According to the 2011 census, Arabic is the most popular language other than English to be spoken at home in NSW (2.7% of NSW population), and it also grew the second fastest when compared with the 2006 census (grew from 2.5% to 2.7% in NSW).[1]
Anecdotally, we know that:
- many Arabic-speaking people, especially first generation Arabic migrants, have experienced psychological distress,
- psychological distress is not well understood and can be heavily stigmatised within the Arabic-speaking communities, and
- very few Arabic-speaking people currently access mental health support and services that are available in NSW.
To address these issues, the key goals of the project were to produce a mental health resource that:
- is relevant, useful and culturally appropriate for Arabic-speaking communities in NSW
- informs Arabic-speaking communities on basic mental health issues and how to seek help
- is widely available and easily accessible to Arabic-speaking communities in NSW
[1] Source: ABS data http://profile.id.com.au/australia/language?WebID=100