Positive Wellness Recovery Centre host a Disability Week Celebration panel discussion event at SAM on Thursday, May 8. The theme was “Human Rights, Inclusion, and Empowerment.”
GSCC Multicultural Engagement Officer Mariola Nebiu MC’d the event with guest speakers Mayor Cr Shane Sali and Dr Francis Acquah AM. The panel (pictured from left) Kim O’Keeffe MP, Ethnic Council CEO Sam Atukorala, Mental Health Clinician Cecilia Ndala, AOD Peer Wellbeing Navigator Josh Maude and Disability Services Practitioner Julie Gardner.
Sam Atukorala spoke of the added burden members of Greater Shepparton’s multicultural community face when they or their partner or child has a disability.
“We are so proud of being a multicultural nation. We are proud of being a multicultural state. Yet some of the policies the government makes is creating issues for some of the multicultural communities, especially for their mental health and well-being,” said Sam.
“As community, members, service providers, leaders in the community, I think we can lead these things. We can advocate the government to have a hard look at their policies, to actually see from their [multicultural community] perspective.”
