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