Two organisations deeply involved in migration to Australia have today signed an MOU to develop programs and initiatives to support new migrants.

“There are many, many honest and hardworking taxpayers, now unemployed in our communities who have almost no support. They are in serious crisis,” said SSI Community Engagement Practitioner, Paula Ben David.

For single mum, Linh, becoming a foster carer has been one of the most rewarding experiences of her life.

Last week marked the seven-year anniversary of Australia’s introduction of offshore processing of refugees. In a weird twist of fate, Kurdish-Iranian journalist – and former Manus Island detainee - Behrouz Boochani was granted permanent protection in New Zealand just a few days later.

Since moving to Australia in 1998 due to political and civil unrest in Iraq, Bashar Hanna has faced and overcome the many challenges of establishing himself personally and professionally in a foreign land.

Settlement Services International congratulates George Savvides AM on his appointment as the Chair of the Special Broadcasting Service (SBS) and looks forward to working with him for the next five years, as the media organisation continues to give a voice to all Australians, regardless of gender, geography, age, cultural background or language.

In March 2018, Saira* crossed the globe alone, travelling from her home in Sierra Leone to Australia, to escape her traditional marriage and build the foundations of a new life for herself, and one day her children.

The pandemic has changed how communities come together, and 2020 presented a challenge that required Settlement Services International (SSI) and Refugee Week partners to readapt usual modes of engagement for events and celebrations.

The viral video of an NSW Police officer using physical violence in response to a swearing teenager has rightly caused outrage at a time of heightened racial tensions across the world.

When Abdallah Al Tibi and his family had packed their belongings in 2012 to seek temporary refuge from Syria in bordering Jordan, they did not anticipate that they’d never return, and packed for only two weeks. 

Iraqi refugee and PhD student of astronomy Rami Alsaberi arrived in Australia in December 2016 with his parents, brothers and sister as a family unit of seven from Iraq after spending three years in Jordan.

New research by Settlement Services International and the Institute for Culture and Society, Western Sydney University, challenges narrow economic definitions of successful refugee settlement and, instead, suggests social and civic dimensions are equally valid markers of refugee integration.

Dates allocated to celebrate particular causes and communities can sometimes risk ending in token celebrations that are quickly forgotten as we prepare for the next occasion. In Australia, we’ve always endeavoured to ensure that Refugee Week in June is about more than just ‘food, festivals and fashion’, but this year brought a whole new challenge thanks to COVID-19.

Like many individuals working in the creative sector, Damon, a talented photographer and artist has been greatly impacted by COVID-19 restrictions.

Settlement Services International (SSI) is collaborating with the University of Wollongong (UOW) in a research project to identify and address domestic violence experienced by newly arrived refugee women.

In response to overwhelming demand, SSI is distributing donated food packages to individuals and families from asylum seeker backgrounds.

Culturally diverse individuals who identify as LGBTIQA+ are often less visible, which can leave them adrift without support and perpetuate a cycle of isolation. SSI is working hand-in-hand with the community to address this gap.

You know you’re in a toxic relationship when there is a negative change in the way you see yourself and your relationship with the world. For me, the signs have been clear for years: our country is stuck in a toxic relationship with itself, and we urgently need to come to terms with who we really are.

As a single woman, you may think that she does not fit the mold of your typical foster carer. But when Victoria talks about the children she supports through the SSI Multicultural Foster Care program, one thing is abundantly clear—she is a born carer.