DBSV’s PRMC project was commenced to support the Nepalese community, especially those at high risk and vulnerable after Covid 19 Pandemic, through community safety and vaccine education, emergency relief and prevention, health Communications, mental health education, and casework support. This project is supported by the Victorian Government through the Priority Response to Multicultural Communities during Coronavirus (PRMC) program. The project aimed to bridge the gaps of awareness about Covid-19, vaccine roll-out programs and vaccine accessibility by Nepalese communities including international students. To fulfil this aim the project focused on identified needs by delivering information, education, coaching and mentoring, casework to enhance the livelihood of individual families, and communities as a whole by using specific innovative activities.
The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic had and have a profound impact, not only on people’s health but also on how they live, work and study. The PRMC program was initiated by the Victorian Government to ensure and support community organisations like DBSV to respond to the health crisis and the impacts on multicultural communities. There were several issues and challenges due to Covid-19 crisis such as food insecurity due to no income and no job or lost the job, lack of knowledge on support services: COVID-19 information, accommodation, employment, health and mental health and social isolation, loneliness, loss of and social connection.
Thus, DBSV aimed to response to those priority needs of the people and provide urgent supports those in need via this PRMC project:
1. Deliver community engagement activities including a risk assessment of students shared accommodation to create and enact a Covid safe plan
2. Deliver outreach and support to vulnerable community members
3. Develop and deliver Covid-19 health communications and education, including vaccine awareness and information session
4. Undertake an action research project to identify mental health issues and the impact of Covid-19 on international students
5. Provide emergency essential items and food relief to vulnerable community members
6. Undertake casework for a selected number of vulnerable and high-risk individuals
To meet these objectives and serve the communities during this crisis period, DBSV was actively engaged to deliver engagement activities and information sessions and distribute targeted communications and promotional materials among our community members. Our team worked alongside a range of health professionals and organisations, intending to keep our communities appropriately engaged, informed about the health responses to the Covid-19 and supported with emergency reliefs.
Complete Report of this project can be found in our resource library
