Date: Friday 30th April 2021
Time: 10am – 11.15am
Location: Online via Zoom
Register for the event here.
HCC has partnered with Multicultural Youth Advisory Network of Western Australia (MYAN WA) for this event. The panel discussion on the unique challenges faced by youth from culturally and linguistically diverse (CaLD) backgrounds in Western Australia as they gain sex education and navigate access to contraception and reproductive health treatment in the backdrop of diverse and often mixed cultural perspectives. Noting the diversity of the cohort “CaLD youth” we will try to address issues faced by international students, children of migrants (born and educated in Australia) and young migrants (including refugees and humanitarian entrants).
Panellists are from a range of cultural backgrounds and come from different perspectives to share their knowledge and experiences around what works and what doesn’t in this space. They will also explore building culturally inclusive services and discuss the importance of cultural awareness in best practice. This is a opportunity to hear from educators and advocates in the space as well as young people themselves about what works and what challenges they face as individuals, within their families, within their communities, schools and with their providers.
Panel:
- Nadeen Laljee-Curran – Cultural Diversity Engagement Coordinator, HCC (Chair)
- Fatema Shalemie – Project Officer, MYAN WA, former YEP (Youth Educating Peers) educator
- Lucy McEvoy – Youth Specialist Worker, Association for Services to Torture and Trauma Survivors (ASeTTS)
- Patrick Gunasekera – young person with lived experience, MYAN WA Shout Out speaker, interdisciplinary artist and inclusivity educator
- Najmah – young person with lived experience, former humanitarian entrant to Australia
Panel biographies:
Fatema Shalemie
Fatema is the Project Officer at the Multicultural Youth Advocacy Network of Western Australia at the Youth Affairs Council of Western Australia . She was a YEP Crew Peer Educator from 2016 to 2019, which was aimed at educating and advocating for sex positivity, and had a particular interest in CaLD sexual health. She is of Afghan heritage and has lived as a multicultural young person in Australia for the majority of her life. With that, has come the struggle of navigating her way around sexual health topics. Having never received “the talk” from her parents, she has lived off of Dolly Doctor and the not so accurate, word of mouth.
Lucy McEvoy
Lucy is a Specialist Youth Worker for the Association for Survivors of Torture and Trauma (ASeTTS) in Perth Western Australia. She holds a Bachelor of Arts from Monash University with a major in politics and minor in Indigenous Studies, as well as a Master of Social Work from the University of Western Australia and a Certificate IV in Relationship Education.
Lucy has always been concerned in social justice and inequality. Her interest in the plight of refugees, and particularly those who have experienced torture, began in 2000. Her current work involves engagement with young trauma survivors from various African nations, the Middle East and Burma. Her thinking and practice are informed by the Circe of Courage Model, Social Learning Theory, Psychodynamic Theory and Anti-Oppressive Practice. Lucy co-developed the HERS project, a reproductive health program for young women from migrant and refugee background.
Patrick Gunasekera
Patrick is a writer and performer working from Sinhala diaspora on Whadjuk Noongar boodjar. He has educated and collaborated widely across the public sector on inclusivity, access, and peer-led community organising.
Najmah Adnan
Najmah is a dedicated mental health nurse working in Perth. She is of Somali heritage but lived in Kenya and New Zealand before migrating to Australia. Najmah was a participant of the HERS project. She works actively in the community to engage youth from Multicultural backgrounds and create activities them to create a sense of belonging.
Register for the event here.
