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Ms Vignjevic, most recently the Director – Partnerships & Community Development at Eastern Community Legal Centre, is an executive manager with over 18 years’ experience and significant skills and knowledge of the multicultural sector, migration and resettlement.

She holds a Bachelor of Arts with a major in Psychology & Human Movement, a Graduate Diploma in International Law, Post Graduate Certificate in Trauma Counselling & Psychotherapy, is an Australian Registered Migration Agent and currently a Victorian Multicultural Commissioner.

SSI Chief Operations Officer Stephen O’Neill welcomed Ms Vignjevic’s appointment.

“Sonia has strong leadership, strategic and stakeholder engagement skills, and a proven track record in developing and maintaining effective partnerships,” he said.

“She has driven service innovation to address needs and service gaps and to enhance the wellbeing and integration of vulnerable people.

“She has extensive experience in advocating for supportive and inclusive national policies, in particular around diversity, migration, refugee, asylum seeker and resettlement, which makes her a perfect fit for SSI.”

SSI is opening offices in Victoria following its appointment as contract manager for the Advice and Application Assistance Scheme (IAAAS), which provides professional migration advice and visa application assistance to people in need of protection who have arrived lawfully in Australia and who meet specific eligibility criteria. Historically, Victoria has the highest intake of IAAAS clients.

SSI will work with an established network of refugee legal agencies to oversee the delivery of IAAAS services across Australia.

It is anticipated that Ms Vignjevic will be based in SSI’s Melbourne offices once a suitable location is found.

SSI CEO, Violet Roumeliotis, joined Allianz’s new Managing Director, Richard Feledy, at a scholarship ceremony and multicultural afternoon tea at Allianz Headquarters on Monday April 9 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.
More than $88,000 — including $50,000 from Allianz — has been allocated to individuals across the education system: secondary school, vocational education and training, university, and skills and qualifications recognition.

One 2018 scholarship recipient, Hilal Tawakal from Auburn, says his dream of attending medical school is now moving forward.

“Since being named one of the recipients of the SSI Allianz Scholarship, my dream is becoming a reality at Western Sydney University Medical School. The SSI Allianz award gives me an opportunity to learn skills that will serve the medical community following graduation.

“Thank you for your generosity. Without scholarship patrons willing to support medical education, students such as myself would be unable to pursue advanced healthcare degrees.

“I am committed to my education and to the healthcare field, and am one step closer to becoming a doctor, thanks to your continued generosity and the SSI Allianz Scholarship.”

The award-winning partnership between Allianz and SSI has been delivering new career and education opportunities for refugees and migrants for two years.

Successful participants in a recent collaboration, the Allianz Ladder — teaching young refugees basic business skills and helping them find a job — will soon progress to Allianz’s

Sustainable Employment Program, which provides refugees with tailored development, career management plans and permanent employment.

“Finding employment is often the primary goal for refugees of working age, but many face barriers caused by major life disruption and not having completed formal education or gaining work experience,” said SSI CEO Violet Roumeliotis.

“SSI is extremely pleased that our partnership with Allianz continues to help new members of our community along education and employment pathways so, like Hilal, they can realise their dreams and make their own special contribution to our diverse society.”

Allianz Australia Managing Director Richard Feledy said: “What a privilege it is to support the Allianz SSI Scholarships, which will give these amazing people access to new and ongoing education opportunities so they can fulfil their career goals. Through our refugee employment programs I have seen first-hand the talent and potential that they bring to the workforce.”

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.

Australia 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.

Ms Roumeliotis acknowledged there were planning pressures in any big city but “we must remember that migrants come to Australia with high levels of social and economic capital and a strong willingness to contribute and, further, have shaped modern Australia since World War II.”

She said, “SSI agrees with the 2016 Productivity Commission Inquiry’s recommendations that the Australian government:

Ms Roumeliotis said, “Planning of population levels and infrastructure should involve all levels of government and other stakeholders, including industry and employer bodies, education and training providers, other service providers, academia, planners and representatives of relevant migrant and other community groups.”
SSI is an organisation set up and managed by a diversity of Australians and delivering many services to people, including refugees and migrants, experiencing a vulnerability in their lives.

For SSI, the benefits of immigration are clear, Ms Roumeliotis said. “The Productivity Commission has calculated that our migration intake will increase Australia’s GDP by 7% by 2060, compared to if we had zero net migration.

“Australia’s migration levels prevented our economy going into a technical recession after the World Financial Crisis.”
Ms Roumeliotis said, “The Australian population has consistently supported national policies on migration and a multicultural society, as they have seen and felt the benefits to themselves and our nation.”

“On arrival to Australia, we assess individual needs, skills and experience in order to assist refugees to identify and work towards their settlement goals. Invariably, these goals include securing stable housing, learning English, making new social connections, and engaging in employment or education,” she said.

“At SSI, we work hand-in-hand with refugees to ensure they are supported to achieve these goals. Depending on their individual circumstances, this might include supporting a family to source and secure a private rental, linking a young student with a bridging course that will enable them to resume their university studies, or assisting a professional to identify the pathway to resume practice in their field in Australia.”

Armidale was selected last year as a new refugee settlement area, with arrivals expected to begin in the coming months. Overseeing settlement will be Ms Agha and her team at SSI as part of the government-funded HSP service. Ms Agha was this year selected by UNHCR for the important role of Rapporteur at its annual NGO Consultations in Geneva.

According to Ms Agha, one common misconception about refugees was that they were content to remain on government assistance.

“This is totally at odds with my experience at the coalface. Last year, SSI supported 10,000 refugees to settle in Australia. The three things they had in common were resilience, gratitude and a burning drive to make the most of the opportunity to begin new lives in Australia,” she said.

“Refugees don’t just want to survive here — they want to thrive. When, for example, refugees are faced with significant barriers that inhibit their capacity to find employment, they don’t just give up the search. Instead, we see a significant number create their own employment by starting a business.”

As the provider of the government-funded HSP in Armidale, SSI will support newly arrived families for up to 18 months, offering support to reach their goals in areas including:

“Regional communities like Armidale have much to gain from resettling refugees, including social contributions such as reviving regional schools and countering population decline,” Ms Agha said.

“Refugee resettlement also has economic benefits. With the population growth comes an increased need for teachers, doctors and other services to support an expanding community. In the Victorian town of Nhill, for example, the net monetary gain of resettling 160 refugees over a five-year period exceeded $41 million.”

For a detailed refugee settlement timeline, click here.

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 capacity build 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 their lives, and through our advocacy and representation, we influence and shape ideas and policy and we change people’s minds.

Media enquiries:

SSI Communications Coordinator Hannah Gartrell: 0488 680 287

The successful applicants and their projects (see page two for descriptions):

SSI launched the unique Community Innovation Fund to celebrate the strength and resilience of the community of south-west Sydney and to encourage and incubate great ideas that support newly arrived refugees.

The fund builds the capacity of community leaders and other individuals to work toward the inclusion and wellbeing of all members and to help build strong communities that add to the multicultural mosaic of Australian society.

SSI Community Engagement Coordinator Kat O’Neill said announcing the funding recipients on Australia Day sent a positive message about how the community’s newest Australians were contributing in Sydney’s south-west.

“This community offers not only sanctuary but also opportunity to its newest community members,” Ms O’Neill said.

“This fund enhances that opportunity. It gives power, voice and resources where they are most needed: in the hands of the community. It aims to grow community leaders’ capacity.”

An intensive consultation process informed the fund’s selection criteria: to understand the community’s aspirations and challenges, and to learn what kind of community newly arrived refugees want to live in.

“Investing in these ideas recognises the skills and experiences already in the community,” Ms O’Neill said.

The successful applicants

Australian Iraqi Arts Academy’s arts activities classes will be run by well-established Iraqi film-maker, playwright and poet Dr Muwafaq Sawa. The project design cleverly uses the arts as a form of cultural maintenance, as a way to generate community pride and as a tool for individuals to heal and rejuvenate themselves. It aims to strengthen social ties across ages, genders and backgrounds and provide a space to use art to deal with the challenges of trauma.

Increasingly newly arrived refugees are required to navigate online forms in English for services crucial to their everyday life, such as online banking and Centrelink. The Chaldean League’s technology support project aims to develop the skills, knowledge and confidence of newly arrived refugees to use technology and advance their English language skills. The project was developed by Raghda Aziz, a volunteer caseworker with the Chaldean League. Raghda arrived in Australia in 2011 with her family after fleeing persecution in Iraq. She has seen how simple mistakes on forms can affect people’s lives and is now known for her expertise and willingness to support newly arrived members of the community.

The Mandaean Women’s Union’s Exhibition of Mandaean`s Culture and Tradition will use arts and cultural artefacts to promote and celebrate the richness of the Mandaean culture and heritage. It will foster connection between Mandaean refugees who are recently arrived and Mandaean community members who are more established. It also will engage the wider community and promote cross-cultural dialogue.

St Thomas of the Apostle Chaldean Catholic Diocese’s English language support project aims to assist recently arrived community members to communicate independently, settle into their new home and find job opportunities. St Thomas is often the first point of contact for the Chaldean and Assyrian refugees who arrive in the Fairfield and Liverpool areas. It wanted to support the newly arrived and saw a need to assist people with English language.

Tony Podesa School of Tennis and Ashod Paloulian received funding for its tennis coaching project, providing free tennis coaching for children and adults from all newly arrived refugee backgrounds in the Fairfield area. The program aims to improve the physical and mental health of the students. Ashod Paloulian, a newly arrived Syrian refugee, will be instructing the course. He was a professional tennis player in Syria. He speaks English, Arabic and Armenian, allowing for the classes to be taught in both English and in-language. Ashod said, “Many in the refugee community see tennis as a rich person’s sport. I would like to show kids that tennis is accessible for everyone. It is about having fun and helps them be kids again and move through their trauma.”

Melkite Catholic Eparchy’s business ready project will provide information sessions on fundamental basic business practices used in Australia. It aims to help recently arrived refugees get ready for employment and obtain jobs. Sessions will focus on basic business practices in Australia, CV preparation, how to be job ready, and how to contact organisations for employment.

Australia Day and our First Peoples

SSI acknowledges the traditional owners of the lands across this nation. We pay our respects to the Elders past, present and emerging, for they hold the memories, the traditions, the culture and hopes of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. A better understanding and respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures develops an enriched appreciation of Australia’s cultural heritage and can lead to reconciliation. This is essential to the maturity of Australia as a nation and fundamental to the development of an Australian identity.

SSI recognises the concerns expressed by some people, in particular Indigenous Australians, about the date Australia Day is celebrated on and its significance to the story of Australia’s First Peoples. SSI acknowledges that we are a nation of migrants and First Peoples from complex and diverse backgrounds and our stories and history have a shared legacy.

This year SSI will host the International Metropolis Conference, the only global conference with a specific focus on migration. The event will be held in Sydney from October 29 to November 2. For the first time the conference will focus on the impact of migration on First Peoples and will profile the importance of their stories.

Media enquiries: SSI Communications Coordinator Stephen Webb: 0488 684 163, swebb@ssi.org.au

“Capitalising on SSI’s strength and expertise to provide a person-centred approach means we can support people with some of the complex challenges that create barriers for them to find a long term home,” said Ms Roumeliotis.

“SSI tenants are linked to and directly assisted by our expert staff – many who are also bilingual and bicultural – that not only address the immediate needs, but also support people to gain greater independence and stability,” said Ms Roumeliotis.

SSI is a registered Community Housing Provider and has delivered a range of housing services since 2013, and in the last financial year provided more than 20,000 bed nights of emergency housing.

SSI Executive Manager Housing Patrick Yeung said that the SSI STA service delivery model – Step Through – will build upon the existing success and innovation of its Emergency Housing Assistance initiative, and be delivered in collaboration with local Specialist Homelessness Services providers and NGO’s.

“Step Through will ensure properties are suited to tenants’ particular needs including people with disability, people with increased safety and security concerns if they are escaping a domestic and family violence situation for example, or large extended family groups,” said Mr Yeung.

“SSI will work closely with local Illawarra real estate agents to source and secure properties for temporary accommodation as well as long term housing for people exiting the program. Housing and support staff will based in the SSI Wollongong office, because face-to-face contact is an important component of our client-centred approach.”

Media enquiries:

SSI Corporate Communications; Rekha Sanghi; 0422 304 578

The Community Innovation Fund is not a typical grants program but rather an “incubator” for ideas that removes barriers to funding for the community. Its specially designed application process allows great ideas to be supported without making it necessary for applicants to have perfect grant-writing skills.

The 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.

Local service providers and other funded bodies are not eligible to apply.

SSI Community Engagement Coordinator Kat O’Neill said Australia Day was chosen for the announcement to send a positive message about how the community’s newest Australians are contributing to what is happening in Sydney’s south west.

“This community offers not only sanctuary but also opportunity to its newest community members,”
Ms O’Neill said.

“This fund enhances that opportunity. It gives power, voice and resources where they are most needed: in the hands of the community. It aims to grow community leaders’ capacity.”

SSI received a high volume of applications, all of which demonstrated the vision and commitment of local leaders to enrich the south-west Sydney refugee community, Ms O’Neill said.

An intensive consultation process was undertaken with the refugee community to inform the fund’s selection criteria, to understand the community’s aspirations and challenges, and to learn what kind of community newly arrived refugees want to live in.

“This was a crucial step in establishing the fund, allowing the community to decide how to address its settlement needs,” Ms O’Neill said.

“It guides where the fund’s resources will go and what types of projects will be delivered.

“Investing in these ideas moves further towards a strengths-based model of refugee resettlement that recognises the skills and experiences of the community themselves.”

SSI will also resource successful applicants by providing project management and mentoring tools.

While the second funding round won’t be launched until later in 2018, Ms O’Neill is keen to hear from anyone wanting to discuss their ideas for innovative projects.

Contact Ms O’Neill on 8799 6745 or koneill@ssi.org.au.

Read more about the Community Innovation Fund, including selection criteria, here: About the Community Innovation Fund.

The Business Award recognises and celebrates a corporation that promotes and advances human rights in the Australian community.

Allianz, through a partnership with SSI, established an innovative Sustainable Employment Program aimed at building a diverse and inclusive workforce, creating employment opportunities and support for refugees and migrants with whom SSI works.

Since it was launched, the program has provided 18 employment opportunities for participants with a range of diverse talents, cultural backgrounds and disciplines, including business, accounting and finance, data science, audit and customer service.

Allianz also created SSI Allianz Scholarships to improve education and employment opportunities for refugees.

Through these initiatives, Allianz is advancing the human rights of some of the most vulnerable groups in our society as well as contributing to community cohesion.

Ms Roumeliotis, who was recently named the 2017 Telstra Australian Business Woman of the Year, said, “Allianz understands that to have a strong, resilient and vibrant community in Australia requires diversity and inclusiveness in the workplace.

“This can be seen in its commitment to deliver new employment opportunities and support for refugees and migrants who have settled in Australia.”

She said SSI and Allianz had a vision of playing a key support role in the community in the areas of education, employment and addressing social justice issues.

“The partnership was the first initiative of its kind and proves what can be done by corporates that want to integrate human rights policy and practice into their business operations,” she said.

Research and SSI’s professional experience in humanitarian settlement work has shown that refugees, migrants and people seeking asylum come to Australia highly motivated to work and build prosperity, while contributing to the society that has accepted them. But this motivation does not necessarily lead to employment.

“That is why innovative schemes like the Allianz-SSI partnership are so important,” said Ms Roumeliotis.

“This partnership is creating new solutions that support people to overcome challenges, while they focus their drive and skill towards a new career.”

For the past 34 years, Ms Roumeliotis has pursued a career in community services, championing the needs of migrants, refugees and people seeking asylum. As the CEO of SSI, she has overseen a period of tremendous growth in which the organisation has gone from 60 staff to more than 600, with revenue of $113 million.

Ms Roumeliotis said she was honoured to be recognised alongside Billie Sankovic — the CEO of Western Sydney Community Forum — and Professor David Rowe — an internationally recognised researcher, author and media commentator.

“My work in the not-for-profit sector has always been driven by a deep commitment to social justice and a desire to advance our society as a whole. My aim is to support people who the system has left behind or for whom the system adds barriers that can at times feel insurmountable,” she said.

“During my time in the not-for-profit sector, I’ve come to recognise the importance of learning from our peers in the business sector and applying those lessons within our own organisations.

“At SSI, for example, that means ensuring innovation and efficiency are at the core of our day-to-day work. We operate like a social business — achieving surpluses that we then re-invest in new initiatives to assist people who are at a point in their lives where they’re experiencing a vulnerability.”

Last month, Ms Roumeliotis beat nominees from across all industries and areas of Australia to be named the 2017 Telstra Business Woman of the Year.

“That was a win not just for me but for the broader not-for-profit sector. It recognised that we have the business know-how and entrepreneurial mindsets to create solutions that not only address key social issues but also overcome the challenges facing our peers in the corporate sector,” she said.

Media enquiries:
SSI Communications Coordinator Hannah Gartrell, 0488 680 287

SSI is a not-for-profit that, through a variety of programs and self-funded initiatives, supports newcomers and other vulnerable Australians to prosper. Operating with the approach of a social business, SSI’s innovation, out-of-the-box thinking and start-up mentality have been recognised with multiple awards, including last week when SSI CEO Violet Roumeliotis was named 2017 Telstra Business Woman of the Year.

SSI’s Coffs Harbour office, which marks the organisation’s entry into the region, was launched today by Federal Member for Cowper Luke Hartsuyker MP.

“My father came to Australia at 17 in 1951 and at that time there were virtually no settlement services whatsoever, so I am more than mindful of the importance of settlement services in allowing people to make an easier transition into life in a new country,” said Mr Hartsuyker.

SSI HSP Manager, Yamamah Agha, said the organisation was committed to partnering with the local community and services to support refugees through the early days of life in Australia.

“At SSI, we recognise the critical role the community plays in successful settlement. Community members help new arrivals to feel welcome in Australia and to build the sense of belonging that becomes a foundation for their new lives here,” she said.

“Community support can take many forms. It might be volunteering, offering a friendly smile at the supermarket or holding an event to welcome new arrivals. Only by working in partnership can we hope to support refugees to reach their full potential in Australia.”

SSI has set up shop at 2/126 West High St, Coffs Harbour. To contact the local office or find out about partnership and volunteering opportunities, visit dev.ssi.org.au.

About SSI: 

Settlement Services International is a not-for-profit organisation providing a range of services in the areas of refugee settlement, migrant support services, asylum seeker assistance, housing, multicultural foster care, disability support, employment services and youth support in NSW.

Media enquiries:

SSI Communications Coordinator Hannah Gartrell 0488 680 287