Every minute in 2018, 25 people were forced to flee their homes, according to UNHCR’s annual Global Trends report, released to mark World Refugee Day today. By the end of the year, 70.8 million people globally were forcibly displaced – representing the highest level since the UN Refugee Agency began 70 years ago and a year-on-year increase of 2.3 million people.
“These sobering figures show how important it is for Australia to accommodate the world’s most vulnerable people through a generous refugee intake in our humanitarian program,” said Violet Roumeliotis, who is the CEO of community organisation and social business Settlement Services International (SSI).
“Earlier this year, our federal government announced plans to freeze Australia’s humanitarian intake, which currently accounts for less than 5% of our annual migration program.
“A community sponsorship program like we see in Canada or the UK would be a great supplement to our current humanitarian program. It’s something that could really make a difference in the lives of people who are forcibly displaced. It would also provide opportunities for everyday Australians to change people’s lives. Australia currently has a similar program, but there are a number of key differences between our model and what is working overseas, which may hinder take up from community.”
Refugee settlement brings a multitude of benefits from an economic, social and cultural perspective, said Ms Roumeliotis.
“It’s something we at SSI see every day in our work resettling refugees and supporting them to live rich, independent lives in Australia.
“Refugees are the most entrepreneurial migrants in Australia ― nearly twice as likely to be entrepreneurs as Australian taxpayers, according to research released in March. If just 5% of the refugees Australia settles each year were to start a business, this would add $98 million to our economy in one year alone ― and nearly $1 billion over a 10-year period,” she said.
“Refugee settlement also brings with it cultural and social benefits that are harder to measure but no less valuable to our country.”
Ms Roumeliotis said it was only four years ago that the Australian government made the unprecedented decision to resettle an additional 12,000 people in response to the conflict in Syria and Iraq.
“With one action, we lived up to our reputation as a leading global citizen and helped thousands of children, women and men who were forced to leave behind their friends, family and everything they know in order to live a life that is free from war or persecution,” she said.
“SSI was involved in that resettlement on the frontline ― resettling 10,000 refugees in NSW in a single year ― and the results speak for themselves. Refugees from that intake are now well on the way to successful settlement ― forging friendships, engaging in education, starting businesses ― making economic, social and cultural contributions to their new homes.
“Last year Syria accounted for the highest proportion of refugees worldwide at 6.7 million people. Despite these high numbers, only 92,400 refugees from any country were resettled during 2018. We must do better by these individuals and families.”
UNHCR’s The Global Trends Report is published every year to analyse the changes in UNHCR’s populations of concern and deepen public understanding of ongoing crises.
About SSI:
Settlement Services International is a community organisation and social business that supports newcomers and other Australians to achieve their full potential. We work with all people who have experienced vulnerability, including refugees, people seeking asylum and culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities, to build capacity and enable them to overcome inequality.
Media enquiries:
SSI Communications Officer Hannah Gartrell, P: 02 8799 6782 M: 0478 679 078 E: hgartrell@ssi.org.au
Through its 2019 theme, ‘A World of Stories’, RCOA is encouraging the broader community to celebrate the immense courage, resilience and valuable contributions made by refugees to Australian society.
On Wednesday, June 26, SSI will present cultural activities and performances over a shared meal at its Community Kitchen in Auburn, a place where people from different backgrounds cook, eat, dance, learn and create together.
Through the concept of a shared meal, the Community Kitchen reduces social and cultural isolation of community members, including refugees, people seeking asylum and migrants living in the local Auburn area.
Refugee Week celebrations will include an array of activities and entertainment, including tours of the SSI Friendship Garden, a cultural fashion show, and dance and vocal performances.
“This is a place that lives and breathes the ‘Share a meal, share a story’ ethos,” said SSI General Manager, Public Affairs & Communications, Shannon Kliendienst.
RCOA CEO Paul Power said, “The ‘Share a meal, share a story’ theme for this year’s Refugee Week speaks to the incredible stories and the rich culinary heritage that people bring with them when they come to Australia. Food brings people together, and we’re encouraging people to do just that as they celebrate our refugee communities next week.”
Every fortnight the Community Kitchen serves a warm, culturally familiar meal in a relaxed setting that allows for intercultural and interfaith friendships to be formed. It is a welcoming place where people from different backgrounds meet and learn about each other over lunch and through participating in activities.
Nasrin Azizi came to Australia as a refugee from Afghanistan in 2002. She gained her degree in social work in 2014 and runs a wellbeing group for Afghani women, which aims to decrease social isolation.
“As refugees, we appreciate the freedom of Australia. Dancing was once forbidden in Afghanistan [under Taliban rule] so, by sharing their culture through things like dance and music, the Community Kitchen makes the women in my group feel empowered and builds their self-esteem. Plus they enjoy meeting and learning from other cultures – hearing stories and eating new food.
“The Community Kitchen is one of the best programs to make people feel included.”
Ms Kliendienst said, “We welcome everyone in the local community and beyond to come and be part of our Community Kitchen on June 26 to ‘share a meal, and a story’ with us.”
The event will be sponsored by Allianz, a long-standing corporate partner of SSI. Members of the Allianz executive team will also be volunteering their time on the day.
Allianz Australia Senior Manager, Social Impact, Charis Martin-Ross said that this event is one of many examples of how the ongoing partnership with Allianz and SSI has broadened employee perspectives on diversity and community engagement.
“Allianz is proud to partner with SSI and our partnership has given our employees a better understanding of refugee experiences as well as a chance to connect and give back to our diverse community,” Ms Martin-Ross said.
“We hope our experience showcases the benefits of hiring people with a refugee background. Through our refugee employment programs, I have seen first-hand the talent and potential that refugees bring to the workforce.”
Organisations can get involved in volunteer opportunities to ‘share a meal, share a story’ with SSI’s newcomer community throughout the year. Contact partnerships@ssi.org.au
Event details – Celebrating Refugee Week at SSI Community Kitchen
When: Wednesday, June 26, 2019, 11 am – 2 pm
Where: Auburn Centre for Community, 44A Macquarie Road, Auburn
Program:
11:00 am – Activities commence
11:30 am – Cultural fashion show
12:30 pm – Performances
1:00 pm – Lunch is served
About SSI:
Settlement Services International is a community organisation and social business that supports newcomers and other Australians to achieve their full potential. We work with all people who have experienced vulnerability, including refugees, people seeking asylum and culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities, to build capacity and enable them to overcome inequality.
Media enquiries:
SSI Communications Officer
Alicia Chapple
E: achapple@ssi.org.au
M: 0432 807 816
The 2019 legacy-themed conference will be held on Friday, May 24, at the International Convention Centre (ICC).
The SSI and TEDxSydney partnership involves a “Pay It Forward” initiative, whereby conference registrants can give community members from a wide range of SSI programs — including disability services, refugee resettlement, multicultural foster care, and startups — the opportunity to attend the conference for free.
Speakers covering the topics of science, business, technology, art, design, entertainment and culture will discuss the impact that personal, organisational and intergenerational legacy can have on humankind.
High-achieving entrepreneur and autism advocate Haydn Payne is part of the SSI cohort attending the conference and is excited about the opportunity.
“I often watch TED talks to spark new ideas for my own business. I’m stoked to have the opportunity to attend and see it live in action,” he said.
With the support of IgniteAbility® Small Business Start-ups — a pilot program established by SSI to facilitate business creation for people with a disability — Mr Payne is developing a podcast series for high functioning young adults on the autism spectrum.
After being wrongly diagnosed with ADHD, Mr Payne was diagnosed with Asperger syndrome at age 16 and, in the context of the 1990s when it was not a social condition many were aware of, had to break barriers and cope with his condition through his own set of resilience tactics.
“As someone growing up in a low socioeconomic environment, and during a time in the ’90s when many didn’t know what Asperger’s even was, I found myself facing many challenges,” he said.
“After many frustrations, I decided to do something more proactively and get involved in the autism community and advocate to raise awareness.”
Diversity and disability peer facilitator and mentor Pauline David is another community member attending the conference and part of the SSI cohort.
As someone from an Assyrian background who has lived with a physical disability from birth, Ms David has experienced social, cultural and structural related barriers her whole life and now advocates for improved accessibility for herself and others.
“Through sharing my story, I hope to challenge perceptions, attitudes and stigmas to help improve community access for people with disability from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds,” Ms David said.
“Attending the upcoming TEDxSydney conference will help inspire some new ideas for my advocacy work,” Ms David said.
“I hope to connect with new networks and spread the word on diversity and inclusion in the wider community.”
TEDxSydney Founder and Licensee Remo Giuffré said that TEDxSydney is thrilled to be able to give SSI program participants a unique learning experience through the ‘Pay It Forward’ initiative.
“At the core of TEDxSydney, we aim to create a connected community, and it’s great to be able to collaborate with SSI and bring the two communities together,” Mr Giuffré said.
SSI CEO Violet Roumeliotis said that the collaboration between the two organisations took a fresh approach in encouraging the broader community to get involved and support marginalised communities to attend a high-profile event.
“Through this wonderful partnership, we’re able to provide a seamless way for the wider community to give back to those people who otherwise wouldn’t have the chance to attend a TEDxSydney conference,” Ms Roumeliotis said.
“SSI appreciates the ongoing support and generosity of TEDxSydney and its members, who are empowering people to change their lives through direct exposure to myriad brilliant speakers and thought-provoking conversation.”
About SSI:
Settlement Services International is a community organisation and social business that supports newcomers and other Australians to achieve their full potential. We work with all people who have experienced vulnerability, including refugees, people seeking asylum and culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities, to build capacity and enable them to overcome inequality.
Media enquiries:
SSI Communications Officer, Rebeka Selmeczki, M: 0478 679 078 E: rselmeczki@ssi.org.au
This week marks the end of Ms Roumeliotis’ time as Telstra Business Woman of the Year ― a unique accolade for a non-profit CEO that she has used to create opportunities for other business women from diverse backgrounds.
“I’m the daughter of Greek migrants. I grew up working weekends in my family’s corner store. I haven’t just seen the incredible entrepreneurial potential in Australia’s migrant and refugee community ― I’ve lived it,” she said.
“I want to use my own success to show other women from diverse backgrounds that there is no limit to what we can achieve. We are wives, mothers and daughters, but we also have potential that extends beyond that facet of our identities.
“Migrant and refugee women are strong, they’re resilient and they’re resourceful business women. They just need a hand navigating the complex Australian regulatory environment.”
As the CEO of community organisation and social business Settlement Services International (SSI), Ms Roumeliotis has been able to offer that support by establishing the Ignite® Multicultural Women’s Business Scholarships — a 12-month package of specialised support valued at $20,000 to help women from diverse backgrounds get their business idea up off the ground.
Recipients of scholarships to date include:
- Merlyn Hernandez: After migrating to Australia in 2003, Merlyn was unable to find employment in her field of graphic design due to low English levels. Instead, she began studying hospitality and in 2013, launched Dulce Trio Boutique Cakes, which sells creative cakes and sweets. Despite Merlyn’s innovation, talent and the passion, her business was not making money, so she applied for an SSI scholarship. With support from a team of experts, Dulce Trio has refocused its sales and marketing efforts. Merlyn has also been linked with food and beverage industry experts and is in the process of pursuing a micro-loan to supercharge her business’s growth trajectory.
- Parastoo Brahimi: Originally from Afghanistan, Parastoo spent 11 years living as a refugee in Indonesia. To calm her mind during that uncertain period, Parastoo learned beading and began holding workshops to teach other refugees how to use beadwork to create small handicrafts and jewellery. After being resettled in Australia, Parastoo wanted to share her love of therapeutic craft work and came to SSI looking to turn her idea into a business. With support from a team of experts, her business ― Anissa ― was born. Currently in the product development stage, Anissa specialises in the creation of jewellery inspired by feminine concepts from the Quran.
Ms Roumeliotis said there is huge untapped potential in Australia’s new and emerging communities, which have much higher rates of entrepreneurialism than their Australian-born peers.
“This is particularly true of people from refugee background, who are nearly twice as likely to start their own business than the Australian population as a whole. Of those refugee entrepreneurs, women are more likely than men to actually earn an income from their own business,” she said.
“Budding entrepreneurs like Parastoo and Merlyn already have the skills, courage and work ethic to succeed in business ― all they need is a helping hand to level the playing field. What is often missing for migrant and refugee women is the opportunity to participate and share their knowledge and skills.
“I am incredibly grateful for the chance to lift up other women and use my own success to pave the way forward for other budding entrepreneurs from diverse backgrounds.”
About Violet:
Violet Roumeliotis is a social entrepreneur who has extensive experience working with refugee, asylum seeker and migrant communities. Violet is the current Telstra Australian Business Woman of the Year, and sits on the Federal Government’s Settlement Services Advisory Council, the board of national migrant and refugee women’s coalition, the Harmony Alliance. Violet was named one of AFR’s Top 100 Women of Influence for 2018 in the category of Diversity & Inclusion and has twice been named on Pro Bono Australia’s list of the 25 most influential people in the not-for-profit sector. She was awarded the title of Community Fellow from Western Sydney University for outstanding service to the community in 2017.
About SSI:
Settlement Services International is a community organisation and social business that supports newcomers and other Australians to achieve their full potential. We work with all people who have experienced vulnerability, including refugees, people seeking asylum and culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities, to build capacity and enable them to overcome inequality.
Media enquiries:
SSI Communications Officer, Hannah Gartrell, M: 0478 679 078 E: hgartrell@ssi.org.au
SSI will draw on its experience in operating successful employment programs for vulnerable groups of people, bringing its unique social enterprise approach and established connections with employers and specialist services to communities across Parramatta, Mount Druitt, Auburn, Merrylands and Blacktown.
The NSW Government has partnered with local service providers to deliver Opportunity Pathways, a new employment-focused program that helps people receiving social housing assistance to access education, training and work.
Opportunity Pathways is aimed at people who want to improve their employment options and who are:
• aged 17 and older; and
• living in social housing or are approved social housing applicants; or
• are receiving a Rent Choice subsidy.
Through this program, SSI connects participants to education, training and employment opportunities tailored to their needs, aspirations and capabilities. SSI identifies the strengths, skills and aspirations of each participant, and matches these to job categories and relevant courses that are likely to lead to job opportunities.
Since 2015, SSI has operated employment programs that support vulnerable groups of people across the Sydney region, including young people who are unemployed, culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities, people with disability, parents transitioning to the workforce, long-term unemployed people, refugees, and people seeking asylum.
“We are very pleased that through our programs, our clients have successfully secured employment in over 400 local businesses, government agencies and corporations,” said Karen Bevan, SSI General Manager Service Delivery – Community.
“We work with people who may face barriers such as not knowing what work opportunities are available locally, or lacking confidence or capacity to enter employment without support.”
SSI’s innovative and person-centred approach addresses challenges like these with its successful social enterprise model, providing participants with meaningful work experience, skills, confidence, and access to sustainable employment.
“Each participant in the Opportunity Pathways program will be supported through this established process, and receive practical work experience with on-the-job training in one of our social enterprises, such as The Staples Bag (low cost grocery retail business), Humble Creatives (creative arts venture), The Experience Centre (administration and professional services), and Food for Thought (hospitality service),” said Ms Bevan.
“All of our social enterprises are linked to or have strong relationships with local employers.”
SSI will also draw on its existing networks, delivering Opportunity Pathways in collaboration with the well-established partnerships it has with other specialist services, employers and local supports as needed.
“With our strong connections to CALD community organisations, SSI will use our existing working relationships to establish culturally appropriate services, identify suitable participants, and provide participants with pathways to paid employment or to other relevant support services,” said Ms Bevan.
“Our service commitment to all of our clients is to work collaboratively with other services to best meet their needs.”
“We look forward to working with the communities in Western Sydney to deliver a service that makes a real difference and helps people address the barriers to employment and reach their goals.”
Family and Community Services (FACS) has funded Opportunity Pathways for three years. For more information about the program visit the FACS website.
SSI provides Opportunity Pathways services across sites in Parramatta, Mount Druitt, Auburn, Merrylands and Blacktown. To contact us, refer a participant, or self-refer, please email opp@ssi.org.au
We strongly condemn these appalling acts of violence, offer our condolences to the victims, their families and loved ones, and express our solidarity with the people of Sri Lanka and members of the Sri Lankan community living in Australia.
Despite our different beliefs and world views, we share a common humanity and urge all Australians to live in unity, with love and respect, regardless of religion.
A scholarship ceremony and multicultural afternoon tea was held at Allianz headquarters in Sydney yesterday, where SSI CEO Violet Roumeliotis joined Allianz Australia’s Managing Director Richard Feledy to acknowledge and celebrate the success of the scholarship recipients with their families.
The SSI Allianz Refugee Scholarships were created to minimise the financial barriers experienced by refugees as they participate in the NSW education system. Over $84,000 – including $50,000 from Allianz – has been allocated this year to individuals across the education system: secondary school, vocational education and training, university, and skills and qualifications recognition.
One scholarship recipient, George Najarian, a refugee from Syria, applied for the SSI Allianz University Scholarship to help him achieve his dream of becoming a successful engineer. Mr Najarian and his family settled in Australia in 2017 after fleeing their home in Aleppo, where he had nearly completed a degree in robotics.
“Our family shop had been bombed, my brother had been shot and my sister’s school was destroyed. I was risking my life by going to university,” explained Mr Najarian. “Becoming an engineer will provide a decent life for my mum, my siblings and I, and will allow me to give back to the country which gave my family another chance at life.”
Mr Najarian will put his scholarship towards an Extended Diploma of Engineering at Western Sydney University. The funds will cover the cost of his tuition, the purchase of a laptop, textbooks and engineering software.
This award-winning partnership between Allianz and SSI has been delivering new education and career opportunities for refugees and migrants for three consecutive years now. To date, 130 refugee education scholarships have been awarded, with a combined value of $264,000, and 21 refugees have been supported into permanent employment with Allianz in a variety of skilled roles. A further 20 refugee youths have been supported through pre-employment workshops.
Ms Roumeliotis said the SSI Allianz Scholarships complemented the tremendous work SSI and partner organisations were doing for people from refugee backgrounds, tapping into their strengths, talent and resilience to help individuals reach their potential.
“We believe we have an obligation to support our communities, to add value and strengthen social cohesion,” she said. “Importantly, these scholarships reflect our fundamental view that everyone has the right to meet their potential and to live the life they want to live.
“SSI is extremely pleased that our partnership with Allianz continues to help new members of our community to follow their education and employment pathways, like George, so they can realise their dreams and make their own special contribution to our diverse society.”
Allianz Australia Managing Director Richard Feledy said, “A good quality education can provide people with the opportunity to change their lives and those of their families and communities, and we are thrilled to support the recipients of the Allianz SSI Scholarships for the third consecutive year. The SSI organisation, these scholarships, and our Allianz Refugee Employment Programs all aim to provide these strong individuals with ongoing education and career opportunities so they can fulfil their personal and professional goals, and we are proud to be a part of this important initiative.”
About the SSI Allianz Scholarships
The SSI Allianz scholarships directly support people from refugee backgrounds to achieve independence.
Refugees who come to Australia face many challenges during settlement, such as financial hardship, dealing with experiences of torture and trauma, and family separation.
Yet Australia is a nation built on immigration and has a long history of providing safe asylum to refugees, many of whom have gone on to make great civil, social and economic contributions to Australian society
SSI and Allianz aim to continue that tradition by providing targeted scholarships to those who are the most in need and willing to overcome social and economic challenges.
“We stand in solidarity with the communities of New Zealand and are united in condemning the attack on one of the world’s most welcoming and generous nations. Like New Zealand, Australia prides itself on being a safe and tolerant place that people of all nationalities and faiths call home. Senseless acts of violence like this call on all members of the community to reach out to the peaceful Muslim community with tolerance and respect,” stated Violet Roumeliotis, Group CEO, SSI.
“On behalf of the communities we serve and represent, we stand strong against racial hatred and anti-immigrant prejudice for which there is no place in today’s society. This shows that once again we have entered times that require the majority of us who seek social justice and peace to demonstrate incredible amounts of vigilance and courage. Our prayers and thoughts are with you New Zealand.”
ends
Settlement Services International is a community organisation and social business that supports newcomers and other Australian to achieve their full potential. We work with all people who have experienced vulnerability, including refuges, people seeking asylum and culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities, to build capacity and enable them to overcome inequality.
Access Community Services Limited is a leading Queensland multicultural organisation that operates under the umbrella of SSI. Access merged with SSI on December 4, 2018.
Media enquiries: 0413 593 946 | sfoster@ssi.org.au
The exhibits, presented by the Peacock Gallery Auburn and supported by Settlement Services International (SSI), will run concurrently March 9–31, 2019, and will feature seven different artists, four of whom are female.
The partnership between the Peacock Gallery Auburn and SSI, now in its second year, acknowledges the need for artist representation and provides access to exhibition opportunities for artists from refugee backgrounds. For many of the artists involved it is their first curated exhibition in Australia.
Fragments of Iran is a solo exhibition presented by Mehrdad MehrAeen, a professional Iranian visual artist with over 17 years of artistic experience. His work draws on traditional Iranian forms of art, including Iranian poetry and “Tazhib” — the geometry found in traditional Iranian paintings.
“I am so excited for my first exhibition in Australia,” said Mr MehrAeen.
Mr MehrAeen arrived in Australia in 2013 and continued his artistic practice but, after finding himself homesick and alone, he began to explore these feelings through his artwork.
“Improvisation through the art-making process is the hallmark of traditional Iranian art; most of my art is made through the unconscious mind.”
ANA/MAN/MA — ME (Arabic) / ME (Farsi) / US (Farsi) — is a collective exhibition featuring the work of a diverse range of artists from Arabic, Iranian, and Ghanaian backgrounds, including experienced artist, graphic designer and teacher, Maher Al Khoury.
Mr Al Khoury arrived in Australia from Syria as a refugee in 2017. After graduating with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in 1988, he had a dynamic arts career working across the Middle East as a university lecturer and artist. Mr Al Khoury was exhibited in his home country in Syria and Abu Dhabi at esteemed arts exhibitions; however, ANA/MAN/MA will be his first curated exhibition in Australia.
Young artist Emmanuel Asante arrived in Australia in 2015 from Ghana and started painting and drawing as a way to deal with depression.
“Art is my escape from reality,” Mr Asante said.
“I’m quite excited and looking forward to seeing new people and discussing these artworks and ideas.”
Mr Asante’s work has already been exhibited in numerous youth forums. In 2016 he received the Art for Planet Award from Campbelltown Council.
Exhibition dates: March 9 – 31, 2019
Gallery opening time: Tuesdays to Sundays, 11 am to 4 pm
Location: Peacock Gallery, located in Auburn Botanic Gardens, Corner of Chiswick and Chisholm Roads, Auburn NSW 2144
Cost: Free
About SSI:
Settlement Services International is a community organisation and social business that supports newcomers and other Australians to achieve their full potential. We work with all people who have experienced vulnerability, including refugees, people seeking asylum and culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities, to build capacity and enable them to overcome inequality.
SSI self-funds arts and culture initiatives ranging from artist professional development projects to its flagship New Beginnings Festival, aiming to ensure that refugees and newly arrived migrants have equitable access to arts and culture programs and opportunities.
Media enquiries:
SSI Communications Officer Rebeka Selmeczki 0468 998 300 or rselmeczki@ssi.org.au
Settlement Services International (SSI) Strategic Policy Manager Astrid Perry said she very much welcomed any increase to funding in this area but hoped the investment would also include provisions to meet the unique needs of women from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.
“NSW as a state has very limited targeted domestic and family violence services that focus on migrant and refugee women. Other states, such as Victoria, have explicit funding for services working with culturally and linguistically diverse communities,” she said.
“We have a pressing need for a dedicated service that helps women who are new to Australia safely escape domestic and family violence.”
The key feature of Labor’s proposal is an $18 million investment in new beds for women escaping violence at home. Ms Perry welcomed the pledge but warned investment must go beyond accommodation to ensure these spaces consider the needs of all women.
“Often, the available accommodation is not ideal for women from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds because there are rarely interpreters, limited responses to cultural needs and few spaces for large families,” she said.
“In many cases, this accommodation also does not include sufficient support from a social worker or domestic violence specialist. Settlement workers in our community are increasingly reporting that women come out of temporary accommodation without having resolved any of their issues related to their relationship or secured ongoing housing.”
This is disappointing given the additional challenges these women must surmount in order to leave a violent home situation in the first place, said Ms Perry.
“Women of migrant or refugee background are less likely to seek assistance due to barriers like lack of knowledge about their rights, fear of deportation and removal of children, lack of English language skills, or shame and the need to maintain family honour. In other cases, women on temporary visas have little or no independent income,” she said.
There is a real and pressing need for funded domestic violence services that are tailored specifically for women from migrant and refugee backgrounds, Ms Perry said.
“We must ensure all women have access to safe accommodation, regardless of their visa status,” she said.
“While we welcome the release of funding to keep more women and children secure, we call on both the NSW Government and NSW Labor to consider funding services that will ensure support is appropriate for all women.”
About SSI:
SSI is a community organisation and social business that supports newcomers and other Australians to achieve their full potential. We work with all people who have experienced vulnerability, including refugees, people seeking asylum and culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities, to build capacity and enable them to overcome inequality.
Media enquiries:
SSI Communications Officer Hannah Gartrell 0478 679 078 or hgartrell@ssi.org.au