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The capacity-building role of community liaison workers with refugee communities in Victoria, Australia
- Source :
- International Journal of Mental Health Systems, International Journal of Mental Health Systems, Vol 15, Iss 1, Pp 1-13 (2021)
- Publication Year :
- 2021
- Publisher :
- BioMed Central, 2021.
-
Abstract
- Background A range of services within Australia and internationally have been developed that are focused on the engagement of individuals who are of refugee background to work as a liaison between their communities and mental health services. The Community Liaison Worker (CLW) role at the Victorian Foundation for Survivors of Torture (VFST) was developed in 2008 in order to engage in such capacity-building initiatives. Aims To review and document the establishment, evolution and current status of the VFST CLW role, and examine the perspectives of CLWs on their role in trauma-informed community capacity-building. Methods The study comprised of two stages: a historical case study of the development of the CLW role, and a qualitative research study based on interviews with CLWs in order to identify key themes regarding various aspects of their role and understand the facilitators and barriers to their work of trauma-informed capacity-building with their respective communities. Results The CLW role has evolved from the provision of direct services through joint work with Counsellor Advocates at VFST to a broader role that is focused on building the capacity of community members. Thematic analysis of interviews with the seven current CLWs identified the complexity of their dual role as members of their community and employees of VFST, their role in addressing short-term goals to meet community needs, and the long-term objective of empowering their community to become integrated and self-sufficient. Conclusions CLWs at VFST demonstrate important work of liaison workers in facilitating trauma-informed capacity-building initiatives that are of benefit to members of their communities and also to service providers.
- Subjects :
- Refugee
media_common.quotation_subject
Immigration
Neurosciences. Biological psychiatry. Neuropsychiatry
Community liaison workers
Capacity-building
Health administration
03 medical and health sciences
0302 clinical medicine
030212 general & internal medicine
Sociology
media_common
business.industry
030503 health policy & services
Health Policy
Research
Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health
Capacity building
Public relations
Service provider
Mental health
Psychiatry and Mental health
Pshychiatric Mental Health
Thematic analysis
0305 other medical science
business
Trauma-informed mental health
Refugee mental health
RC321-571
Qualitative research
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 17524458
- Volume :
- 15
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- International Journal of Mental Health Systems
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....d28b6d4a859e220f0c550547745ab45f