A range of services within Australia and internationally have been developed that are focused on the engagement of individuals who are of refugee background to work as a liaison between their communities and mental health services. The Community Liaison Worker (CLW) role at the Victorian Foundation for Survivors of Torture (VFST) was developed in 2008 in order to engage in such capacity-building initiatives. To review and document the establishment, evolution and current status of the VFST CLW role, and examine the perspectives of CLWs on their role in trauma-informed community capacity-building. The study comprised of two stages: a historical case study of the development of the CLW role, and a qualitative research study based on interviews with CLWs in order to identify key themes regarding various aspects of their role and understand the facilitators and barriers to their work of trauma-informed capacity-building with their respective communities. The CLW role has evolved from the provision of direct services through joint work with Counsellor Advocates at VFST to a broader role that is focused on building the capacity of community members. Thematic analysis of interviews with the seven current CLWs identified the complexity of their dual role as members of their community and employees of VFST, their role in addressing short-term goals to meet community needs, and the long-term objective of empowering their community to become integrated and self-sufficient. CLWs at VFST demonstrate important work of liaison workers in facilitating trauma-informed capacity-building initiatives that are of benefit to members of their communities and also to service providers.

中文翻译：

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澳大利亚维多利亚难民社区社区联络员的能力建设作用

在澳大利亚和国际范围内开发了一系列服务，重点是让具有难民背景的个人参与他们的社区和心理健康服务之间的联络。维多利亚州酷刑幸存者基金会 (VFST) 的社区联络员 (CLW) 角色于 2008 年制定，旨在参与此类能力建设举措。审查和记录 VFST CLW 角色的建立、演变和现状，并检查 CLW 对其在创伤知情社区能力建设中的作用的观点。该研究包括两个阶段：CLW 角色发展的历史案例研究，以及基于与 CLW 访谈的定性研究，以确定有关其角色各个方面的关键主题，并了解他们与各自社区进行创伤知情能力建设工作的促进因素和障碍。CLW 的角色已经从通过与 VFST 的 Counselor Advocates 的联合工作提供直接服务发展为更广泛的角色，专注于建立社区成员的能力。对 7 个当前 CLW 的访谈的专题分析确定了他们作为社区成员和 VFST 员工的双重角色的复杂性，他们在解决满足社区需求的短期目标方面的作用，以及赋予社区权力的长期目标变得整合和自给自足。