The Chaldean League of NSW identified a need to support newly arrived refugees to develop skills, knowledge and confidence to navigate technology in English.
Raghda Aziz, who fled persecution from Iraq with her family in 2011, never used technology in her home country.
Understanding the struggles and the devastating impact a simple immigration form can have for a refugee, with the Chaldean League of NSW she set her sights on applying for the Community Innovation Fund to teach technology classes to newly arrived refugees.
“I said to myself I’m going to learn everything, do my best to help new refugees when they arrive and volunteer my time to help people build technology skills,” said Ms Aziz.
The aim of the classes is to increase participants’ skills in using personal devices, computer accessories and programs, navigating Internet browsers, email accounts and social media, and basic document usage. The classes focus on advanced English language skills in a technology context and within a safe and trusting environment.
The second round of Community Innovation Fund applications opens July 25, 2018, and closes August 20.
Recipients receive support when they’ve been funded to implement their project through coaching and mentoring from SSI. Local service providers and other funded bodies are not eligible to apply.
To find out how to apply for the second round, visit the Community Innovation Fund.
Awards were made to those leading the way in five categories.
From the 37 nominees, the winners for each category were:
- Community Category — Muslim Women’s Association
- Innovation Category — MTC Liverpool
- Small to Medium Business — Crezent Eatery, Condell Park
- Large Business — Rashays, Punchbowl
- Sports and recreation — C&M Aquatic Centre, Padstow
The success of the initiative is an example of community, local government and business collaborating to build an inclusive community from within.
Canterbury Bankstown councillors with some of the award winners: Nadia Saleh, Canterbury Bankstown Deputy Mayor; Jacqueline Druart MTC Liverpool; Khal Asfour, Canterbury Bankstown Mayor; Wafa Zaim and Safa Merhi, Muslim Women’s Association; Clotilde Doxaras and Taylor Dawson, C&M Aquatic Centre; Chanmonita Lok and Chansokdane Lok, Crezent Café.
Led by The Multicultural Network and supported by Settlement Services International (SSI), the South West Bankstown Chamber of Commerce and the Canterbury Bankstown, Fairfield and Liverpool councils, the initiative has developed into a movement and a challenge that more businesses are embracing.
“The diversity in cultures and worldviews that make up South West Sydney, alongside a strong entrepreneurship and business ethic, has fuelled the success of the project and the understanding that it makes good business sense to be inclusive,” said Wally Mehanna, CEO of the South West Bankstown Chamber of Commerce.
Minister for Disability and Multiculturalism, the Hon. Ray Williams, attended the awards alongside Khal Asfour, the Mayor for Canterbury Bankstown. Both reiterated the commitment of state and local governments to continue working to implement their respective disability inclusion action plans.
Local government councillors with Minister for Disability and Multiculturalism, the Hon. Ray Williams, at the Zero Barriers Business Excellence Awards.
SSI’s Multicultural Disability Inclusion Officer, Javier Ortiz, said, “It is great to see how many businesses have embraced making some small changes to their practices. The ripple effect from that can have profound effects not only to individuals but also to entire communities.”
SSI’s CEO and Telstra Australian Business Woman of the Year Violet Roumeliotis said, “Migrants have a history of being engaged in small businesses, which are often seen as the cornerstone of migrant communities. The inclusive attitudes displayed by those businesses in South West Sydney and the involvement of local governments demonstrate the inclusive and welcoming environment that newcomers of all abilities settling in the region can expect.”
The year-long Zero Barriers project involved presentations to businesses, the development of a checklist, guidelines and stickers designed by local children with disabilities.
Those businesses and organisations that displayed inclusive attitudes towards reducing barriers received the sticker and could nominate themselves for the Zero Barriers Awards.
SSI, along with the organisations and local governments involved in the project, will continue to support businesses working to reduce their barriers and showcase examples of why it is important to build inclusive practices in businesses and in all other areas of community life.
Through SSI’s Disability Employment Enterprise and programs such as Ability Links and FutureAbility, a whole of community approach will continue to ensure that inclusive attitudes and practices are embedded in migrant communities, ensuring that people of all abilities are well supported and empowered to achieve their full potential.
Watch a video of one of the winning businesses, C&M Aquatic Centre, or for more information, contact Javier Ortiz on 0401 097 803.
The event will host over 100 people and aims to promote the business case for access and inclusion, particularly in multicultural communities across South West Sydney.
The awards presentation will highlight some of the great efforts and commitment businesses and services have demonstrated, including innovative practices, which promote inclusion and access.
Large and small businesses have engaged with the project.
Examples include:
- the Punchbowl Rashays restaurant which hosts a sensory hour every week for families with children on the autism spectrum
- a petrol station that provides support for people with mobility limitations to fill up their tank
- a swimming school that runs inclusive swimming lessons for all kids regardless of ability
- a local bank that allocates time and resources to support customers with cognitive impairments
The project, led by the Multicultural Network, has involved a collaboration between three local government areas — Fairfield, Canterbury Bankstown and Liverpool — Settlement Services International and the South West Bankstown Chamber of Commerce.
In addition to the CEOs of the organisations involved, the Minister for Multiculturalism and Minister for Disability Services, the Hon. Ray Williams, will be attending and speaking at the awards alongside Khal Asfour, Mayor of the City of Canterbury Bankstown, and representatives from the Fairfield and Liverpool councils.
The Zero Barriers Business Excellence Awards will be held at the Bankstown Library and Knowledge Centre, 80 Rickard Road, Bankstown, Wednesday July 25 from 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm.
SSI welcomes the NSW government’s investment of $3 billion in disability services in 2018–2019, as its contribution during the transition to full operation of the NDIS in NSW.
In particular, SSI congratulates the government on its continued funding of the important Ability Links program during the transition, as this program has been extremely successful in supporting culturally diverse people with disability.
SSI has delivered Ability Links in areas with culturally diverse populations, with strong employment outcomes, and 64% of SSI Ability Links individual outcomes were with culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) participants.
SSI also welcomes the continued funding of disability advocacy services, which are important to help people get supports through the NDIS. SSI looks forward to continuing its collaboration with the NSW government in delivering services to people with disability in NSW, and helping culturally diverse communities access disability supports.
SSI welcomes the NSW Government’s investment in children and families and was pleased to see a $200 million investment in early childhood education and care (ECEC).
Access to high quality ECEC has significant benefits for our children, setting a strong foundation for their future learning at school and beyond. It also plays a crucial role in early intervention and ensuring vulnerable children and families are connected and supported right from the start.
Unfortunately, we know that for many CALD families access is low and too many of our children are missing out. It is important to ensure that this increase in spending is reaching our families and that we are developing avenues to support equity of access.
SSI welcomes the NSW government’s commitment of funding for 100 new case workers to work with vulnerable young people and the child protection system to support better safety, permanency and wellbeing outcomes for children, young people and their families.
In particular, the support to out-of-home care, permanency support, and support to high-needs children in out-of-home care is commended as SSI has 150 children in its Multicultural Foster Care program and it sees their needs on a daily basis.
SSI acknowledges and welcomes the focus on families in general as we are aware that many of the families from CALD backgrounds are struggling. It is hoped that matters raised in the Tune Review are addressed through this budget and that early intervention across the continuum of care remains a high priority.
SSI is pleased that Multicultural NSW has received additional funding for its grants program administered through the Department of Premier’s and Cabinet for community initiatives as it allows communities to foster a sense of belonging and feeling valued for their contribution to a diverse society.
Among 2018-19 NSW Budget highlights were:
- $12.4 million to engage with communities, administer community projects, partnerships and grants, and provide policy advice
- $10 million to provide interpreting and translation services in more than 100 languages and dialects
The Community Innovation Fund’s resources are offered to groups, organisations or individuals with a connection to south-west Sydney (Fairfield, Liverpool and surrounds) and projects that will benefit local refugees who have arrived in the last three years.
It is not a typical grant program, since it offers support to develop ideas, write applications and implement projects, with one-on-one mentoring.
Opportunities available to south-west Sydney’s newly arrived refugee community have grown since the Fund introduced its first round in September 2017, when innovative ideas and successful projects included a range of exciting projects in arts, technology and sport.
SSI CEO Violet Roumeliotis said, “SSI has always taken the view that we should be listening to the community and responding to their concerns rather than reacting to issues and trying to find solutions after problems arise.
“The Fund gives people an opportunity to think of ideas that are relevant, embedded in their own communities, and tailored to their needs and their own priorities rather than someone else setting their priorities.
“Communities have a better understanding because they are living and breathing what is happening at the coalface.”
Information sessions for the second round of Community Innovation Fund Applications are as follows:
- Fairfield: Friday, July 6, 10am-12pm at Fairfield Community Hall, 25 Barbara Street Fairfield
- Liverpool: Friday, July 6, 5-7pm at Western Sydney Migrant Resource Centre, 108 Moore Street Liverpool
Local service providers and other funded bodies are not eligible to apply.
Applications close on August 20, 2018.
To find out more, visit the SSI Community Innovation Fund
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 Lamoge Shvily (M) 0405 320 377 (E) LShvily@ssi.org.au
Open Inner West brings together new and emerging communities for a program of performing arts, installations and workshops.
Marking Refugee Week 2018, The Spirit of Welcome is a full-day public program of activities led by newly arrived artists. The day will feature an art exhibition, an artist talk, live performances, screenings, creative workshops and multicultural food.
The art exhibition will showcase works that have been created through a series of creative workshops facilitated by artists from refugee backgrounds for other newly arrived artists. Artist facilitators include Atefeh Hekmat and two other leading artists, Damon Amb and Majid Roberts.
The workshops are being held in the lead-up to Refugee Week at the Refugee Welcome Centre.
Settlement Services International (SSI) Arts and Culture Manager Carolina Triana foresees the exhibition to be an example of the successful collaboration between artists from refugee backgrounds who have been in Australia for a number of years and those artists who have recently arrived to Australian shores.
“The exhibition project is being artistically driven by artists from refugee backgrounds, from workshop facilitation all the way to the exhibition design and curation,” Ms Triana said.
Inner West Mayor Darcy Byrne said he was delighted that Council’s partner at the Callan Park Refugee Welcome Centre was hosting an Open Inner West event.
“Council is looking to expand the programs offered at the Welcome Centre. We want to identify and support activities the refugees and their families have expressed an interest in. The Welcome Centre is a great example of how Council is promoting social justice in our own backyard.
“The Spirit of Welcome event, with its art, performance, workshops and food, is exactly the kind of activity we want to foster at the Centre,” Mayor Byrne said.
The exhibition will open during event times and by appointment during Refugee Week from 20-30 June 2018.
The SSI New Beginnings Festival for Refugee Week, supported by Inner West Council through Open Inner West 2018, is part of the broader SSI New Beginnings Festival 2018, an initiative of SSI. For more information, click here.
The festival will continue later in the year with a one-day music, dance, art and food extravaganza at Darling Harbour.
For more information, visit: https://www.newbeginningsfestival.com.au/
About the SSI New Beginnings Festival:
The SSI New Beginnings Festival 2018 is a celebration of the artistic vibrancy, cultural expressions and heritage of people from refugee and migrant backgrounds. Since its inception in 2015, the New Beginnings Festival has offered a free celebration of the diverse and rich creative talents of migrant, refugees and people seeking asylum.
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: 0468 998 300
The exclusive event will take place at the recently launched Four Brave Women cafe in Summer Hill as part of a group mentoring and morning tea.
Women of influence from organisations such as Allianz, Commonwealth Bank, Telstra, Google and the NSW Chamber of Commerce will be paired with refugee young women while making a scented candle through the SSI social enterprise Humble Creatives.
Ms Roumeliotis is driving a series of initiatives including the inaugural Ignite Multicultural Women’s Business Scholarship Programme, which she will launch at the event.
Four women from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds will receive a 12-month scholarship package of business start-up support.
Ms Roumeliotis is a strong advocate for aspiring young women, particularly those of CALD backgrounds. At the heart of her philosophy is an inherent belief in people, prosperity and partnerships.
“This unique, exclusive and intimate setting will facilitate robust discussions between some of the state’s most successful women in business and aspiring young refugee women who have an interest in entrepreneurship, business or leadership,” Ms Roumeliotis said.
Ms Roumeliotis has led SSI to activate a vision for a society that values the diversity of its community and supports meaningful social and economic participation to assist individuals and families reach their full potential.
“The Lighting Humble Creatives event is an opportunity for influential women to share experiences, insights and advice to spark inspiration and change someone’s life,” she said.
Each Ignite Multicultural Women’s Business Scholarship is valued at $20,000 worth of professional and specialised support and will be selected through a merit-based expression of interest. The package includes working with an individual business facilitator and mentorship from a team of Ignite experts.
The scholarships will provide direct access to a resource team to provide advice on financial management, administration and compliance, effective marketing strategies, and business planning services.
For information about Ignite Small Business Start-ups, click here.
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:
E: rselmeczki@ssi.org.au
M: 0468 998 300
New England MP Barnaby Joyce flanked by SSI CEO Violet Roumeliotis and Humanitarian Settlement Program Manager Yamamah Agha with other participants at the opening of SSI’s Armidale office.
The office was opened on Thursday, May 17, by New England MP and former deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce, a key figure in establishing Armidale as a regional settlement centre.
Armidale is home to 15 Yazidi families who are at various stages of the settlement process in accordance with the government’s Humanitarian Settlement Program (HSP), which is administered in the region by SSI.
Mr Joyce noted the benefits of welcoming the Yazidi families in to Armidale.
“Armidale has so much to offer families resettling here from overseas, and I’ve been a vocal supporter of this initiative from the beginning,” he said. “A number of families have already made the move here to New England to make a new start and build a safe, stable future which provides them with the same opportunities that all Australian’s enjoy.”
Speaking on behalf of SSI CEO Violet Roumeliotis, HSP Regional Coordinator Helen Larkin praised the Armidale community for the compassion and conviction that encouraged Mr Joyce and the Federal Government to open Armidale as a refugee resettlement area.
She said her colleagues had spoken highly of Armidale’s energised and well-organised civil society organisations.
“SSI knows that effective settlement happens where there is an integrated approach from the service providers and the broader community,” she said. “This is what will ensure that people have a sense of belonging and wellbeing very quickly.”
Since the initial announcement of Yazidi refugees being settled in Armidale, SSI has built and maintained a close relationship with Armidale Council and local community organisations such as Sanctuary Humanitarian Settlement and Reach Out for Refugees, which have rallied in support of the Yazidi refugees and offered their assistance.
SSI is currently in discussion with these and many other local service providers to establish how they can best support the new families.
In the budget announced on Tuesday, May 8, the Government is proposing to increase migrants’ waiting periods for Social Services income support payments from two years to four years, and create a four year waiting period for the Family Tax Benefit and some extra income support payments.
In its submission to a Senate Inquiry, SSI has recommended that the Senate reject the Government’s current proposed legislation to increase the wait period from two to three years (the Social Services Legislation Amendment (Encouraging Self Sufficiency for Newly Arrived Migrants) Bill 2018).
SSI also recommends that the Senate reject the proposed increase to four years for the waiting period for migrants.
SSI CEO Violet Roumeliotis said, “Australia’s Social Services system provides a safety net to support permanent residents and citizens during times when they cannot adequately support themselves and their families, due to reasons such as illness or other misfortune. It can happen to anyone.
“Recently arrived permanent residents rightly have an equal obligation to obey Australian laws and pay taxes. They also have an equal right to income support benefits when they have a legitimate need, and the other benefits of society that our taxes pay for.
“The proposed changes will have an impact not only on the migrant primary visa holders, but also their spouses and children, and single parents with children.”
Ms Roumeliotis said the proposed changes to the Family Tax Benefit needed particular mention.
“The Family Tax Benefit supports young parents, most of whom are working but on lower incomes, to provide adequate care and support for their children. It’s an investment in our children’s future,” she said.
“Withholding Family Tax Benefit from new migrant families will mean that they pay a higher rate of taxation on their income than other Australians.”
Ms Roumeliotis said the current two year waiting period was already creating significant and unnecessary hardship for some newly arrived migrants, as shown in the following scenario drawn from real cases involving migrant clients of SSI.
A skilled migrant with a wife and two young children arrived in Australia last year to take up a well-paid position. After one year of employment and settling happily in Sydney, the husband unexpectedly fell seriously ill. The spouse does not yet have reasonable English and so has not been able to find employment. They are not eligible for income support benefits under the two year wait period, and the spouse is also not eligible for English language training or employment services. They can and do receive medical services and the children attend a public school. With no income they have become destitute and homeless, relying on the good will of their church community and local charities for accommodation and money for food. They are applying to have an exemption to receive some income support due to unforeseen changed circumstances, but this is taking some time to process and to provide evidence of their current circumstances.
Ms Roumeliotis said, “The implication of the federal budget proposals is that the children of migrants are of less value and less deserving of care than other children. This is the very definition of discrimination.”
Settlement Services International (SSI) hosted the DiverseAbility NDIS Inclusion Conference at the Novotel Sydney Parramatta on April 19.
DiverseAbility was organised to raise awareness about the changing landscape of the disability sector in Australia, and the opportunities that the National Disability Scheme (NDIS) can offer to CALD communities in NSW.
At full Scheme in 2019/20, it is estimated that 20% of the NDIS packages nationally will be used by people from CALD backgrounds. The national participation rate is currently at 7.2% (9% in NSW).
Throughout the conference, delegates had active conversations about their experiences and the many opportunities to improve NDIS access and utilisation, with great feedback from the Scheme in terms of making those improvements happen.
The conference brought together NDIS-users, including people with disability from CALD backgrounds, their families and carers, CALD service providers and representatives, government agencies and disability experts, to identify and discuss ways to improve the engagement and participation of people with disability from CALD backgrounds into the NDIS. Delegates also showcased projects and initiatives that emphasised CALD access, a person-centred approach, and the improvements needed in the NDIS.
Keynote speakers at the Conference included the Hon Ray Williams MP, Minister for Multiculturalism and Minister for Disability Services; Scott McNaughton, General Manager, Participant Pathway Design at the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA); and V. Samuela and Quang Nguyen, who shared their stories and their own journey through the NDIS.
After the plenary session, 28 concurrent sessions and three solutions hubs provided participants with opportunities to collaborate and discuss solutions to the issues presented.
Mr Williams said the NSW Government understands the importance of supporting people with disability from CALD backgrounds to make full use of the NDIS.
“DiverseAbility is a great initiative that complements the work being done by Government to ensure people with disability from CALD backgrounds build confidence and knowledge to access the NDIS,” he said.
“The NSW Government has provided a range of funding, participated in consultations with CALD communities and is working closely with the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) to ensure people from CALD backgrounds can smoothly transition to the NDIS.”
Mr McNaughton said, “Today we have 140,000 people benefitting from NDIS and we are expecting that number to be 460,000 when the Scheme is fully rolled out. We don’t want people missing out; we want people to access the services they need.
We need to continue getting the message out for people from all communities, especially those from CALD backgrounds: this is a big focus on our overall rollout strategy. The DiverseAbility NDIS Inclusion conference gives us invaluable feedback to keep enhancing the NDIS rollout and keep making it better for all participants.”
SSI Chair, Elisabeth Shaw said, “Cultural differences in regards to understanding and explaining disability affect the way that CALD communities access disability support. When talking about equal access to the NDIS, targeting the needs and views of different CALD communities will generate more awareness and increase their participation. A one-size-fits-all approach does not help raise awareness nor engage CALD communities with the NDIS.
SSI continuously contributes with its expertise on working with CALD communities through tailored support services and leads the way on how best to inform and support them to understand and access the NDIS.”
Ms Shaw said she hoped the DiverseAbility conference would contribute to a better quality of life and increased economic and social participation of people with disability from CALD backgrounds who accessed the NDIS.
DiverseAbility is an initiative of the SSI FutureAbility project
SSI’s FutureAbility project has designed and used a number of innovative approaches and activities to help CALD communities learn how to access the NDIS, including regional round table discussions, in-language theatre plays, radio campaigns, NDIS sessions for large settled and small and emerging groups, workshops on culturally responsive disability practice and the inaugural state conference.
The project has gone beyond the regular ways of communicating, engaging and delivering information to different CALD groups, and looked at alternative methods and channels that are a better fit for specific CALD communities.
The project’s activities have proven to be successful, with more than 2,000 people from more than 20 different cultural and language groups being informed about the NDIS and how to access the Scheme just in the last year.
Find out more information about FutureAbility.
About SSI
Settlement Services International (SSI) is a community organisation and social business that draws on its background, expertise and experience working with a wide range of people seeking support, including newcomers, refugees and asylum seekers and Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) communities. We work with vulnerable communities to build their capacity and enable them to overcome inequality.
SSI is an advocate for the people and communities it represents and serves. Through the work we do, we empower people to change and improve their lives, and through our advocacy and representation, we influence and shape ideas and policy.
Media enquiries
SSI Communications Officer, Natalia Carozzi: 0421 017 065 – ncarozzi@ssi.org.au