Find services that have bilingual workers
Ethno-specific and multicultural organisations and groups
African Communities Foundation Australia
Provides information on and links to African associations, groups and clubs in Victoria.
Local Government Community Directories
Most local councils provide online community directories containing information on local community services, associations, clubs, schools, religious groups, community festivals and events and ethno-specific and multicultural organisations and groups. Some councils provide a ‘search by language’ option. Visit your local council website and search for ‘community directory’.
Local Government Community Directories
Most local councils provide online community directories containing information on local community services, associations, clubs, schools, religious groups, community festivals and events and ethno-specific and multicultural organisations and groups. Some councils provide a ‘search by language’ option. Visit your local council website and search for ‘community directory’.
Multicultural Centre for Women's Health (MCWH)
The MCWH is a community-based organisation led by and for women from migrant and refugee backgrounds. The organisation provides bilingual health education, partnership projects, cross-cultural training and a carer support program, which offers support to migrant carers and their families through bilingual support companions.
Our Community
An online directory with links to mainstream and ethno-specific and multicultural community organisations, associations, clubs and groups. Search by organisation type, language and location.
Victorian Multicultural Commission Community Directory
An online directory of ethno-specific and multicultural organisations, groups and associations across Victoria. Search by organisation type, community group/ethnic group and local government area.
www.multicultural.vic.gov.au/community-directory
Settlement services
Department of Social Services (DSS)
Grants Service Directory
Includes details of organisations that are in receipt of a DSS grant, including settlement grants. Settlement grants are provided to organisations to support humanitarian entrants and permanent migrants in their initial years of life in Australia. Search by program name, service type and region.
www.dss.gov.au/service-providers
Humanitarian Settlement Program – Service Provider Locations
The Humanitarian Settlement Program is delivered on behalf of the Australian Government by five service providers in 11 contract regions across Australia. Contract region maps and shopfront locations for each service provider can be found here:
Income support services
Centrelink – Multilingual Phone Service
Centrelink provides a Multilingual Phone Service covering 69 languages. Skilled bilingual service officers provide information and assistance on Centrelink payments and services. For more information, contact your local Centrelink office.
www.humanservices.gov.au/contact-us
Education services
Free Kindergarten Association (FKA)
FKA offer professional learning opportunities, resources and support to education and care services to facilitate the provision of culturally rich environments. The Association has bilingual support workers who offer consultation services and work with staff, parents and children to support newly arrived children engage and settle in their education setting.
Disability services
Action on Disability within Ethnic Communities (ADEC)
ADEC supports people with a disability from CALD backgrounds through a range of resources and programs including Access and Support, advocacy, group work, respite, mental health and community development. ADEC is also an NDIS provider offering direct services and support coordination.
Multilingual Disability Hub (MDH)
Settlement Services International’s MDH provides a multilingual hotline and website with information and resources on disability, service providers and the NDIS in a number of languages.
Health services
Mercy Health - Multicultural Services
Mercy Health provides several programs to support culturally responsive care including the African Liaison Program and Family and Reproductive Rights Program. To find out more, go to:
Royal Children’s Hospital – Immigrant Health Service
The service includes an outpatient clinic that provides multidisciplinary medical and developmental assessment for recently arrived children from refugee backgrounds and education for service providers. The service has bilingual clinicians and close links with primary health providers, refugee health teams and community organisations working in refugee health.
Western Health – African Women’s Wellness Program (AWWP)
Western Health established the AWWP for maternity care at Sunshine Hospital. The aim of the program is to provide culturally responsive clinical care, education and resources and facilitate access to services for women from African communities. For further information, go to: