We all know how active we are as an organisation, but these last few weeks have been especially busy with outcomes and events that I‘m very much looking forward to sharing with you.

Young people from all walks of life recently pitched in for the MY Kitchen Rocks event, which brought young people together to neet new friends over games, sports and activities.

Multicultural women contribute unique skills and talents to Australian society, but more collaboration between sectors is vital to help women from CALD backgrounds thrive in Australia.

Recent media reports have highlighted migrants, refugees and people seeking asylum as highly vulnerable at work. Accounts of low-paid work, unpaid wages, unsafe work conditions, exploitation and abuse are not uncommon. 

Deciding which career path to follow is challenging for most young people and former refugee Kane Alkoraghooli was no exception, until he got support from an SSI Youth@Work mentor.

Politicians, practitioners and women from diverse backgrounds will this week take part in a dialogue designed to drive social and economic change for multicultural women. The inaugural National Multicultural Women’s Conference 2016 – Influencing Change: Vision and Impact (NMWC) will showcase the resilience and strength of women from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) backgrounds, and discuss effective strategies, services, programs and approaches for supporting them in Australia.

Despite his mobility restrictions caused by cerebral palsy, North Ryde long term resident Brett Dyer isn’t the type who gets intimidated by day to day challenges. “I live by myself and when I’m at home I use a walking stick,” said Mr Dyer. “Outside, I use a scooter to get around and I’m pretty good with it. I use it even if I have to go far, like Macquarie Park.” Therefore, when he was told he couldn’t play lawn bowls at his local bowling club, he teamed up with his local Linker Ms Hiroko Kawashima from Settlement Services International (SSI) and his Occupational Therapist (OT) from the Cerebral Palsy Alliance, Michelle Cohen, to find a solution.

A young student from Syria has been in Australia fewer than 18 months but she’s already achieved something many people never do: she’s identified her dream and is chasing after it.

Thousands of Sydney-siders will stand up for a more compassionate, generous and welcoming Australia at Walk Together 2016, in Sydney this Saturday. Not-for-profit humanitarian organisation Settlement Services International (SSI) has partnered with Welcome to Australia to host the Sydney arm of the national diversity celebrations, which will take place in capital cities and regional centres all over Australia on Saturday October 22.

A group of 15 children and their mothers, who are in Australia seeking asylum, took part in a creative excursion to the Auburn Friendship Garden, organised by SSI and the Sydney Writers’ Festival (SWF) for the school holidays.

Senator Zed Seselja, Assistant Minister for Social Services and Multicultural Affairs, visited the Community Migrant Resource Centre (CMRC) on September 22, as part of a quick visit to three members of the NSW Settlement Partnership.

What does it take to forge a new life far from home? That’s a key question raised by Constance on the Edge, a film SSI was thrilled to preview recently.

When Azahel Martin moved from Mexico to Australia, he brought with him a small piece of home in the form of a recipe for a family favourite – chicken fajitas.

SSI’s Staples Bag team and a group of Dietetics students recently held a cooking demonstration for visitors at The Wayside Chapel in Potts Point, where SSI's social enterprise has a regular pop-up store.

Young people from all walks of life will take over the Auburn Centre for Community next Wednesday for the annual MY Kitchen Rocks event. Now in its second year, Multicultural Youth (MY) Kitchen Rocks is an opportunity for young people from diverse backgrounds to make new friends and take part in activities including sports, candle making and music workshops.

An Iraqi doctor is one step closer to his goal of becoming a registered practitioner in Australia, just months after arriving in the country as a refugee.

SSI enthusiastically welcomes Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull’s announcement that the government will permanently maintain Australia’s commitment to settle 18,750 refugees a year from 2018. This provides assurance that Australia will continue to settle a significant number of people and families fleeing conflict zones, saving many lives.

SSI enthusiastically welcomes Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull’s announcement that the government will permanently maintain Australia’s commitment to settle 18,750 refugees a year from 2018. This provides assurance that Australia will continue to settle a significant number of people and families fleeing conflict zones, saving many lives.

The argument that Australia’s leadership is mono-cultural because leaders are hired based on merit can no longer be used as a shield to exclude people from culturally diverse backgrounds, a panel of diversity specialists told the SSI Speakers’ Series.

Working with an experienced mentor is giving a young student from a refugee background the knowledge and support to overcome the obstacles standing between him and his career goals.