There were two parallel stories unfolding in the wake of this tragedy - the first concerns a community that has adapted overall very well to a new life in Australia. Adelaide's new Sudanese community has much to be proud of, much to celebrate and much to aspire to in the future.
The other is deeply upsetting, and in the world of the daily news cycle, perhaps far more compelling. It is a story of social disconnectedness that ended in the death of one young school boy and near fatal injury of another.
As the Commissioner for Social Inclusion in South Australia, Monsignor David Cappo sketched the broad outlines of a plan to bring Sudanese community members into close consultation with state government officials on what happened in the centre of Adelaide last week, his pledge for social connectedness brings to the fore some of the key requirements to build mental health supports in multicultural Australia.
They include how we ensure there is meaningful participation by non-dominant cultures with mainstream health and human services; how we ensure participation is not tokenistic; and how we make sure that engagement is of an enduring nature and leads to the overall improvement of people's lives on the ground.
These concerns are at the heart of mental health reform in multicultural Australia. The reform agenda holds human rights and community engagement as centrepieces. They determine the structure and function of our society and are determined by the culture, economy, and political ideology that govern it.
Long after the loud headlines fade, issues of sense of belonging, trust and social connectedness for people of refugee background will remain.
Already much has been said about those involved on that fateful day in Grenfell Street having had a traumatic background. Research shows that mental health and wellbeing are related to previous experiences but also that interpersonal psychotherapy has been seen to protect against the development of mental health problems following trauma.
We should never underestimate the importance of an atmosphere of trust, where feelings can be shared and life stories revealed, in supporting emotional and psychological recovery.
Intercultural connectednesses, sense of belonging and effective social supports are vital posts in the healing path for mental health. We have excellent services to manage mental health care for people of refugee background, but they are desperately under funded and in need of additional staff.
The assessment and treatment of torture and trauma survivors is highly specialised and often complex. It must be approached with great skill. Clearly there is some urgency to hear voices of those who have been able to cope with adversity, sometimes in the face of prejudice and discrimination, and combine this knowledge with research in this area.
The more we know about something from multiple vantage points the more likely we can look beyond narrow assumptions and abandon old mental models of problem solving.
In part, research will help with understanding the specific effects of social supports, financial success and inter-sectoral collaboration as a buffer against the social isolation of refugees.
And there are some compelling reasons for thinking about how to improve the lives of our newest arrivals.
A buffering social and economic environment has been found to be protective of mental health and wellbeing. Current global financial trends point to economic downturn and predictions of increased unemployment. With higher levels of unemployment come mental pressures and instability. We know that people of refugee background are more likely than their Australian born counterparts to undergo more residential moves while searching for settled accommodation and secure employment.
Research has shown that the impact of these broader societal influences on mental health may be mediated, in the final analysis, through the effects of social interaction, sense of purpose and belonging and peer support. Individual variables such as personality, religious beliefs, and coping strategies can also moderate the impact of stressors.
Research in ethnic and migration studies also reveals that mental health protective factors for people of refugee background often include positive family and peer relationships, the ability to express themselves, assertiveness, school achievement, and clear linguistic identity. While employment is critical, studies reveal it is the conditions of employment and interpersonal relations within the workplace that are most critical.
The real task ahead is to establish a strategic agenda for dealing with all these cross-currents for people of refugee background. It is not only important for them as they settle in a new land - it is important for the wellbeing of the whole community.
The real challenge ahead is to develop a framework for true inter-sectoral collaboration. In the end it will be community that advocates and empowers itself toward healing and trust as a foundation for new beginnings out of this tragedy. Until the underlying causes and processes are better understood, closer collaboration between communities and those working in the sector will go a long way to help build and deliver future strategy. The collective strength of government, community and non-government sector - particularly the volunteer sector - also helps ensure a strategic social inclusion agenda for the future.
UniSA's Associate Professor Nicholas Procter is an advisor to Multicultural Mental Health Australia www.mmha.org.au
