ABSTRACT
Globalisation has made Australia one of the most multicultural and diverse countries in the world. Yet, almost 50% of 18–24 year-old and 31% of 12–17 year-old Australian youth who speak a language other than English have experienced discrimination. Schools are key settings where youth experience racial discrimination, which increases risk to mental well-being. Although many school-based mental health programs acknowledge racism’s impact, they often focus on the individual to understand and manage their emotions. This individual focus overlooks broader socio-cultural, structural and power-related social determinants of mental well-being: research finds that environments which support intercultural connectedness and ethno-cultural community links promote youth mental well-being. Research and practice often focus on youth from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds building intercultural connections, rather than promoting a two-way exchange where all youth are equal partners in this process. Informed by the narratives of culturally diverse young people, this paper reports their perspectives on mental well-being, after participating in a school-based program aimed at fostering intercultural understanding and reducing racism.