Orygen has launched a suite of multimedia resources designed to help mental health professionals consider the unique and diverse needs of multicultural young people.
Resource project lead, Orygen Clinical Educator Yamiko Marama, said it was vital that mental health professionals were sensitive to the cultural background, experiences and identities of young people they worked with.
“Sadly, multicultural young people may feel that mental health supports are not designed for them, which is understandable given the number of access barriers young people can face in order to receive culturally responsive, intersectional and inclusive care. Young people may have had poor experiences with mental health supports (or know someone else who has) leading to the belief they must cope on their own,” Yamiko said.
“Multicultural communities may have different explanations or understandings of mental health that we need to respect and understand as mental health workers. Communities may have lack of access to mental health information in their language, there may be shame in some communities for speaking out about mental health, or young people and their families may be experiencing other pressures that take priority over mental wellbeing.
“A culturally responsive approach can support young people to feel safe, heard, understood, and empowered.”
The resources have been designed to help mental health professionals think meaningfully about their role in supporting engagement, treatment experiences and outcomes for multicultural young people and their families.
They cover a range of topics from youth participation and developing culturally safe and inclusive work environments, to working with families and language interpreters. A podcast hears from young people with lived expertise and sector experts.
Orygen peer researcher Phuong Nguyen was involved in the development of the resources and said positive treatment outcomes were linked with culturally-sensitive care.
“From my experience, I assumed counselling would be more solution-based without needing to build a rapport at the beginning (which was wrong), so I was not satisfied with the outcomes whenever I sought formal support,” Phuong said.
“It is important for professionals to be sensitive about this and explain the purpose of a session to the client for clarity and transparency.”
“When a young person of colour feels like a mental health session aligns with their cultural needs, there is a greater possibility that they will receive better outcomes and greater trust after receiving the service.”
Orygen Youth Research Council Member Angelica Ojinnaka, who was involved in the development of the resources, said it was important they reflected the lived experiences of multicultural young people.
“Mental health resources relating to young people from various cultural backgrounds are limited, generalised, and less informed by young people themselves. We have often been led by people trying to describe our understandings and experiences for us, and this has been damaging to many young people like me, who may be seeking support from services,” Angelica said.
“As a young Nigerian person, I wanted to be part of a positive and proactive step in the right direction for the mental health workforce, one that would lead to safer practices, encouragement of ongoing self-development, and critical reflection when working with young people in all their cultural diversities.”
The development of the resources was funded by the Australian Government Department of Health.