Earlier this week, I was uplifted to hear the news that sixteen-year-old climate change activist Greta Thunberg was awarded France’s inaugural Freedom Prize, which pays homage to people who are fighting for freedom.

Pro Bono Australia’s Impact 25 Awards recognise the most influential people in the sector as nominated and voted for by their peers.

The National Community Hubs Program 2018 Year in Review is now available.

SSI staff made a positive difference in the lives of nearly 27,000 people who came through the doors of the organisation’s four primary offices during the most recent financial reporting period, SSI CEO Violet Roumeliotis told SSI’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Sydney last week.

A public letter to our parliamentarians Settlement Services International is among 34 organisations, including civic society peak bodies, international NGOs, community groups and faith-based organisations, signing a public letter calling on the Federal Government to adopt the Global Compact on Migration (GCM).

Sunday November 25 was International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, marking the launch of 16 Days of Activism, a global campaign to galvanise action to end violence against women and children. It will conclude on December 10, International Human Rights Day.

Since arriving in Australia three months ago, a Syrian family now living in Blacktown has been exploring the City of Sydney with Welcome2Sydney ambassadors, helping them become more familiar with the city and more confident about visiting locations independently.

The JobActive team at Settlement Services International (SSI) was recognised on August 23 for maintaining a five-star rating for two consecutive years.

Learning English, connecting with the community, and finding employment and housing will be the key priorities for refugee families arriving in Armidale in the coming months, according to a leading settlement expert. Yamamah Agha, the Humanitarian Settlement Program (HSP) Manager for community organisation and social business Settlement Services International (SSI), said in the 16 years she had been working with refugees, those areas consistently rated among new arrivals’ top goals for life in Australia.

Settlement Services International (SSI) will provide settlement services to refugees and humanitarian entrants under the new Humanitarian Settlement Program (HSP), continuing its long-term work in this area. In Canberra today, the Australian Government announced SSI was successful in two of the 11 newly defined contract regions across Australia: Sydney and NSW Regional, which covers northern NSW.

We live in a world where nearly 20 people are forcibly displaced every minute as a result of conflict or persecution. A record number of people having to flee their homes and everything they know in search of safety cannot be the responsibility of a few countries, let alone the world’s poorest; it’s a global emergency that warrants global action. 

A number of media reports since the start of 2017 have claimed communities in western Sydney are concerned about the arrival of the extra cohort of 12,000 Syrian and Iraqi refugees, using figures that are not supported by facts.  As one of the largest settlement services providers, we know that the main reasons our humanitarian clients choose to settle in an area are: affordability, availability of suitable housing, access to services such as schools, IEC, SSI, and proximity to family.

A number of media reports since the start of 2017 have claimed communities in western Sydney are concerned about the arrival of the extra cohort of 12,000 Syrian and Iraqi refugees, using figures that are not supported by facts.  As one of the largest settlement services providers, we know that the main reasons our humanitarian clients choose to settle in an area are: affordability, availability of suitable housing, access to services such as schools, IEC, SSI, and proximity to family.

February has arrived in the blink of an eye, which means roads are packed again, children are back at school and everything seems to have quickly adjusted to the usual routine. At SSI, this means we’re already in full swing to continue supporting a wide range of vulnerable communities and face the new challenges 2017 is already presenting.

SSI’s Romal Baluchzada is looking forward to another year supporting and advocating for refugees and people seeking asylum, after last year receiving one of the not-for-profit sector’s top accolades for his work in this area.

Amina Khatoon has found her first job and Cicilia Rigas was employed after just two months with the Settlement Services International (SSI) jobactive service. These are just two examples of why SSI has again been awarded a five star rating by the Department of Employment for its efficiency and effectiveness in placing job seekers into sustainable work.

Amina Khatoon has found her first job and Cicilia Rigas was employed after just two months with SSI’s jobactive service. These are just two examples of why SSI has again been awarded a five star rating by the Department of Employment for its efficiency and effectiveness in placing job seekers into sustainable work.

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.

More than 150 people who work at the intersection of the arts and refugee resettlement gathered from around Australia at the Arts and Refugees Forum at Casula Powerhouse over two days in August.

Dozens of newly arrived refugees got up to speed with Australia's social landscape in a series of tailored activities for young people during the school holidays.