COVID-19 Vaccination Toolkit

Victorian Department of Health

the CHALLENGE

In 2021, COVID-19 vaccination rates of young people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds (CALD) and disabled young people were disproportionately lower. This was attributed to a variety of factors including greater mistrust of government messaging within these communities and widespread misinformation on vaccine safety. At the time of the project, many members of these communities genuinely wanted to get vaccinated but a lack of clear information and a staggered vaccine rollout prevented them from accessing vaccinations in a timely manner.

What we did

YLab collaborated with eight young people from disabled and CALD communities in co-design workshops to create the COVID-19 Vaccination Toolkit, an online resource providing clear and up-to-date information that addressed vaccine hesitancy. These workshops were facilitated by members of each community and unpacked the fears and concerns young people were experiencing. The toolkit links to trusted resources and responds to frequently asked questions with clear information, presented in an accessible format. You can view the website here.*

We also launched a social media campaign circulating six interviews conducted with CALD young people and disabled young people about their experience getting vaccinated. Alongside this, YLab created a suite of illustrated assets highlighting the barriers these communities faced and strategies for overcoming them.

*Please note that this site is no longer updated and may not reflect current health advice.

THE IMPACT

“I liked working on a really important project. And was surprised with what we came up with in such a short time.” —Co-design participant

The COVID-19 Vaccination Toolkit empowered marginalised young people by unpacking vaccine uncertainties and bridging communication gaps with the government. Although it's hard to measure community-specific impacts, Victoria's overall vaccination campaign has a success rate of 96.9% vaccinated for ages 16+ (first dose). Our website and social media campaign reached over 100,000 young people, with 25,000 engaging further with the website. This project helped break down barriers to vaccine access and information, contributing to a successful public health outcome.

Watch the video interview with Lucinda about the project here:

Illustration of two people's side profiles with hands outstretched, waving at each other. The person on the left is wearing a yellow shirt and blue cap with brunette hair. The person on the right has a green and white checked shirt with curly dark hair. They are both wearing masks. The person on the left has text above their head reading “Hey Fatima, why did you get vaccinated? You’re so young!”
Illustration of a person with pale skin sitting on a couch smiling and looking at their smartphone. The couch has yellow checks and light blue cushions and is framed by two potted plants on both sides. Speech bubbles above read: “Hey Julian! I miss you – what worries you about getting vaccinated?” “I’m unsure about the side effects.” “Happy to chat about my experience!”

The team

We brought together a team of Associates and a Director, who came together to design with a background of diverse lived experience and expertise.

with Marta Malchevski & Viv Mah.

CHANGE THE SYSTEM



We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we all meet and work throughout Australia. We recognise their continuing connection to land, water, and community and pay respects to Elders past, present and emerging. We acknowledge that sovereignty was never ceded. This always was, always will be Aboriginal Land.

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