Every Friday for the last nine weeks, morning commuters have bustled through Circular Quay on their way to work, oblivious to a group of men dressed in gardening clothes and walking shoes who excitedly await their ferry.

More than 250 people gathered this week  at SSI Community Kitchen’s Eid- al- fitr (عيد الفطر) celebration to mark the end of Ramadan. The Eid celebration attracted a larger than usual number of visitors and volunteers who all pitched in and enjoyed the warm weather and festive atmosphere.

As a key provider of resettlement and community integration support to refugees and asylum seekers in Australia, SSI has an important role in ensuring that the views of this marginalised group are clearly represented to local, regional and international stakeholders.

SSI celebrates 12 months of delivering the Ability Links NSW program today, July 22, with staff and partners in Parramatta. The program, funded by the NSW Government’s Department of Family & Community Services, Ageing, Disability and Home Care, began operating on July 1 2014.

Presenting at the Advancing Community Cohesion Conference, held at University of Western Sydney today, Settlement services International (SSI) Chief Operating officer Dr Astrid Perry said social cohesion was a multifaceted concept where a clear definition had been difficult to achieve.

From January 1, 2016, SSI will be the designated National Community Hubs Program (NCHP) Support Agency in NSW, enabling the organisation to extend its existing humanitarian settlement work supporting migrant and refugee families.

Over the last few weeks you may have read or heard about Ramadan. Ramadan is observed by Muslims around the world and is a period of about 30 days of fasting from dawn until sunset. During the fasting period, food and drink is only served before dawn and after sunset. So you can imagine the anticipation that Iftar (evening meal) brings.

SSI case managers and clients joined the general public in the Fourth Annual Multicultural Cup knockout soccer tournament last month. The seven-aside knockout tournament was held on June 28, with two teams of SSI clients who are seeking asylum playing off for the championship.

SSI has come a long way as an organisation since, April 2011 when we had just one staff member. Just how rapidly the organisation had grown and developed was very clear on July 1, when we officially began work in three new contract areas.

Today marks the first day of the new Settlement Services Program (SSP) for newly arrived migrants, humanitarian entrants and refugees, delivered by the 22-member consortium NSW Settlement Partnership (NSP).

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.

SSI's second Speakers' Series event for 2015, Achieving justice for victims of mass atrocities, on May 18, featured special guest speaker the Ambassador-at-Large in the US Office of Global Criminal Justice Department of State, Stephen J Rapp. Watch the full recording of Mr Rapp's presentation and the following Q&A session here.

About 1000 people celebrated World Refugee Day by enjoying the talents and culture on display at SSI’s New Beginnings Refugee Arts and Culture Festival, on June 20. The festival was billed as a “celebration of hope, unity and new beginnings” on the United Nations’ World Refugee Day to mark the anniversary of the adoption of the 1951 Refugee Convention.

SSI and partner organisations are in Geneva at the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees consultations with NGOs. Over two weeks, NGOS from around the world will discuss best practice, lobby for support and plan to ease the global refugee crisis. Here are the top posts from the consultations.

Meet Hakim, dancer and asylum seeker Hakim, 23, left a lot behind when he had to flee Burma, including all of his family and friends. But after arriving in Australia, he picked up something new that is keeping him mentally and physically strong – dancing.

Meet Damon Amb, artist and asylum seeker “I started more than 20 years ago on my dad’s old camera, a manual Konica. I’d save up all my money to buy film and take photos of my surroundings, my people, my life in Iran. At the end of my military service, I did an Advanced Diploma in Photography at Iran’s Jahad Institute. I ended up working as a photographer in an advertising agency.

SSI case manager and humanitarian award winner, Shabeera Zia, had shown how each of us could make an impact on the lives of refugees, CEO Violet Roumeliotis said today. Ms Zia was presented with the STARTTS Youth Humanitarian award at the Refugee Week launch in Wollongong on June 12.

SSI case manager and humanitarian award winner, Shabeera Zia, had shown how each of us could make an impact on the lives of refugees, CEO Violet Roumeliotis said today. Ms Zia was presented with the STARTTS Youth Humanitarian award at the Refugee Week launch in Wollongong on June 12.