Beyond Blue and AMES Australia have announced a partnership aimed at making mental health support more accessible for migrant and refugee communities, many of whom face barriers that make seeking help harder than it needs to be.
The collaboration will focus on practical solutions—from translated resources to targeted staff training—so that help is not just available, but understandable and culturally appropriate.
With a third of Australians born overseas and global conflicts adding to the complexity of migration, the mental health needs of multicultural communities are varied. The gap isn’t always in services—it’s often in connection. For some, stigma remains a barrier. For others, language, literacy, or unfamiliarity with the Australian system stands in the way.
Beyond Blue CEO Georgie Harman said the partnership will help people from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds find the support they need in a way that resonates with them. “By working together, we aim to promote the importance of good mental health and destigmatisation and deepen understandings of mental health support services across the community,” she said.
AMES Australia CEO Cath Scarth said that although refugees and migrants often experience poor mental health due to displacement and trauma, they are some of the least likely to access support. “We know that they often find it difficult to access services of all kinds, including mental health support,” she said.
To help bridge this divide, the relationship will extend beyond referrals and joint messaging.
Beyond Blue will provide targeted training for AMES Australia’s staff and volunteers—especially those working within multicultural communities. The sessions aim to strengthen their understanding of distress, teach them how to recognise early warning signs, and guide them on how and where to direct people for support.
Culturally sensitive resources are also part of the effort. The two organisations will co-develop accessible content tailored to CALD communities. A recent example is the launch of two Easy English guides—Understanding Anxiety and Depression and How to Get Support—created in collaboration with Scope Australia. These plain-language materials are already in use among AMES Australia’s clients and broader networks.
The final strand of the partnership will see the two groups collaborating on public awareness campaigns and community events to tackle stigma and normalise conversations around mental health and wellbeing.
It’s a layered approach—reaching service providers, building tools for clients, and reshaping the broader narrative around mental health.
Beyond Blue’s 2024 Mental Health and Wellbeing Check revealed that people from multicultural backgrounds were less likely to know where to turn for mental health information or professional help. Instead, many leaned on personal networks—friends, family, or community leaders.
Reshma Manandhar, a Nepalese-born mother of three, knows the gap all too well. “My cultural norms were very different to my Australian neighbours,” she said. “In Nepal you can’t call a phone line and tell them your problems—they simply don’t exist.”
For Manandhar, learning to open up beyond her family was a shift. “Sometimes your family isn’t best placed to help you, and you’d benefit from more formal early intervention.”
She sees this partnership as planting the seed for something better—something rooted in early awareness and culturally sensitive education.
Ms Harman added that many refugees carry deep psychological wounds—around half are estimated to experience post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, or ongoing distress. Yet, few seek help. “Multicultural communities may find it difficult to use mainstream services because of language and cultural barriers, may be confused about how services operate, or simply be unaware of what supports are available,” she said.
Ms Scarth echoed the sentiment. “In 70 years of servicing migrant and refugee communities in Australia, we at AMES Australia have learned that partnerships can help us extend our reach and maximise our impact.”
The idea is simple: if information is clear, support is close, and people feel culturally respected, they’re more likely to reach out before reaching crisis point.
“Delivering mental health information in an accessible and respectful way gives people a much better chance of getting better, easier and earlier,” said Ms Harman.
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