Refugee Week is a chance to celebrate the positive contributions refugees make to Australian society. As part of the national celebration this month, Settlement Services International (SSI) is involved with a number of free events, including our very own festival.

A talented restaurateur seeking asylum in Australia has brought a taste of Iran to Sydney’s north west with the recent opening of his own business, Shahrood Restaurant.

Over a delicious chicken curry at the recent Indian inspired Community Kitchen lunch, Ashwin Patel shared his migration story and how he came to be a cook.

The shared experience of motherhood transcends cultural and linguistic boundaries, as demonstrated by a special group of women who celebrated Mother’s Day with Settlement Services International (SSI) this month.

From the outside, Aroos Hair and Beauty looks like any other business trading on Pitt Street, outside Merrylands train station. However, inside, a determined mother and daughter are working tirelessly towards a shared dream: having their own business, and their lives, firmly set up in Australia. SSI’s Ignite Small Business Start-ups initiative is supporting them on this journey.

Renowned performers from one of Sydney’s leading world music groups will showcase the talents of multicultural artists and help to shift negative perceptions about multiculturalism in Australia at NSW’s leading festival celebrating refugee arts and culture.

Rosanna Barbero has just hung up from a frustrating phone call with a customer service representative for a large electrical retailer, trying to sort out an issue with a faulty device. She is exasperated.

Spanish people are known for loving parties, and when they involve food there is generally one common element in all of them: Paella.

SWITCH is a photography exhibition about gender and sexual identity across two diverse cultures — Australian and Iranian.

The generosity of everyday Australians is significantly improving the experiences of refugees and people seeking asylum living in the Australian community, according to a leader from the humanitarian settlement sector. Speaking at the start of National Volunteer Week, Settlement Services International (SSI) CEO Violet Roumeliotis said the actions of volunteers had a profound effect on the lives of people fleeing war and persecution.

  In a dynamic presentation at the Settlement Council of Australia (SCOA) conference in Melbourne today, SSI CEO Violet Roumeliotis highlighted the power of partnerships and the importance of trust and communication in achieving better outcomes for vulnerable communities.

Settlement, citizenship and policy topped the agenda at the annual Settlement Council of Australia (SCoA) conference in Melbourne today, as dozens of settlement professionals, academics and community leaders shared their views on the major issues facing settlement globally.

A solutions-focused approach is at the heart of all the services SSI offers. Whether it’s working with people seeking asylum, refugees, children in foster care, or people with disabilities, this is a sound approach that has proven and demonstrated positive outcomes for the individuals involved and, of course, for communities.

A group of resourceful young women have taken their support for refugees and people seeking asylum to a new level, progressing from bake sales and school holiday volunteering to a large fundraising event.

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.

A well-maintained garden and outdoor area goes a long way to making a house feel like a home.  A partnership between SSI and Habitat for Humanity Australia (HFHA) is helping to do just that through HFHA’s Brush with Kindness program.

SSI’s Community Kitchen is always a cultural melting pot, and this was particularly so in April when Iraqi-born chef Ammar drew from Italian and Australian cuisine to create a fusion feast.

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.

Twenty-five-year old refugee Ranita Dasho has one goal for life in Australia: to give back. After less than a year in the country, she’s already turning that aspiration into action.

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.