Settlement Services International welcomes the unprecedented funding of $146 million over four years by the NSW State Government in this week’s State Budget to help Syrian and Iraqi refugees start a new life in NSW.

Starting a business takes perseverance and hard work. That is especially true in a foreign country with different business practices and a new language, like Syrian refugee Zaher Batal has done.

Dozens of young people from refugee backgrounds tackled the major issues facing refugee youth at the inaugural Young Leaders Forum in April, with employment, education and health leading the agenda.

People volunteer for many reasons: altruism, corporate social responsibility, free time. For Naila Yousid, her experience resettling in Australia as a refugee prompted her to become a volunteer.

Young workers from migrant and refugee backgrounds will receive mentoring support to help them stay in a job long term, thanks to an innovative new service being delivered by SSI.

A group of amateur cooks who are seeking asylum in Australia have acquired home cooking skills and experience thanks to a social enterprise established by celebrity chef Jamie Oliver.

Harmony Day is a celebration of cultural diversity that focuses on inclusiveness, respect and belonging. At SSI, we marked the day with an afternoon of food, music and dancing that also integrated Nowruz – the New Year’s celebration for more than a dozen cultures globally.

In a move that will extend support services to vulnerable families, Settlement Services International (SSI) and Metro Assist are pleased to be working together in partnership to deliver the ParentsNext initiative which begins today.

Deng Thiak Adut is a notable community leader and internationally renowned lawyer. He came to Australia as a refugee, after escaping Sudan where he was abducted as a child and forced to act as a soldier. Once he was safe, he put himself through law school, becoming a formidable advocate. 

An innovative partnership between Allianz Australia and Settlement Services International (SSI) will deliver new career opportunities and support for refugees and migrants who have settled in Australia. Today’s joint announcement by Allianz Australia Managing Director Niran Peiris and SSI CEO Violet Roumeliotis coincide with the first week on the job for five recruits under the partnership employment program. The partnership aims to improve employment and educational opportunities for SSI clients as well as enhance workforce diversity at Allianz.

Recently, SSI’s General Manager Peter Zographakis gave a keynote presentation, accompanied by an editorial, about the need for not-for-profits to diversify and build strong partnerships if they are to remain sustainable and prosper. This week we were proud to announce the culmination of months of friendly negotiations that resulted in one such partnership with insurer Allianz Australia.

From the arts to technology, there are many different fields where refugees have made significant contributions to Australian society. But what are the factors that drive their success? And why is telling and listening to their stories so important? 

Peter Rose’s experience volunteering with SSI has shown him many of the challenges that refugees and people seeking asylum face as they try to join the workforce in Australia.  Mr Rose said that an obvious reason was their lack of English, but there are others that are not as apparent.

Before taking part in the Staples Bag SSI Work for the Dole program, Campsie resident Marcel Tawbeh would never have considered working in retail. “I was shy and lacked confidence, and thought I would only be able to work in the background,” Mr Tawbeh said.

Before taking part in the Staples Bag SSI Work for the Dole program, Campsie resident Marcel Tawbeh would never have considered working in retail. “I was shy and lacked confidence, and thought I would only be able to work in the background,” Mr Tawbeh said.

Mother of two Tatako Nishide found supporting her daughter’s autism needs while trying to settle in Australia from Japan a daunting experience, until she found Settlement Services International’s Ability Links NSW program.

Education for people from refugee and migrant backgrounds was the focus of a training event held by the NSW Settlement Partnership (NSP), recently. Loukia Zinopoulos, Settlement Services Manager for Settlement Services International, said the training event was a great opportunity for NSP members to hear how educational institutions could link recent migrants and people from refugee backgrounds to education and training opportunities.

Settlement Services International has welcomed the NSW Government’s decision to allow asylum seekers in NSW to apply for Opal Card travel concessions earlier than planned, with 15,000 asylum seekers living in NSW now able to apply for the travel benefit. The travel concession, which was first scheduled to become available to eligible asylum seekers from January 1, allows people seeking asylum to access the same $2.50 all day travel benefit as other NSW concession cardholders.

Discounted food parcels called The Staples Bag have been sold by CoACt/SSI jobactive program participants to help improve access to basic food supplies for people on low incomes. Now the Christmas Staple Bag includes food to help create a special feast for the end of year celebrations.

It has been a busy and exciting year in which SSI and the people we work with have achieved a great deal. SSI’s staff, partners, the communities we work with, our volunteers and supporters should be very proud when we look back and see the positive changes that our work has made.