Until recently, 62-year-old Campsie resident Ming Zhong was one of the many Australians struggling to provide care to family members with a disability. Besides being a sole carer for his wife, who has a physical disability and mental health issues, and for his mother, diagnosed with dementia, Mr Zhong’s family also includes his daughter and her two young children.
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.
Thousands of refugees across the country recently celebrated their first Christmas in Australia. For a special group of new arrivals, the festive season began early at an SSI celebration last month.
Having just come out of an abusive relationship and suffering from severe anxiety attacks, Virginia Willie found herself in a very low period of her life and didn’t believe anyone could help her to get out of it - until her first meeting with SSI's ParentsNext program.
Bert Oldfield Primary School, Seven Hills, hosted a colourful Diwali 2016 Cultural Exchange on November 5. The event was a collaboration between SydWest Multicultural Services, Community Hubs in the Blacktown local government area and local businesses and community organisations.
Culinary duo Sharon and Carol Salloum returned to SSI Community Kitchen last week to cook a Syrian-inspired barbecue lunch. The sisters, who run Sydney restaurant Almond Bar, are no strangers to the Community Kitchen, having previously used their professional culinary skills to cook for refugees and people seeking asylum at the fortnightly lunch event.
Community Hubs at Banksia Road and Rydalmere Public Schools organised special Grandparents Day events on November 2, attracting over 300 grandparents, parents and grandchildren.
The NSW Community Hubs team reviewed and celebrated its past year’s Hub activities during the team's annual meeting in November. The meeting was an opportunity for participants to share their challenges and learnings, and to discuss priorities and the expansion of the program in 2017.
SSI’s Ignite Small Business Start-ups is to benefit from donations of around $60,000 thanks to the amazing generosity of Google and its Sydney-based staff.
By Elise Marley-Wallace, Allianz Public Relations and Social Media Manager In December 2016, more than 20 Allianz Australia employees volunteered over 200 hours to support not-for-profit humanitarian organisation, Settlement Services International (SSI), as part of Allianz’s community outreach program.
A new SSI partnership operating nation-wide will help entrepreneurs from refugee backgrounds fast-track their business plans and achieve their goal of establishing a successful business in Australia.
It’s been a big year for Syrian brothers Sarkis and Garen Keshishian who have only recently come to call Australia home. But their sights are on the future and they have big plans to make their mark in the automotive industry.
Two busloads of refugee families travelled from Liverpool to an exhibition in Glebe for the launch of Courageous Journeys: A Family Portrait on November 16.
Tinsel and holly wreaths appeared in the SSI office this week – a sure sign that another year is drawing to a close and the summer break is around the corner. Like many people, I’m looking forward to a few weeks off to relax, revive and refresh myself for another busy year in 2017.
International Day of People with Disability was celebrated by SSI together with participants and Linkers from SSI Ability Links NSW in Ashfield on Tuesday November 6. The SSI auditorium was filled with the sounds of Jonathon Yung on piano to start off the morning tea event.
Over one hundred multicultural youth came together for the 20 Voices Youth Symposium on Education last month to learn how to navigate the local education system and take their career goals into their own hands.
Shagufta Hamayun moved to Australia from Pakistan four years ago with her husband and two children but she soon felt that something wasn’t right.
Multicultural youth from across Greater Western Sydney came together for the 20 Voices Youth Symposium on Education yesterday to break through barriers in Australia’s education system and build solid foundations for their future. Hosted by the Youth Collective, the 20 Voices Youth Symposium provided a forum for young people to share skills and experiences, build new networks, and learn how to navigate the education system to work towards their career goals.
Yarie Bangura spoke to a crowd of 150 Google employees about her small business Aunty’s Ginger Tonic, on Friday evening, November 25. The event was the launch of Google Give Week; a week during which Google employees are given the opportunity to donate to local charities whose initiatives are making a significant impact in the community.