Who We Are

ViệtSpeak is a community-based, non-profit advocacy organisation situated in Melbourne’s west. ViệtSpeak formed in response to the loss of Australia’s only Vietnamese-English bilingual program. We seek to build bilingual programs that support the preservation of Vietnamese language and culture in Melbourne’s west.

 

We believe in education that values cultural heritage through multilingual inclusion. We value a dynamic continuity, across generations, in the languages and cultures of Australia’s Indigenous, multicultural and diasporic communities. In working for the continued life of Vietnamese language and culture, we recognise that the vital importance of local language and culture extends to other disenfranchised groups within the west. We therefore lend our advocacy in support of projects and alliances that acknowledge and foster the lived cultures and experiences of diverse communities.

To learn more about bilingual education please visit here.

Vision

Every Vietnamese Australian child will have access to enriching educational programs and resources to become proficient in both Vietnamese and English, involving both Vietnamese and non-Vietnamese children. In turn, these and other bilingual programs contribute to building a socially-just Australia.

Mission

To promote bilingual learning experiences in Vietnamese, as a valued community language and of worthy use for educational programs.

To support Vietnamese families in raising bilingual children and keeping their language and culture alive

To provide opportunities for a wider range of community members to engage in bilingual education, keeping alive their own and other languages and cultures.

Strategy

We will advocate and work towards the provision of Vietnamese-English bilingual programs and learning experiences for children and young people ages 0-18, across formal and informal learning spaces. With advocacy focused on Vietnamese-English programs, we will also support other groups seeking educational recognition and use of their languages and cultures.