When having conversations about mental health, language will now be less of a barrier thanks to a new initiative.
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Conversation guides in different languages have been printed onto business size cards to encourage meaningful discussions about mental health.
Launceston mayor Albert van Zetten said mental health was an important topic for people of all backgrounds.
"Sometimes, it can be a bit of a challenge to know how to start those conversations," he said.
"These cards are a wonderful tool to help connect people of different cultures and backgrounds, and to empower them to start those conversations within their communities."
The business cards were translated into Launceston's top 10 languages other than English, which were Amharic, Arabic, Burmese, Simplified Chinese, Dari, Hindi, Nepali, Oromo, Persian and Tigrinya.
Each card included tips on how to ask if someone is OK, how to actively listen, how to encourage action, and how to follow up since the last time a conversation was had.
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The City of Launceston worked with the Phoenix Centre, an arm of the Migrant Resource Centre Tasmania, as part of the Launceston Suicide Prevention program to create the guides.
Phoenix Centre manager Jane Carlson said the wallet size cards were convenient, discrete and had quick prompts.
"We know about one in five people experience a mental health issue in a year," she said.
"What these cards do is provide tips on how to start the conversation, what services to point people to, and it does it in language."
Ms Carlson said the cards were an important way to provide support to people whose first language was not English.
"Even during the translation process, we found we were starting new conversations with people around how best to contextualise some of these issues for different languages and cultures," she said.
Suicide prevention coordinator for the City of Launceston, Samina Alam, said previously there was a lot of information around on how to have conversations about mental health but only in the English language.
Ms Carlson hoped more languages would be added in the future to further mental heath conversations.
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Dana Anderson
On a Friday night you may see me at the theatre, a festival, an exhibition, or in the corner of one of my favourite establishments reading a novel. So, it makes sense I am the arts and what's on reporter for The Examiner. To contact me about a story please send an email to dana.anderson@examiner.com.au
On a Friday night you may see me at the theatre, a festival, an exhibition, or in the corner of one of my favourite establishments reading a novel. So, it makes sense I am the arts and what's on reporter for The Examiner. To contact me about a story please send an email to dana.anderson@examiner.com.au
