Migrant Resource Centre Tasmania’s Phoenix Centre provides support services to people and communities who have experienced torture and other traumatic events in their country of origin or while fleeing those countries. The Centre delivers counselling and a wide range of training and projects which support the health and wellbeing of individuals and communities. The Phoenix Centre has staff based in Hobart and Launceston and provides services statewide.
Eligibility to receive PASTT services is open to Humanitarian Programme entrants permanently resettled in Australia and people on Temporary Substantive Visas (TSVs).
PASTT aims to:
- improve the psychosocial health and wellbeing of people who have experienced torture and trauma prior to their arrival in Australia;
- increase the responsiveness of mainstream health and related services to the needs of people who have survived torture and trauma prior to arriving in Australia, through the provisions of training and other support; and
- build the confidence of refugee communities to access mainstream health and related services through capacity building activities.
Our counselling is free and confidential, and conducted by qualified counsellors, along with accredited interpreters as needed.
To make a referral for counselling, please complete the Phoenix Referral form, available below:
How to refer to the Phoenix Centre
Click here to download the Phoenix Centre Referral Form
Click here to download the Phoenix Centre Referral Form (FOR SCHOOLS)
This new program provides:
- A forum for CALD communities and other stakeholders to raise concerns, emerging trends, and specific support needs arising due to COVID-19.
- Targeted resources (in-language) to communities and key service providers to reduce the detrimental impacts of COVID-19 in the areas of mental health, financial, social, medical, and other identified key areas of concern.
- Smooth pathways for referral to and from existing mainstream providers of COVID-19 response support services in Tasmania
- Short term case coordination and individual support for psychosocial issues resulting from COVID-19 impacts
- Case Coordination to link people with a CALD background with education, employment, training, and other services as they re-open.
For more information please email phoenixreferrals@mrctas.org.au, or for more information and to refer a client please call:
Southern Tasmania: Esta Birdahic on (03) 6221 0999
Northern Tasmania: Kelli Charles on (03) 6724 2820
- Promotion of help seeking and positive lifestyle choices
- Promotion of local responses to suicide and other related issues within CALD communities
- Contribution to the development of community capacity to respond to issues around suicidality
- Engagement with the broader community to enhance understandings of risk and protective factors
- Advocacy of CALD perspectives and issues when networking with service providers and health practitioners, and sharing insights to increase cultural competency
- Organised Activities, including group activities specifically for Men, for Women and for people who are isolated and/or particularly vulnerable to suicide
Through these organised events the Project aims to raise awareness of suicidal ideation and the warning signs, reduce stigma associated with mental health and suicide, increase culturally aware approaches to mental health and suicide, and increase awareness of how community members can help one another and be confident to refer to the appropriate services.
This Project is supported by Primary Health Tasmania under the Australian Government’s Primary Health Networks Program.
Additionally, we work with other service providers offering information and training in how to best work with people who have escaped war and persecution. We can assist services in understanding the impact of torture and trauma on individuals, families, communities, children and young people, and help the to ensure that their services are appropriate and accessible for people from refugee backgrounds. To access our training information, please visit: www.mrctas.org.au/training/
Referral Forms
To make a referral for counselling, please complete the Phoenix Referral form below and email to phoenixreferrals@mrctas.org.au:
How to refer to the Phoenix Centre
Phoenix Centre Referral Form (FOR SCHOOLS)
The Phoenix Centre offers group work activities throughout the year to support adults mental health through social connection, wellbeing activities and psychoeducation. Please complete the Referral to Phoenix Centre Groups form and send to phoenixreferrals@mrctas.org.au: