SSI mobilises to support community during Alfred

With the threat of Cyclone Alfred looming over parts of Queensland and NSW in February/March, SSI staff got to work providing information and support to keep migrant and refugee communities, as well as other vulnerable groups, safe during the natural disaster. 

SSI Community Relations Officer Sahba Hamid went above and beyond to ensure that the community was safe. Although she herself was navigating the effects of the cyclone, Sahba and her team worked tirelessly to contact clients, offer in-person support, and ensure community members had the information, support and resources required to safely ride out the cyclone. 

Our team of case workers checked to see what people understood and what they could do to prepare themselves and their families. 

Working with community leaders, we also ensured that translated resources were available across various communications platforms. Feedback from our community indicated that there was a need for curated, simplified information to make it easier for migrant and refugee communities to understand. 

Two forums were organised in partnership with other settlement services and Multicultural Affairs Queensland to prepare our multicultural communities for Cyclone Alfred. The forums were to provide access to post-cyclone recovery assistance and support to prepare for future weather events. 

After the cyclone event, case workers supported clients who were affected with insurance applications, hardship payments and disaster grant applications, as well as emergency relief referrals and recovery support. 

We’re able to react and help the community thanks to the funding from the Settlement Engagement and Transition Support (SETS) program funded by the federal government and the Community Action for a Multicultural Society (CAMS) program funded by Queensland government. 

We’re proud of how our staff banded together to keep the community safe and informed.