Art scattered throughout a Newcastle church was an unusual site for many of the guests at the opening of the Home: between here and there exhibition on Friday September 18.Coming from countries where practicing both religion and art can be a crime, the four Home exhibition artists who travelled from Sydney to participate in the event were thrilled to see the reception to their art.

Garry and Natalie* are often told that their foster children are blessed to be in their care. However, they see it differently. “We are the ones who are blessed to have them in our home,” Garry said.

After almost nine years of being the foster carer for three siblings, Iqbal is preparing for the children to be returned to their mother who is now ready to care for them herself. Iqbal admitted she was upset and worried about the children leaving her, but she knows they want to be with their mother and that this is the best outcome.

Welcome to the SSI Food Blog. The recipes and stories here come from SSI employees, volunteers, refugees and people seeking asylum who all share a love of food. One of the many benefits of cultural diversity is delicious food, so let's enjoy!  

When asked what the best thing about being a foster carer is, Lin* replied, “You can’t buy the joy and happiness that Dylan* brings me.” Lin is one of 80 foster carers supported by Settlement Services International's Multicultural Foster Care Service (MFCS) celebrating Foster Care Week, September 13-19.

Settlement organisations in NSW welcome the Federal Government’s announcement today that an additional 12,000 refugees from Syria will be settled in Australia and that $44 million in additional financial aid will be provided to help deal with the crisis.

Settlement organisations in NSW welcome the Federal Government’s announcement today that an additional 12,000 refugees from Syria will be settled in Australia and that $44 million in additional financial aid will be provided to help deal with the crisis.

The Settlement Council of Australia* (SCOA) supports the call for an urgent action to increase the refugee resettlement numbers in Australia in response to the growing global humanitarian crisis with millions displaced from their homes fleeing the conflict in Syria. The settlement sector in Australia are world leaders in assisting and welcoming newly arrived refugees and are well positioned to support an increase in Australia’s refugee intake.

The world is facing many challenges as unprecedented numbers of people flee their homes in search of somewhere safe to settle: how we treat fellow human beings should be a top priority.

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!

Multi-talented visual artist and musician Babak, from Iran, will collaborate with Ethernet Orchestra, led by musician and researcher Dr Roger Mills, for a series of special performances at the Parramatta Lanes Festival 2015. Babak came to Australia as a refugee and he receives support from SSI’s Humanitarian Services Program.  

The CEOs of SSI, Connect Child and Family Services and Refuge of Hope on August 31 signed a Memorandum of Understanding in relation to the Community Hubs in NSW. From January 1 next year SSI will be the NSW Support Agency under the National Community Hubs Program.

The world is facing many challenges as unprecedented numbers of people flee their homes in search of somewhere safe to settle: how we treat fellow human beings should be a top priority.

Essa Khan, 45, from Pakistan is seeking protection as a refugee in Australia but on Tuesday, August 18, he rubbed shoulders with Australian Government and opposition politicians at Parliament House. 

They say home is where the heart is, and for people seeking asylum in Australia this can be a difficult question to answer. For most of them, ‘home’ oscillates between the memories of the homeland they left behind and of a new place that is unknown but filled with hope.

To celebrate World Refugee Day on Saturday, June 20, 2015, SSI was host to the inaugural New Beginnings: Refugee Arts and Culture Festival, which showcased the talents of refugees and asylum seekers in the community.

Migrants from Western Europe who arrived in the "50s and "60s in Australia were seen with hostility and suspicion by many in the local community. These are now well-settled communities but as new comers, they struggled to fit in. 

Sefullah is from the Iranian village of Palk Lak of Arkvazi, in the Illam Province, where he lived before making his journey to Australia. Sefullah is a self-taught artist, who researches different styles of painting and schools of thought. 

Mohammed is a multi-disciplinary artist working in the areas of photography, performance and graphic design.  Mohammed lived in Iraq where he obtained a degree in theatre performance from Basra's College of Arts. In Baghdad, he had his own studio and appeared in a number of productions and radio plays.

Mohanad was born in Nasiriyah, Iraq. He started painting when he was six as he was encouraged by his grandfather, who bought painting material for him. After graduating from the Arts & Carving Institute in Iraq, Mohanad moved to Syria where he kept painting, drawing and showing his works in several exhibitions.