By Jonty Ralphsmith
Greater Dandenong resident Zahra Hayderbig wants to be an advocate for the multicultural community.
Ms Hayderbig is an Afghan refugee who has recently moved from Greater Shepparton and believes that refugees can make a difference in society.
Her goal is to empower refugees to realise the contributions they can make within society.
Although her move to the municipality was recent, she has visited many times and also been pleased at how active refugees and migrant are across the city centres.
“Refugees can shape the Victoria and Australia of the future.
Ms Hayderbig is also on the Victorian Multicultural Commission’s regional advisory council and was recently appointed Multicultural Priority reference group with Victoria Police where she represents her Muslim faith.
Anecdotal evidence suggests to Ms Hayderbig that the multicultural community are yet to emerge from the drowsy lockdown lifestyle.
Clearer communication could assist in continuing to get more people involved in activities according to Ms Hayderbig.
“Activities should be promoted and made more accessible for CALD communities,” Ms Hayderbig said.
“We have to raise awareness about how people can live the way they used to before Covid-19 so that people, particularly youth, don’t spend the weekend gaming or get onto drugs or alcohol.”
With people from 157 birthplaces, the council does not translate information given the vast number of languages spoken, however the website has google translate installed.
“We publish a contact panel on all of our printed marketing collateral to promote available translation services,” Kylie Sprague Executive Manager Communications and Customer Service said.
“We have found over time this support is the best way to connect our residents to the translated information they need.”
Ms Sprague also praised the councillors’ efforts to verbally translate for ward residents.
Council’s customer service team and various units utilise an interpreting service as required, both for telephone conversations and occasionally for events.
With employment, mental health and addiction among the issues that the municipality is currently facing, the Afghani refugee believes there is a specific way to address the issue to ensure the multicultural community are comfortable.
With mental health still a taboo subject in many cultures, Ms Hayderbig arranged coffee catch-ups and art classes in Greater Shepparton. She would then incorporate a mental health, employment or addiction element in a culturally-sensitive means.
In due course, she would like to bring similar ideas to Greater Dandenong.
“Counselling is there for everyone, that’s one of the main issues we can work together with different advocates to run a workshop or advocate.
“If you say there is a mental health session, no one will come but if you ask them to come along for a coffee chat and get a guest speaker to talk about mental health, the stigma will not be there.”
Among her other community involvement in Greater Shepparton was running citizenship classes, driving lessons and licence projects with cultural awareness and addressing barriers always underpinning her efforts.
Having stood for Greater Shepparton council in 2020, Ms Haydarbig received 900 votes, 100 short of becoming an elected independent councillor.
Resignations gave her the opportunity to become a councillor in Shepparton in early June, but she declined due to her move.
Ms Haydarbig is looking to nominate as a candidate for the 2024 Greater Dandenong local election.
Given her standing in society, Ms Hayderbig encourages people who see an issue in the culturally and linguistically diverse community to get in touch with her via her email address:
