Working with Asian individuals: Advancing the New Zealand mental health workforce

In 2005, the Asian Mental Health Workforce Development Feasibility Project was published in New Zealand. A key recommendation from the report was for the development of an education programme to increase the workforce's cultural responsiveness to address Asian individuals' mental health needs at a national level. Drawing on models of teaching and learning and literature identifying cultural capability, and in consultation with service users and workshop participants, a two-day education programme was developed and implemented in four cities. Demand for the workshops was high and initial evaluations showed a positive response in terms of mental health professionals gaining knowledge and enhanced understanding of best practices when working with Asian individuals. However, this project has to be seen as a beginning towards implementing a training programme at a nation wide level. The aim of this paper is to present the education programme and evaluation results as delivered across New Zealand.