online across Australia. A series of live and recorded Facebook events featured community leaders and lived experience speakers via accounts such as Arab Australian Ladies Club and Australian Business Women Forum. Videos were pinned for sharing within groups and beyond to increase reach. Bukjeh provided culturally appropriate education on cervical screening, encouraged dialogue in safe environments and raised awareness among communities traditionally underrepresented in mainstream health campaigns.