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.

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.

Leading artists from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds will showcase their talents at NSW’s leading festival celebrating refugee arts and culture. Confirmed artists for the expanded 2016 New Beginnings: Refugee Arts & Culture Festival will impress audiences with performances and workshops that draw inspiration from the Middle East, Africa, Asia, Australia and more.

NSW’s premier festival celebrating the cultural heritage and artistic talents of people from refugee backgrounds will be bigger than ever in 2016. Following the stand out success of the inaugural New Beginnings: Refugee Arts & Culture Festival last year, the 2016 program has expanded to feature three separate events across Sydney both during and after Refugee Week.

Cultures combined during a recent dance workshop, where a group of female refugees learned how to express themselves through classical Indian dance.

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.

Karim* arrived in Australia in 2012 to seek asylum when it became unsafe for him to stay in Iran. An electrical engineer by trade and with a wealth of experience, he owned and operated his own business in his home town of Shiraz, Iran.

Harmony Day is an important annual event on SSI’s calendar, but the 2016 event marked a milestone as hundreds of staff, volunteers, clients and supporters came together to celebrate this year’s theme – diversity is our strength.

Artist Miriam Cabello’s long-held passion for collaborative community art and educational projects has seen her take on a unique mentoring opportunity for the New Beginnings: Refugee Arts & Culture Festival 2016.

When thinking of a menu for SSI’s International Women’s Day celebration, head chef Fatima Kourouche drew inspiration from an important woman in her life – her mother.

More than 100 NSW settlement service providers came together for a one-day forum in March to discuss major hurdles facing newly arrived refugees and ways to improve service delivery in the early stages of settlement.

Dr Khursheedah Jonud, a Mauritius-born mother now living in Hassall Grove, had a long-life dream; publishing her own novel and sharing it for free with a large audience to enjoy it. After years of writing articles and sharing them with friends, she eventually finished her first book. The next step, however, was to find a way to have it published.

SSI’s first Speakers’ Series for 2016 was a powerful and inspiring evening, shared by 85 guests packed into SSI’s Ashfield auditorium and watched online at SSI’s YouTube channel.

One of the best ways to excel at your job is to start from the bottom and work your way up. Chris Blackwell, Team Assistant with SSI Employment Services, knows this very well. He can quickly identify the uncertainty and tiredness on the face of job-seekers the first day they arrive at the Campsie warehouse where SSI Jobactive operates some of its Work for the Dole (WFD) programs. Only six months ago, he was one of them.

There were big smiles on everyone’s faces when members of Blacktown North Public School Community Hub visited Luna Park in March. Community Hubs is a national program that supports migrant and refugee parents and children as they navigate the education system.

As with many new mothers in Australia, former refugee Aminata Conteh-Biger knew nothing about infant mortality rates before giving birth to her first child in 2012.

There was something for everyone at International Women’s Day celebrations at Banksia Road Public School, Greenacre. This event was a collaboration between many local stakeholders and the Banksia Road Public School Community Hub leader Marina Boutros.