Elevating Community Insights 

LiverWELL recently partnered with the Chinese Cancer and Chronic Illness Society to deliver the Elevating Community Insights Workshops at their centre in Box Hill. We extend our warm thanks to Dorothy Yiu OAM and the Society for their invaluable support and collaboration in making these sessions possible. A total of 10 community members participated across the day, with a Cantonese-speaking session held in the morning followed by a Mandarin-speaking session in the afternoon, ensuring language accessibility and meaningful engagement for both communities.

The two-hour workshops were facilitated by Health Promotion Officers Alain Palines and Maddie Bolton, who introduced participants to key hepatitis B information, including testing, vaccination, treatment options and the impact of stigma. Together, participants learned about the World Health Organization’s global goals for eliminating viral hepatitis and discussed the important role communities play in achieving these targets. The sessions provided a safe and supportive space for open conversation, questions and shared experiences.

The workshop featured three collaborative activities designed to centre community voices. The Resource Review invited participants to assess a plain language hepatitis B resource and provide feedback on how materials could be strengthened to better meet community needs. Journey Mapping encouraged participants to reflect on the hepatitis B experience, identifying supports, barriers and emotional touchpoints along the way. Finally, the Wish Balloons activity allowed participants to envision new ideas and share their “wishes” for improved community awareness, support and care for those living with or at risk of hepatitis B. These activities supported rich discussion, and diverse perspectives, highlighting the value of community-led insights.

All participants were reimbursed for their time in recognition of their valuable contributions. LiverWELL looks forward to continuing these workshops with at-risk communities to support hepatitis elimination efforts, reduce stigma and empower healthy liver behaviours across Victoria.