By CEH’s Multicultural Health & Support Service (MHSS)
One month, 15 sessions, and about 300 people reached.
At MHSS, we often say that no two sessions are the same. This past month really showed us why.
Over the course of a few weeks, we delivered 15 Liver Health sessions with CommUnity+ across the Adult Migrant English Program (AMEP) and employment classes, reaching around 300 people from a wide range of cultural backgrounds.
On paper, it was one topic: Hepatitis B and C. Same key messages every time. But once the session started, not one felt the same.
Each group came with a different level of English, different learning contexts, and different ways of engaging. Some people asked questions straight away. Others stayed quiet, listening closely and taking their time.
And very quickly, it became clear that silence doesn’t mean the same thing in every room.
Sometimes people are still processing the language. Sometimes the topic feels unfamiliar or sensitive. Sometimes trust just hasn’t settled yet.
So we slowed things down, rephrased ideas, and explained the same concept in different ways. We used visuals and small activities to make it easier to engage without pressure. At times we followed the plan. At times we moved away from it completely.
A lot of the work also happened around the sessions. We checked in with teachers before and after, talked through what worked and what didn’t, and adjusted accordingly. In some classes, teachers introduced key words ahead of time or supported explanations during the session. Those small steps made a real difference in how the content was received.
Across the sessions, there were also moments that stayed with us, often after the session had ended.
Some people shared that they had lived with hepatitis B and now saw regular testing as part of their routine. Others spoke about family members affected by liver cancer, sometimes without ever having had a clear explanation at the time. There were also reflections on earlier experiences, when access to safe healthcare or information was very different.
These were not planned discussions, but they grounded the topic in something real. They reminded us that for many people, this is not just new information. It connects to things they have already seen, experienced, or carried with them.
At MHSS, this is what engagement looks like. Showing up across different classrooms.
Working across different languages, cultures, and levels of understanding. Holding the same message, but shaping it each time so it can actually land.
Fifteen sessions in one month. Same topic. Different conversations. And somewhere in those conversations, something stays.
