Settlement Services International (SSI) and Social Enterprises Sydney have announced that from July 1 they will join forces to offer social enterprise services.

Settlement Services International (SSI) congratulates NSW Premier Mike Baird following his announcement today that the state government will provide travel concessions to asylum seekers from January 1, 2016.

Settlement Services International (SSI) will take part in a world-first research project involving thousands of men that aims to end the embarrassment that stops them from getting help for conditions such as depression and anxiety.

Former refugee Hikmat Shah has been given a ‘CoAct Local Heroes’ award by CoAct Ambassador, Olympic and World Champion, Matthew Cowdrey alongside Federal MP Chris Hayes and nominator SSI representatives at a ceremony today at Parliament House, Canberra.

In the lead up to Refugee Week 2015, on Friday June 13, Settlement Services International (SSI) launched its Welcome to Sydney kit, an information resource for its refugee and asylum seeker clients. Thomas Albrecht, UNHCR Regional Representative, launched the kit before an audience of representatives from service providers for new arrivals, government departments, humanitarian settlement providers, SSI refugee clients and Migrant Resource Centre members.

Settlement Services International (SSI) today announced it is the lead organisation in a consortium selected to deliver settlement services for refugees and migrants in NSW. This follows yesterday’s announcement by the Department of Social Services of the service providers chosen to deliver the three-year national Settlement Services Program.

Settlement Services International (SSI), a leading not-for-profit humanitarian settlement organisation, has welcomed as significant and positive the announcement by the NSW State Government to sign up to the Federal Safe Haven Enterprise Scheme.

Settlement Services International has marked a major milestone in its 15-year history with today’s endorsement of a new Board of Directors which includes – for the first time – three independent members. Among other changes, SSI announced it has adopted a new governance structure, becoming a Company Limited by Guarantee.

If you are on Newstart allowance, between Monday May 25 and Friday June 5, you can choose who your employment service provider will be. If you need a change, SSI is a provider that will support you through the employment journey.

As mass atrocities displace millions of civilians around the world - many of them arriving as refugees in Australia - bringing justice to victims is of paramount importance. At this event, hear keynote presentations by Stephen J Rapp, US Ambassador-at-large for War Crimes Issues, and Phil Glendenning, President of the Refugee Council of Australia and Director of the Edmund Rice Centre. 

Refugees feel like "members of the world" in Australia The world is a proverbial oyster for Arsalan, 23, and his sister Asina, 18. But it wasn’t always so. Growing up in Iran as members of a minority religion, Baha’i, meant they, and their parents, were used to being told ‘no, you can’t’. “There is nothing in law saying that you can’t be Baha’i, but in Iran, if you are Baha’i, people can do anything against you,” Arsalan said.

Settlement Services International (SSI) is pleased to announce that the organisation has been successful in tendering for the new $5 billion employment services model, known as jobactive that will replace Job Services Australia from July 1.

Young Joo Byun is multilingual in an unusual way – she speaks Korean and English and also communicates through Korean and Auslan sign language. After a serious illness when six months old, Ms Byun’s mother suspected she had trouble hearing. This suspicion grew when Ms Byun’s younger brother started exceeding her in childhood milestones, and her deafness was confirmed when she was five years old.

Sydney Alliance is currently running a Housing Affordability Campaign to highlight how the housing crisis affects Sydney residents. Settlement Services International (SSI) has joined the advocacy campaign to highlight how the crisis is compounded further for asylum seekers and refugees. Language barriers, the lack of rental history and skills to navigate the property market, social isolation, high unemployment and mental and physical health issues combine to make securing housing a problem for refugees and asylum seekers.

Recently arrived refugees and asylum seekers from around the world came together with community members for a Harmony Day celebration held by Settlement Services International (SSI).

‘Art in the Hills’ is one of the longest running annual art exhibitions in Sydney. For 44 years, Oakhill College has hosted the exhibition to engage the community by inspiring and developing an appreciation of the arts. This year, the Hills District and beyond, will be inspired by the works of two artists of refugee background, Bassam Jabar and Victor Youssef.

Waking up to the voices of news broadcasts from three different radios, and sometimes also the television, is an almost daily ritual for Felix Bennett. Some mornings, Mr Bennett hears a sports story that he has submitted and he gets a rush of excitement. “It makes me happy for the day and makes me feel special,” Mr Bennett said about hearing his story on the radio.

SSI began searching for a suitable office in the Bankstown area in September 2014, to accommodate staff and service needs of the SRSS program, the Multicultural Foster Care Service and Ability Links NSW, along with meeting, interview, training and function rooms. “(SSI General Manager) Peter Zographakis suggested that we check out a brand new site called Little Saigon Plaza, which was so good that we assumed it would be too expensive for SSI to lease in,” said Janine Stainer, SSI Facilities and Operations Manager.

Asylum seeker Abiat is originally from Iran but he and his Iranian friends threw their support behind Qatar during the Iran v Qatar match of the Asian Cup. “We knew Iran would have many supporters, so we went along to cheer for Qatar,” Abiat said. “Iranian people have the same roots as Qatari people, and people from other countries surrounding Iran. We are happy to show support for all our neighbours.”

With the AFC Asian Cup capturing the imagination of all soccer fans, some of SSI’s young refugee and asylum seeker clients will celebrate the sport at a “football festival”. To coincide with the Asian Cup, social development organisation Football United is co-hosting the Dream Asia Unity Football Festival  for youth at Sydney Olympic Park’s Hockey Centre, with the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).