The Centre for Culture, Ethnicity & Health 1994 - 2015

We have worked with thousands of people and hundreds of organisations across the health, community and local government sectors.

Training

We have been dedicated to training the health, community and local government sectors. We have supported services to improve access and equity in service delivery for people from refugee and migrant backgrounds.

Health Promotion

We have undertaken many projects which aim to promote healthy behaviours, increase awareness around BBV/STIs, and work with agencies to target at-risk populations.

Research

We have partnered up with research institutes and organisations to help address the gaps in research surrounding refugee and migrant health issues.

Demos Krouskos

Chief Executive Officer of North Richmond Community Health as well as the Director of CEH

Demos migrated to Melbourne with his family from Greece in 1954. Since 1985, he has held a number of positions in the health care sector including six years as executive officer with the health consumer organisation Preston/Northcote District Health Council. In 1991, he was appointed the chief executive officer of North Richmond Community Health Centre and in 1999, director for the Centre for Culture, Ethnicity and Health.

His professional interests include health and cultural diversity, health issues affecting refugees and migrants, health equity and human rights, health of Indigenous Australians, the development of ethical health care practice and health care service research. Demos was awarded the Centenary Medal in 2000 for services to community health.

A new significant partnership marks our 21st year.

We have formed a research partnership with Monash University School of Nursing and Midwifery.

We will collaboratively build upon the knowledge and understanding around issues of language services, cultural competence and health literacy.

Together, we will work towards reducing health disparities of refugees and migrants by improving the quality of service delivery.

What
We’ve
Achieved

1994 - 1999

2000 - 2005

2005 -2010

2010 - 2015

We want to hear from you

Topics

v

A lot can happen in 21 years in culture, ethnicity & health!

v
It takes a village: refugee and migrant settlement in regional Australia 
v
Practice innovations: learning from each other

Seminar Series 2015

What would you like to hear discussed at our upcoming Seminar Series? We are calling out for ideas to help us shape this series of seminars so that they are useful, relevant and engaging to you.

The Centre for Culture, Ethnicity and Health in partnership with Monash University’s School of Nursing and Midwifery will launch a series of three seminars to celebrate their new partnership and to provide a platform for scholars, practitioners, community partners, and policymakers to share ideas, knowledge and experience about migration, settlement, multiculturalism and cultural competence.

We have three topics for focus – but we want to hear from you – what are some of the details, conversations, and discussions you’d like to hear around these topics?

Share your idea

Our staff are the life of the organisation committed to working towards better health outcomes for people from refugee and migrant backgrounds.

Happy coming of age CEH! Wonderful achievement over 21 years improving the health and wellbeing of Victoria’s multicultural communities. I’ve been very privileged to work with CEH from the beginning. Probably the best bunch of staff I’ve worked with in my professional career – enjoyed every moment of it. Still love working with the staff, still love working with the community. It’s been absolutely great.
Demos Krouskos

Director

I believe in what we do, I think it’s important and makes a difference to professionals and community members.  We give them skills and different ways of thinking about things.  Also, most of our work we do in partnership, so instead of working with 20 others we work with hundreds of others!
Michal Morris

General Manager

In the 1990s I worked on a community TV series which was broadcast on Channel 31. At the time, using this type of ‘new’ media for health promotion was fresh and innovative. Coming back to CEH, I can see that they are still an organisation that’s dedicated to finding new & unique ways to engage people.
Piergiorgio Moro

Project Officer

When I tell people about the size of our team, they’re surprised about how such a small organisation can do so much. I feel privileged to be part of something that is much bigger than we internally may conceptualize. Can’t wait to see what happens next!

 

Alison Coelho

Stream Leader Multicultural Health Improvement

The great thing about working here is working closely with so many different migrant and refugee communities. I provide health education to these communities. But what I have found is that these communities are also teaching me – about their culture, religion and way of life.
Phuong Nguyen

Peer Education Officer

Working at CEH is definitely rewarding. It’s been great working with such enthusiastic individuals who really care about the health and wellbeing of our communities. I’m so happy to be able to have the opportunity to contribute to such a great cause.
Sanaz Sabet

Online Engagement Coordinator

Our library is the only dedicated library in the English speaking world that focusses on cultural diversity and health. It gives me great satisfaction to respond to information requests to people from various parts of the world and backgrounds.
Sabina Tresise

Information Services Coordinator

Working at CEH is a pleasure and a privilege; I enjoy running trainings with professionals who are change agents within their organisations and for the health sector in general.  I love having colleagues from diverse ethnic backgrounds who bring with them a breadth of knowledge, experience and quirks – so there’s never a dull moment!
Ambreen Mirza

Project Officer – Clinical Specialist

A pleasant place to work that gives me the opportunity to support people from various multicultural communities. It is also comforting to know that these communities value the support we are providing them.
Tapuwa Bofu

Community Engagement Officer

Working with health professionals to better engage with migrant and refugee communities on sensitive issues such as sexual health is something I feel very passionate about. It is very rewarding work.
Koula Neophytou

Coordinator Community Programs

I started volunteering at North Richmond Community Health and got involved with CEH which later led to a position here. I have made some wonderful friends since I’ve been here and feel really grateful.
Viv Fox

Office Manager

It’s important to me that there is some link between the work I do and a positive impact on people from migrant and refugee backgrounds. Some days that link seems more obvious than others but I do believe that we contribute to positive changes in practice. I am fortunate to have a highly skilled, knowledgeable and very competent team whose individual contributions cannot be underestimated. I know that their advice is measured, considered and thoughtful.
Bernice Murphy

Stream Leader Capacity Building

As an event manager I really enjoyed working with CEH on the Diversity in Health Conference 2010. It was a pleasure working with such a talented and committed organisation on producing a high profile event for Australia’s most dynamic debate on diversity. Five years later, I’ve been lucky enough to come back and feel very grateful to be part of such an inspiring team.
Anni Tillack-Benton

Information Services Coordinator

The sharing of ideas is encouraged here and opinions are valued. When I first started, I was happily surprised to hear about Travel Club, a monthly meeting where colleagues gather together at lunchtime to learn about the culture, heritage or travel experiences of a workmate. It warms my heart to be part of a team that finds fun and genuine ways to educate each other.

 

Hope Mathumbu

Community Engagement Officer

My days at CEH are never the same. One week you may find yourself cooking with African women, and the next one implementing a social marketing campaign for the Vietnamese community or entering Sikh temples to discuss public health issues. Diversity, variety and flexibility is what I love about working here.

 

Sara Brocchi

Project Officer

It has been a pleasure to engage and work collaboratively with so many diverse and fascinating communities over the years. It was great to be a part of partnerships which empowered communities to address issues on their own terms.

 

Mary Gavranic

Senior Project Officer

After encountering CEH when it was first established, it has always been an organisation I wanted to work with. Two and half years ago I achieved my goal! I feel immensely proud to be part of an extraordinary team  that works with dedication and passion to achieve improved health outcomes for migrants and refugees.
Lynda Memery

Professional Learning Coordinator

I started here coordinating the African Diaspora Networking Zone at the International AIDS Conference.I had far too much fun working with this great team that they couldn’t get rid of me! I’m now coordinating the Multicultural Sexual Health Network (MSHN) and working on a fun mobile app for young people.
Rebecca Reeves

Community Projects Officer

I’ve met many inspiring people since I’ve been working for CEH. So much passion in the one work place, reminds me that we are all working towards the same goal.
Frances Nolan

Communications Officer

Introducing Dr Ruth De Souza

Dr Ruth De Souza holds a joint appointment as Stream Leader, Research Policy and Evaluation at the Centre for Culture Ethnicity and Health and as a Senior Lecturer at Monash University School of Nursing and Midwifery.

After extensive experience working in mental health and maternal health, in 1998, Ruth moved to the education sector to take up a role at Unitec Institute of Technology where she co-ordinated mental health and communications courses. She then moved to AUT University where she co-ordinated the Centre for Asian and Migrant Health Research. Ruth also worked in the School of Nursing and Midwifery teaching Primary Health Nursing and developing the Masters of Health Science (Mental Health).  Ruth moved to Monash University in 2013 to take up a role as the Course Convenor of the Bachelor of Nursing (Berwick).

Ruth is dedicated to developing a skilled and competent health workforce that provides quality care to marginalised groups. Ruth hopes this joint appointment will help to bridge the gap between research and practice.

Twitter icon@DeSouzaRN