“Volunteering…it’s addictive”
Theresa Saade, from Lebanon, is studying for a double diploma in counselling and community service in Sydney and has been completing her student placement as a Social Support Volunteer at SSI . Ms Saade, who lives with extended family in Sydney, said she felt her volunteer role supporting newly arrived refugees with their settlement was valuable for SSI clients as well as her self.
SSI and academics discuss community engagement and violent extremism
SSI welcomed two esteemed academics at its Ashfield head office on April 30, for a roundtable discussion on countering violent extremism. Associate Professor Anne Aly, a research fellow and head of the Countering Online Violent Extremism Research (COVER) program at Curtin University, and Professor Andrew Jakubowicz, Chair in Sociology at the University of Technology Sydney, led the discussion.
New Beginnings: Refugee Arts and Culture Festival
To celebrate World Refugee Day on Saturday, June 20, SSI will host the inaugural New Beginnings: Refugee Arts and Culture Festival to showcase the talents of refugees and asylum seekers in the community. The festival will be held at Addison Road Community Centre, Marrickville, as a one-day celebration of the cultural expressions and heritage of people from diverse communities through performances, arts and craft displays, workshops and food tasting.
SSI food: Laith’s Qubba
Welcome to the SSI Food Blog. Whether they are SSI employees, volunteers, refugees or people seeking asylum, the people featured here all share a love of food. One of the many benefits of multiculturalism is delicious food, so let’s enjoy! Laith Al Mandowi In Baghdad there are two long rivers that run from north to south and surround the city. Growing up there, we would go to those rivers to play dominoes, smoke shisha, and of course to eat and drink at the many popular riverside barbecue restaurants. One of the dishes I loved to eat was Qubba; a dish of chicken-stuffed couscous balls cooked in a fragrant stew.
Speakers’ Series: Achieving justice for victims of mass atrocities
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.
Youth Collective presents to NSW Ombudsman
SSI’s Youth Projects Coordinator Dor Akech Achiek presented at the NSW Ombudsman Youth Week event to raise awareness to highlight the need for support for young refugees in Australia. The aim of the event was to raise awareness about refugee youth and issues of rights abuse for this group of young people. It was also an opportunity to focus on the role of the NSW Ombudsman’s Youth Liaison Officer.
Champion wants to teach his skills in Australia
Saeid, 25, is a champion in wrestling and judo and since being granted a work visa while he seeks asylum in Australia he hopes to find employment that will allow him to train other athletes in his chosen sports. Saeid was a judo champion in his birth country Iran, but switched to wrestling when he arrived in Australia. Saeid has trained for five hours most days since.
From the CEO – International Metropolis Conference
SSI was honoured last November to be invited to join the committee of the International Metropolis Conference (IMC) after we participated in the event for the first time in Milan. Metropolis has a global network of 68 partner organisations in 23 countries. The network is composed of universities, think tanks, governments, service provider agencies and international organisations that work to enhance Metropolis’ collaborative approach on bridging research, policy and practice on migration and diversity.
Amazing race to learn about Australia
SSI and Fairfield MRC arranged for newly arrived young refugee clients to get to know their new city by going on a treasure hunt-style adventure based on the ‘Amazing Race’ TV show in the April school holidays. This was the second time around for this TV-inspired type of orientation excursion, which was based on a pilot excursion late last year.
Gunners hit the ground running
The Newington Gunners Soccer Club’s defending champions have kicked off the 2015 season in the same fashion they finished 2014 — with a win. The Gunners’ men’s team of mostly asylum seekers and refugees that won the Granville and Districts Football Soccer Association AAM6 division title in 2014, has stepped up a division this season but continued winning nonetheless.
SSI food: Suresh’s biryani
Welcome to the SSI Food Blog. Whether they are SSI employees, volunteers, refugees or people seeking asylum, the people featured here all share a love of food. One of the many benefits of multiculturalism is delicious food, so let’s enjoy! Suresh Babu Tagarapu As a once-in-a-decade storm battered Sydney in late April, up to 120 people seeking asylum in Australia braved the conditions to get to SSI’s Community Kitchen in Auburn. Having just worked a night-shift, Suresh and his team were on hand at the Community Kitchen volunteering their time to prepare a delicious lunch for everyone.
SSI food: Sajeeda’s Rohingya curry
Welcome to the SSI Food Blog. Whether they are SSI employees, volunteers, refugees or people seeking asylum, the people featured here all share a love of food. One of the many benefits of multiculturalism is delicious food, so let's enjoy! Sajeeda Bahadurmia Sajeeda regularly shares her culinary talents by cooking for up to 150 people at SSI's fortnightly Community Kitchens for people seeking asylum in Sydney. She came to Australia in 2013, with her husband and three children to seek asylum from Myanmar.
In awe of Australia’s Parliament House
People born in Australia may take it for granted that they can travel to Canberra and visit Parliament House. But Jawad, who was born in Afghanistan and lived in Pakistan before seeking asylum in Australia, was astonished when he learnt anyone could see the rooms where parliamentarians sit.
Luna Park excursion for refugees
Many of the 32 refugees who visited Luna Park with SSI staff and volunteers in April had never been to a theme park in their life. But thanks to Mission of Hope, which donated tickets to SSI for the refugees it supports, these families had more fun than they’d had in a long time.
Success story: John Mashar
John Mashar arrived in Australia as a refugee from Sudan at age nine. Now at age 21, John told SSI how he was using his experience as a young refugee settling in a new country to help other young people through the Youth Collective. “I was born in South Sudan. Sudan is split into north and south. The north has closer relations to the Arab world, like much of North Africa. They’re mostly Muslims and they have an Arab culture. The south, where I was from, has closer relations to sub-Saharan Africa, so they’re mostly Christians, they’re animists, and they have very strong African traditions.
Arts and culture a school holidays hit
Art workshops organised by the SSI Arts & Culture program have helped families entertain and educate their children during the April school holidays. The first workshop was held at the Peacock Gallery in Auburn where children aged between six and 15 were encouraged to create a piece of art on the theme of 'friendship'. Children created 3D hand drawings and made poppy flowers to contribute to a community wreath.
Refugees feel like “members of the world” in Australia
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.
SSI’s Youth Week Gala
To kick start National Youth Week, SSI’s Youth Committee held a Youth Gala social day out for refugees and asylum seekers aged 15 to 25. Young people who had come to Australia from Iraq, Syria, South Sudan, Afghanistan and Iraq came together at Auburn Centre for Community to meet and socialise, around the much-loved Australian tradition of a barbecue.
Save the date: refugee arts festival
Mark June 20, 2015, in your diaries as we celebrate hope, unity and new beginnings on World Refugee Day! Join SSI for a one-day celebration showcasing the cultural expressions and heritage of newly arrived artists and emerging communities, including talented SSI clients.
Celebrating cultural connections
Celebrating cultural connections SSI was proud to sponsor the Children’s Festival, held in Circular Quay on March 15. The theme for 2015 was “Playing Together and Living in Harmony”, and Fleet Park in Circular Quay was brought to life with a mix of colourful clothes, cultural performances and the big smiles of many children and families.