“I knew I could help out in the kitchen, I’m a wife and a mum, I like to talk, and I was a newcomer once too.” This is the self-described list of prerequisites SSI volunteer, Ashley Thomas, cites as her motivation for getting involved in Settlement Services International’s (SSI) Community Kitchen.

Since 2015, Settlement Services International’s (SSI) Friendship Garden in Auburn has welcomed people from many diverse backgrounds, however it was limited in what it offered to people living with disability. But this year, the garden has seen an unprecedented evolution.

Budding young green thumbs of mostly Afghani background have given gardening a go and created a small community garden at the Auburn Diversity Services Inc. (ADSi) offices with the help of SSI’s Friendship Garden ambassador, Muthana.

The Australian Women in Music Awards is drawing attention to the accomplishments of our female musicians, who have traditionally been under-represented in parts of the music industry.

As part of Refugee Week 2018 celebrations, Settlement Services International (SSI) hosted public screenings of The Staging Post in regional Armidale and at the Australian National Maritime Museum (ANMM) in Sydney. The screenings fostered a positive narrative about refugees and resettlement in local and regional communities.

Sunday July 8 signalled the start of NAIDOC Week 2018, a time in which SSI celebrates the past, present and future contributions of our nation’s Indigenous people and their heritage. This year’s theme was ‘Because of her, we can’, which provided a fantastic opportunity to recognise the past and current contributions of Indigenous women to Australian society.

Hundreds of Inner West locals recently showed their support for refugees and a thriving arts community as part of Refugee Week 2018 celebrations.

Welcome to ’Sam’s Space’, my space, where in each edition of SSI’s Community News Armidale, I’ll be keeping you briefed on the latest projects, events, discussions and services led and supported by SSI, in the Armidale community.

Six projects supporting refugee communities in south-west Sydney have today received a boost from not-for-profit Settlement Services International’s $50,000 Community Innovation Fund. SSI announced today the first six recipients of grants from the ground-breaking fund, which honours the unsung heroes who contribute to Australian society by offering grassroots support to newly arrived members of the community.

The NSW Government has recently awarded SSI with a grant to expand Cumberland Council’s Friendship Garden. The grant stems from the NSW Community Building Partnership program that awards grants for community infrastructure projects and will go towards the installation of an accessible children’s sensory garden for culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) families and children of all abilities.

Refugee communities in south-west Sydney will benefit from a spate of innovative new projects when Settlement Services International (SSI) unveils the recipients of its Community Innovation Fund on Australia Day 2018. SSI opened the first round of applications for the $50,000 fund in September 2017 to celebrate the strength and resilience of the community of south-west Sydney and to encourage innovative ideas to support newly arrived refugees.

A group of newly arrived gardeners have channelled their shared love of gardening into formal qualifications.

Coming to Australia in search of safety means leaving behind friends, family and everything you know. For people like social worker Sarah, it also means starting again after years of studying at university and building up professional experience in her field.

A vision-impaired runner will join the SSI team in City2Surf 2017 thanks to a connection his Ability Links linker made with the Achilles Running Club in Sydney.  

Eighteen women from almost as many communities, including participants nominated by SSI, graduated on June 5 from a new community leadership program.

When Zakia Housaini started working with SSI it changed her personality.  “It made me more confident. And I kind of know the world better,” she said.

A group of newly arrived young people from Syria and Iraq learned how to keep themselves and their friends safe in the Australian surf on a recent outing to Manly Beach.

An International Women’s Day event has embodied the inclusive spirit of the day with a celebration involving women, men and children of all ages and backgrounds. Not-for-profit humanitarian organisation Settlement Services International (SSI) hosted the event for Auburn locals, community groups and individuals and families who are new to Australia.

An SSI International Women’s Day event has embodied the inclusive spirit of the day with a celebration involving women, men and children of all ages and backgrounds.

Preparing for the birth of a child should be a joyful experience. For women who have come to Australia seeking safety, however, pregnancy comes with the added stress of having to acquire essential items — like nappies, cots and prams — when they’re far away from family and friends and have limited financial resources.