The event, which is organised by Settlement Services International (SSI), Youth Collective and Auburn Diversity Services Inc, has attracted more than 250 participants, including a large contingent of newly arrived young people from refugee and asylum seeker backgrounds.
SSI Youth Projects Coordinator Dor Akech Achiek said, “MY Kitchen Rocks creates a relaxed, fun environment for newly arrived young people to meet their peers and make new community connections over food, music and sports. With the games, giveaways and activities, it’s a great chance for participants to unwind and just enjoy being young.”
Mr Achiek said all of the work SSI does with young refugees and people seeking asylum is designed to build their confidence, resilience and self-empowerment.
“The young people we work with have unique skills, ideas and experiences that can greatly benefit our country. They do, however, need extra support to overcome challenges their Australia-born peers do not face, such as language barriers and issues over identity and culture,” he said.
“Events such as MY Kitchen Rocks are a good way to help multicultural young people engage with their local community and make friends with other youth who have experienced similar situations to themselves.”
MY Kitchen Rocks will take place at Auburn Centre for Community from 11am to 2pm on Wednesday October 5 as part of SSI’s regular Community Kitchen event.
Media enquiries:
SSI Communications Assistant Hannah Gartrell 0488 680 287 or 02 8799 6740
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Forty-six scholarships, ranging from $500 to $5,000, will be offered in five categories, including primary and secondary school, vocational training, tertiary qualification and skills recognition.
SSI CEO Violet Roumeliotis said that from her experience, as supported by research, refugees who settle in Australia have a high motivation to work but this didn’t automatically lead to employment.
“Refugees who lack Australian work experience, affordable options for the recognition of their skills and qualifications, and limited access to English language tuition, face barriers in the employment market,” Ms Roumeliotis said.
“The SSI Allianz Scholarships will reduce the financial barriers experienced by refugees as they participate in the NSW education system.”
Allianz Australia’s Managing Director, Niran Peiris said he was proud to help refugees receive an education and contribute to business.
“This scholarship program is about offering the support and opportunity for refugees to really make a difference at school, work and in the community.
“This scholarship reflects Allianz’s absolute commitment to diversity. We know that a diverse workforce is a better workforce.”
Earlier this year Allianz recruited nine new employees from Syria, Jordan, Lebanon and Vietnam, who came to Australia as refugees, asylum seekers and migrants.
“As I said at the start of this partnership, Allianz and SSI both have a vision of playing a key support role in the community in the areas of education, employment and addressing social justice issues,” Ms Roumeliotis said.
“Today, I’m proud of what that partnership has achieved so far, which is a new future for the new Allianz recruits and, through these scholarships, 46 more people will be given the opportunity that education offers,” Ms Roumeliotis added.
For more information and application forms, please go to:
Application forms for each category can be downloaded from the category page. The application deadline is October 31, 2016, with successful applicants being notified in December.
For more information and interview opportunities, contact:
Allianz
Elise Marley-Wallace
Public Relations and Social Media Manager
Market Management
Allianz Australia Insurance Ltd | 2 Market St, Sydney NSW 2000
Ph: +61 2 8258 5747 | Fax +61 2 9390 6676 | Mobile 0406751336
Email: elise.marley-wallace@allianz.com.au
Allianz – Employer of Choice for Gender Equality 2014 – 2015
Allianz – Employer of Choice for Women (EOWA) 2009 – 2013
Settlement Services International
Angela Calabrese
Executive Manager
Corporate Communications
Settlement Services International
Ph: +61 2 8799 6700 I Mobile 0401 284 828
Email: acalabrese@ssi.org.au
About SSI
SSI is a community-based, not-for-profit organisation providing a range of services in the areas of humanitarian settlement, housing, asylum seeker assistance, foster care, disability support and employment services in NSW.
About Allianz Australia
Allianz Australia delivers a wide range of personal, commercial and corporate insurance products and services to more than 3 million policyholders. Over 50% of Australia’s top 200 BRW-listed companies have some form of insurance cover with the group and the group provides workers compensation services to around one-fifth of Australian employees.
Large General Insurance Company of the Year 2016, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2009*
Best General Insurance Company of the Year 2014, 2012, 2010, 2007, 2006**
Workplace Gender Equality Award 2015, 2014
Women’s Council Employer of the Year Award 2013
*Australia & New Zealand Insurance Industry Awards **Australian Banking and Finance Insurance Awards
SSI Work for the Dole participant Marcel Tawbeh (left) and staff member Napoleon Mansour.
The Staples Bag was developed as part of the CoAct/SSI Work for the Dole (WFD) program. It provides access to discounted essential groceries and also provides job seekers with tangible skills in a range of areas including logo and website design, packaging and warehouse maintenance, customer service and direct marketing.
“The SSI Staples Bag is a great program that has given me experience in different things, and I’ve discovered that working with people and in retail is really fun and much easier than I thought it would be,” Mr Tawbeh said.
Brad Reed of Croydon Park has been with SSI’s Work for the Dole program for less than three weeks but has already had five job interviews in that time; more than he has had in the past eight years of unemployment.
Mr Reed moved from Broken Hill to help his aging grandmother and to find work. He said he was ‘stoked’ about his employment prospects and can’t believe that people in Sydney say it’s hard to find work.
“I moved to Sydney because I want to be a good role model for my two sons and I don’t want them to see me sitting around unemployed and unable to provide for them” Mr Reed said.
“SSI has really looked out for me and found opportunities that I’m interested in.
“Working with the Staples Bag team is helping to me keep busy, learn new skills and meet new people, and it gets me closer to bringing my boys to Sydney to join me.”
Mr Tawbeh is a keen gamer and hopes to get a job in an electronics shop, while Mr Reed is interested in security work.
Both men however are extremely motivated and happy to find any employment, and attribute this motivation to SSI.
“I do extra hours with Staples Bag because I enjoy it so much,” Mr Tawbeh said.
Settlement Services International (SSI) is a community-based not-for-profit organisation that provides a range of services in the areas of humanitarian settlement, accommodation, asylum seeker assistance, multicultural foster care, employment services and disability support in NSW.
As a member of CoAct, a national network of locally-embedded community service providers, SSI delivers the Australian Government’s jobactive service.
Job seekers can find the CoAct/SSI job active office at 308 Beamish Street Campsie. To purchase the Staples Bag, visit the warehouse at 449 Canterbury Road, Campsie or go to website www.thestaplesbag.org.au
Media enquiries
SSI Communications Coordinator Rekha Sanghi 0422 304 578
Matthew Cleary, Executive Officer St Vincent de Paul Society Support Services said the Society was very pleased to be partnering with SSI to deliver Ability Links and to allow people with disability to live their life the way they wish.
“Ability Links is placing people with disability at the centre of decision making about their lives and welcoming communities to encourage inclusion of people with disability, their families and carers,” said Mr Cleary.
Claerwen Little, Director UnitingCare Children, Young People and Families was pleased the organisation had been chosen as a partner with SSI for the new initiative.
“UnitingCare is proud to partner with SSI and be involved in Ability Links. It’s a ground breaking program promoting community inclusion and participation for people with a disability. It is work we know needs to be done well, and we are committed to that.”
Linkers work with people with disability, their families and carers to help them plan for their future, build on their strengths and skills, and develop networks in their own communities so they can do what they want with their lives – outside of the traditional disability service system.
It provides people with a locally based, first point of contact to support people to access support and services in their local communities.
Linkers also work with local communities to help them become more welcoming and inclusive of people with disability.
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St Vincent de Paul Society Media Contact: Yolanda Saiz 0417 446 430
Settlement Services International Media Contact: Angela Calabrese 0401 284 828
UnitingCare Media Contact: Nicole Jackson 0412 201 023
Masoud taught himself to paint with coffee while in detention and he has said he still prefers the look of the medium over other materials now that he lives in the community.
“My inspirations for painting were all those dark days that I experienced while staying at different detention centres for over 12 months,” he said. “I used to imagine the sun was crying for people who were locked up, with no freedom, inside the detention centre.”
Another artist exhibiting is Victor Youssef, 72, from Egypt, who has been in Australia less than 12 months.
Victor has brought a collection of work made by etching images into copper sheets with him to Australia that he hopes to sell so he can rent a studio space. The images include a reproduction of the Mona Lisa, Jesus and the Virgin Mary and pharaohs. His work is displayed in churches in the USA, Italy and Egypt.
“If I sell this here, it will change my life,” Victor said. “I like Australia very much, that is why I would like to make something here that is better than I have ever done before.”
Other artists exhibiting work are:
- Atefeh Hekmat: Iran, oil painting;
- Babak Jahangirzadeh: Iran, oil painting;
- Bassam Jabar: Iraq, glass carving;
- Damon Agha Mohammad Bagher: Iran, photography;
- Hayder Shakir Al Bdairi: Iraq, mixed media;
- Homa Nozari: Iran, photography;
- Lutheskumar Sinnathurai: Sri Lanka, oil painting;
- Madhi Jahangirzadeh: Iran, oil painting;
- Masoud Akhava Ghassabzadeh: Iran, coffee painting;
- Mohammad Reza Fattah: Iran, acrylic painting and drawing;
- Mohammed AlanezIraq, photography;
- Othman Omar Kareem: Iraq, drawing;
- Sefullah Akbari: Iraq, oil painting;
- Thasangan Sasitharan: Sri Lanka, oil painting;
- Victor Youssef: Egypt, copper etching.
Details: The Art is Our Voice exhibition is on at the Verge Gallery, Jane Foss Russell Plaza, University of Sydney, Darlington, 10am to 5pm, Monday to Saturday, from May 14 to 22.
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Media enquiries:
SSI Online Communications Coordinator, Callan Lawrence, 0478 156 491, or, 02 8799 6746
SSI Marketing and Communications Manager, Angela Calabrese 0401 284 828