Koondoola Primary is fortunate enough to have a Multicultural Community Centre (MCC) on site. The MCC provides support to refugee families with physical and social/emotional health needs, while addressing settlement and transition issues.
There are two MCCs in Western Australia; one at Koondoola Primary School and one at the Thornlie Primary School. These two MCCs also provide an outreach service to other surrounding Intensive English Centres.
The MCCs provide humanitarian entrant families with holistic support as they settle into their new lives in Australia. The MCC consists of a small team; 2 Refugee Health Nurses, a Senior Social Worker and 2 Multicultural Community Liaison Workers (MCLW). The KMCC staff work collaboratively to address health and psychosocial needs for the entire family. The program was developed from a growing need in the community to support Intensive English Centre students and their families with additional settlement needs and to allow the school to complete their core business of education. The centre also provides advocacy and referral for families where additional supports are required.
The Refugee Health Nurses provide services including developing family health plans, referring to GPs and other medical services, general health and mental health education, advocacy, transportation support and health promotion.
The Senior Social Worker provides counselling and other therapeutic intervention for students including Play Therapy, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Narrative Therapy, Expressive Therapies and Life Story Work.
The MCLWs support people with general settlement issues that arise with housing, education, language, health and employment. This may be by supporting clients through case management and outreach support to ensure clients are engaged in English classes, linked with employment and training support, can access health services, and can navigate Centrelink and tenancy in Australia.
The MCLWs also run weekly parent support groups, which aim to build community resilience by learning about life in Australia, providing parenting support, navigating support systems, understanding the education system and providing a space where the challenges of living in Australia can be discussed and reduced. There are also after school student clubs and school holiday activities delivered for students.
Please call the office on 9345 6219 for more information.
Download a copy of the MCC brochure.
