New Roots: using smartphones to help refugee men in Australia
An innovative project that includes a smartphone app that comes in multiple languages has been launched to support men who have recently arrived in Australia on humanitarian visas. The new app becomes available as Australia prepares to welcome an additional 12,000 refugees who have been affected by the conflicts in Syria and Iraq.
SSI and Legal Aid NSW keep newly arrived families safe
Through a partnership with Legal Aid NSW, SSI is helping to introduce the subject of family safety and law to newly arrived refugees and migrants through a series of specially designed information sessions across western Sydney. All newly arrived people supported by SSI already take part in orientation sessions that include information on housing, budgeting, transport, caring for children and family and domestic violence; However SSI case managers identified the need to deliver family related information in a more focused way.
Meet SSI volunteer Lewis Klipin
Australia has a proud tradition in volunteerism, as shown by a remarkable 36 per cent of the population aged 18 and over who regularly offer their time to support others, and those who volunteer for SSI are prime examples. The options for aspiring volunteers are endless, although sport, community and education have long maintained their status as the most popular recipients of the volunteering efforts of Australians.
Meet SSI volunteer Charlotte Mullens
Volunteering is a way of life for Charlotte Mullens, who says giving back to the community gives her the drive to succeed. A regular volunteer for SSI’s Community Engagement program, Charlotte has helped to mentor young refugees, support young mothers to learn English, and she is a regular supporter of SSI’s Community Kitchen events.
Refugees and asylum seekers learn new skills and produce visual media
A group of former refugees and people seeking asylum in Australia reached a creative milestone recently when they exhibited images produced during eight weeks of photography workshops with SSI and CuriousWorks.SSI has partnered with CuriousWorks, a media arts company celebrating diversity in multicultural Australia, to facilitate a series of photography and video workshops aimed at developing the creative potential of asylum seekers and refugees in western Sydney.
SSI Linkers plant seeds of belief for people with disability
SSI celebrated International Day of People with Disability (IDPwD) today, December 3, with an event at its Bankstown office, featuring Ability Links NSW ambassador Nick Gleeson. IDPwD promotes an understanding of people with disability and encourages support for their dignity, rights and wellbeing.
SSI’s housing partners thanked for critical support
SSI Housing Services celebrated the end of a busy year with an evening event to thank real estate agents, landlords and community housing providers. The special guests had all worked closely with SSI to help secure affordable accommodation for refugees and people seeking asylum.
SSI AGM – first under new company structure
Settlement Services International today held its first Annual General Meeting under the new structure of Company Limited by Guarantee. Another first for the organisation, the AGM was held at its recently opened office in Bankstown.
SSI celebrates 15th anniversary
Settlement Services International has celebrated its 15th Anniversary in the company of members, founders, friends and partners, who enjoyed food, music, dancing, speeches and an anniversary video at SSI’s Bankstown auditorium on November 18.
Open Adoption and Multicultural Communities
The Open Adoption and Multicultural Communities practice forum, held on Thursday November 12, brought together leading out-of-home care practitioners and NGOs to discuss challenges and considerations of open adoption with regard to migrant and refugee communities.
Gateway to Your Future opens new doors for young refugees
Sourcing the skills and experience to step into the Australian workforce can be a struggle for many people from CALD backgrounds but SSI’s Youth Collective initiative has been helping to break down barriers for young people with a series of new projects.
SSI food: Michelle’s Afghan Qabuli Palow
Michelle Naike is a seasoned globetrotter, having lived in Afghanistan, London and Australia for decades at a time. But when it came to wearing the chef’s hat at Community Kitchen, Michelle said cooking delicious Afghani fare was just too good to pass up.
Mother recognised with NSW Carers Award through Ability Links NSW
Myoung Hee Kim, a Seven Hills mother of two, is living proof that determination, strength and unconditional love can overcome the challenges often associated with having a disability. As the carer of her autistic son, Daniel, for the past 27 years, Ms Kim has been the rock supporting and encouraging her son’s artistic development.
Finding work can boost your confidence
“Just be yourself” are the words that finally set Elizabeth Corrigan on the path to securing employment after 20 years out of the workforce. Miss Corrigan was participating in the CoAct/SSI jobactive Community Kitchen Work for the Dole (WFD) program in Marrickville when she received a call inviting her for a job interview.
Net Diasporas: online project for migrant and refugee musicians
SSI is excited to support Net Diasporas, a pilot internet music project that will enable musicians from migrant and refugee backgrounds in urban and regional areas to collaborate and perform culture specific musical repertoires online.
Sydney shows support for refugees at Walk Together
Thousands of people around the country celebrated cultural diversity and Australia’s commitment to humanitarian values at Walk Together on October 31. SSI CEO Violet Roumeliotis said she was proud that SSI could support the annual event, which was a strong show of support from the public.
From the CEO: refugees starting businesses in Australia
Some of you may have heard about Maria Sorki, an SSI Ignite Small Business Start-ups client, who fled persecution in Iran and came to Australia as a refugee. Maria made a documentary film about the ancient religious minority, the Zoroastrians in Iran and it was the reaction to this film which meant she had to leave.
Vietnamese Students Association’s $12,000 donation given to foster children
SSI welcomed and thanked the Vietnamese Students Association (VSA) last month, whose members came along to personally donate $12,000 they raised for children supported by SSI’s Multicultural Foster Care Service (MFCS).
Ability Links helps improve life of Manly resident
Imagine that the world around you becomes quiet. Imagine that as you grow older, simple day-to-day habits, such as talking on the phone, become a struggle. This is what happened to Manly resident Kim Roth, a 62-year-old art teacher, who at the age of 45 developed severe hearing loss.
SSI food: Sanj’s Aloo Gobhi Gajar
SSI Case Manager Sanj Virk volunteered her time and skill at cooking traditional Indian cuisine at SSI’s Community Kitchen Diwaili celebration, recently. Sanj said Diwaili, or Deepavali, was to India what Christmas is to Australia.