BreastScreen Victoria team members Mai and Danika.
The South Eastern Melbourne Primary Health Network (SEMPHN) team has been busy connecting with the community in shopping centres across Victoria’s southeast.
Gracy, Mandarin and Cantonese-speaking Health Promotion Officer, and Danika, Health Promotion Officer, recently hosted information stands at Springvale Shopping Centre and Armada Dandenong Plaza. Both stands were supported by BreastScreen Victoria’s Vietnamese-speaking Health Promotion Officer, Mai.
Dandenong and Springvale residents visited the stand to learn about the importance of early breast cancer detection, our breast screening program, and to book an appointment at their nearest clinic. They walked away with information sheets and plenty of BreastScreen merchandise.
Mai with clients at info stand in Springvale.
If you don't speak English as a first language, getting around the health sector in Australia can be difficult. That’s why initiatives such as information stands in public spaces are so important. By providing free language support in Mandarin and Vietnamese, we ensure that everyone has access to breast screening information and that they feel welcome at our services, regardless of their mother tongue.
Many people who visited the stands were from diverse backgrounds.
“We talked to a wide range of clients from different cultural and linguistic backgrounds, which was a good outcome,” said Danika.
Interacting with the local community is at the heart of the SEMPHN project. Gracy and Danika, supported by Liezl, Project Manager, regularly plan activities that share the importance of regular breast screening with community groups.
Reflecting on the activity, Danika said, “It was great to visit the bustling Armada Dandenong Plaza and encourage eligible community members to book a breast screen. We look forward to participating in other activities with the local community.”