SSI Ability Links is a proud partner of the Blue Fringe Arts Festival, a festival held in the Blue Mountains that brings the community together to destigmatise and raise awareness about mental health.

During the last edition of the festival, first time entrant and SSI Ability Links participant Pip Smith won the prestigious Blue Mountains City Council Visual Arts Prize for her artwork Journey.

“I’ve never entered an art competition before and it took a while to sink in. Winning Blue Fringe made me feel motivated and like I could go on to paint more, said Pip.

After this outstanding achievement, Pip invested some of the prize money in printing cards featuring her artwork. The cards were very popular, with the entire first print run selling out. This has been the first step for Pip to develop her own small business, raising her confidence and painting a new future.

“It makes me feel there is reason to keep painting; it makes me realise my ability. I’m a very hyper active person and painting grounds me, it’s almost like meditation. I have chronic asthma, PTSD, and I’m in recovery with alcohol. Painting is important to me because it keeps me well.”

Along with producing cards, Pip has been working with different community groups that value her talent. A local peer group for teenage girls with Autism has invited her as guest speaker to talk about using your talents and stepping outside of your comfort zone. Another grass roots community group of people with disability has asked to use one of her artworks, Meeting as one, as their logo and a representation of their values. Pip’s description of the painting states that, “Meeting as one means many groups coming together, not all on the same pathway, but all connected”. 

Pip initially contacted SSI Ability Links for support to access the NDIS.
“I had chronic asthma as a child and this led to having a stroke when I was 18 months old, which affected my right side. They didn’t know it was a stroke until I was at home in my high chair and I couldn’t pick up my fork. I had a tendon transplant in my right arm when I was in primary school that gave me some more mobility, but the use of my right arm is still very affected.”
Pip explained that the NDIS says her condition is a health matter and not a disability even though it affects her everyday life. While Ability Links was supporting Pip with her NDIS appeal, her Linker encouraged her to share her art through the Blue Fringe Arts Festival, creating new opportunities for Pip’s art.

(Written by Pip, supported by Linker Cherie Brandon)

The year 2018 marked the 10th anniversary of the visionary partnership between the Australian Government and the Scanlon Foundation, which laid the foundations for the national community hubs network.

It saw the network expand into South Australia and regional Victoria, adding to the already established sites across Melbourne, Western Sydney, Wollongong, Logan and Ipswich.

Hubs have now been successfully introduced into more than 70 diverse local communities, including metropolitan and regional areas.

Over the year, families from 118 countries attended a local hub more than 390,000 times for early years’ programs, English language support, vocational training, or the chance to simply connect and learn more about their community.

More than 5,300 families attended hub activities each term. Across the year, there were more than 31,000 attendances at children’s language and literacy programs, more than 21,000 attendances at English classes, and more than 10,000 adult attendances at formal training and almost 10,000 attendances at informal training across the hubs network.

Based predominantly in primary schools, community hubs serve gateways that connect culturally and linguistically diverse families with each other, their school, their community, and a wide range of services.

They have a proven, positive impact on school readiness of children, confidence of women, and cohesion of local communities.

Read the Community Hubs 2018 Year in Review.

Community Hubs in Sydney.

According to Javier Paul Ortiz, Settlement Services International’s (SSI) Community Engagement Coordinator for Disability Inclusion, those businesses should also note that one in five people in Australia identifies as having a disability and it is estimated that every customer with a disability brings to businesses an extra two customers or consumers.

SSI and Western Sydney Business Centre  will deliver three free workshops in Bankstown to support businesses wishing to capitalise on this opportunity.

Businesses wanting to provide services under the NDIS or are interested in engaging more clients with disabilities will benefit from connecting to a broader client base, promoting their businesses in their community and enhancing their reputation.

Workshop 1, February 20, 2019

Write your own policies and procedures. This workshop will teach you to write policies and procedures to underpin a successful inclusive business model, in line with requirements for NDIS registration, in order to cater for all customers regardless of ability. More information here Write your own policies and procedures1.77 MB and registration details here.

Workshop 2, February 27, 2019

Costs and future proofing. This workshop looks at understanding the costs of diversifying revenue streams in order to create a sustainable NDIS business model. Costs of goods and services and measuring the time required to make your business successful so it can be best placed to capitalise from the NDIS and broader market. More information here Costs and future proofing2.66 MB and registration details here.

Workshop 3, March 6, 2019

Customer Connect. In this marketing-focused workshop you will be shown strategies to successfully research the target market, overview channels, find product to market fit, and understand customer experience. More information here NDIS customer connect1.23 MB and registration details here.

All workshop attendees will receive two free one-on-one consultation sessions with a Business Connect advisor and ongoing support from SSI’s Community Engagement Coordinator. While the workshops are free, you will be required to complete a Business Contact Information form to participate.

Location: 2/462 Chapel Road, Bankstown, NSW 2200

Time: 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm

Please ensure to register for the respective workshops.

Afternoon tea will be provided.

For any questions or adjustment requirements, please contact Javier Ortiz on jortiz@ssi.org.au or 0401097 803.

Aiia Masarwe was not so fortunate. At 21 years old, she had bucket-loads of courage, making the brave decision to leave behind her friends and family in Israel, and travel to Melbourne to study abroad.

But like Eurydice Dixon, and Jill Meagher before her, Aiia’s life was cut short by an act of violence on her way home after a night out.

Walking home at night is not an act that should require courage. All women have the right to safely access and enjoy community spaces, without fear of attack. Aiia’s sister, Noor, posted to Instagram a picture of the shoes Aiia wore on her last night, with a powerful accompanying message: everyone has the right to get home safely.

When I was about 18, I took what I thought was a calculated risk: walking home from the station after dark. It wasn’t late ― about 9.30 ― so with youthful fearlessness, I laughed off my boyfriend’s suggestion of a lift home.

I was about 500m from home, when I noticed two men behind me. I ignored my instincts, telling myself not to be disconcerted: they had as much a right as me to walk down the street. As a precaution though, I grabbed my keyring and wove my keys through my fingers.

When I turned around again, the men were right behind me. I froze, before one of them knocked me down and put his hand over my mouth. Instinctively, I swung out with the hand clutching my keys, and the man holding my mouth let go long enough for me to scream.

I was lucky. My scream alerted someone in a nearby house, who switched on their light. No-one came out to see if I was okay, but the light scared off the men.

That incident fired in me a sense of rage. I was in my neighbourhood ― on my street ― and I’d been attacked for doing nothing more than trying to get home safely. It also hardened in me a resolve: I wouldn’t let men like that win.

When I hear about cases like Aiia, Eurydice, and Jill, all I can think is ‘that could have been me’. I wonder whether those men went on to hurt other women, or whether they realised the error of their ways and learned from their own near-miss.

I can say with certainty that every woman I know has at some point felt scared, disconcerted or genuinely in fear for her life while walking our streets. The sad fact is that this reflects the basic lack of equality inherent in our society.

One in three Australian women has experienced physical violence, while one in five has experienced sexual violence. The most common perpetrators of this violence remain our partners and family members.

The case becomes even more complex for women from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds, like Aiia. Violence against women doesn’t discriminate based on age, race, language, religion or socio economic status. What we do know is that women from CALD backgrounds face additional challenges that make them particularly vulnerable during situations of domestic and family violence (DFV).

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.

There is a real and pressing need for funded domestic violence services that are tailored specifically for women from CALD backgrounds. Some states, such as Victoria, have explicit DFV funding for these communities, but in other states including NSW, women are falling through the gaps.

What is particularly sad in Aiia’s case is the almost complete erasure of her cultural identity in much of the reporting of her death. Aiia was from a Palestinian family residing in Israel, but many commentators have mistakenly labelled her as Israeli, or Arab-Israeli, in a nod to the nationality on her passport. They’re labels that her family have firmly rejected, with one family friend telling The Guardian: “We have Israeli passports but Palestine is in our hearts.”

This cultural whitewashing is just another way in which women’s agency over their own lives, identities and bodies is erased during acts of violence. Aiia is no longer here to tell her story, to define her identity, and so they’re being told and defined for her.

In many cases of domestic and gender-based violence, media reports are saturated with the familiar narrative of shocked neighbours, friends and family who can’t understand this act of violence from a ‘hard working, dedicated father/husband’. What becomes lost is the stories of the victims of the violence ― their qualities and achievements, the potential cut short.

In Aiia’s case, reports emerging about her alleged murderer only muddy the waters. He appears to be a young man whose life has been affected by drugs and depression. He was reportedly a troubled teen and spent time in foster care.

While this information sheds light on this young man’s circumstances, it does not excuse or explain this act of violence.

Aiia had the right to get home safely. We all do.

I don’t have the panacea for senseless acts of violence. What I do know is that we need welcoming, well-lit and planned spaces, so that it’s not incumbent on individuals to feel they must protect themselves. Until something shifts, women navigating our streets at night alone will continue to grip their keys or call a friend ― ploys that, for Aiia at least, made no difference to her fate.

Everyone has the right to get home safely, and we all have a responsibility to strive for a world where they do. These attacks on women should not be normalised by their continued prevalence.

After a community conversation in late 2017, participants bonded over their love of music, and expressed interest in getting together to form a singing group. Facilitated by Linker Tracy Crompton, the Daytime Singing Group was created. The group rehearse weekly at the Multicultural Centre in Cooma under the guidance of their very talented singing teacher, Lucy Fisher.

Recently, they were given an exciting opportunity to perform at the Festival of Ability that celebrated International Day of People with Disability in Cooma. There was a feeling of both enthusiasm and nervousness in the air as the group began rehearsing the seven songs they’d decided to perform during the Festival.

In the months leading up to the event, their commitment and dedication to the task was rock solid; they practiced enthusiastically and arrived on the day, song sheets in hand, butterflies in their stomachs, but ready to rock. They performed some old favourites like ‘Waterloo’ by ABBA, ‘When will I be loved’, by Linda Ronstadt and closed their set by throwing streamers into the crowd as they sang the very uplifting ‘Walking on Sunshine’ by Katrina & the Waves.

The group were thrilled with the crowd’s involvement as they sang and danced along to all the classic hits. They relished their debut live performance and look forward to more opportunities on the horizon in 2019.

One member of the singing group said, “Before being referred to SSI Ability Links, I was alone and knew no one in the area. I was fairly isolated and didn’t do much, but Ability Links opened up opportunities for me. I joined the Daytime Singing Group and have met other people that have helped me to feel part of a group”.

“I have developed my singing skills and learnt new songs; I never thought I would ever perform on a stage, but I did! After the show, I couldn’t believe it when people came up to me to tell me how good they thought we were”.

“As I feel better with myself, my confidence has lifted and other opportunities have opened up; I feel really happy. I feel like I have a ‘place’ now and it’s great! It’s so nice to feel like I belong”.

SSI has been part of Positive Action towards Career Engagement (PACE) for the first time this year; PACE is a 16 week mentoring program run by Australian Network on Disability (AND) that connects job seekers with a disability with mentors from leading businesses. This year, three SSI managers hosted three mentees in the Ashfield and Bankstown offices.

“PACE mentoring at SSI was a highly enriching and enjoyable experience. We met fortnightly to engage in a range of discussions and activities that helped me grow personally and professionally”, said Celine, a mentee.

“I joined the PACE program to give me insights into the HR Business Partnering world, as this is my career aspiration. The PACE program was a wonderful experience and allowed me to work with someone who has incredible knowledge in HR”, said Joanne, a mentee.

“It has been great to be part of this program on behalf of SSI. It has helped us mentors to build our own leadership skills, and has been a great opportunity to work with someone one-on-one and see them build self-confidence and work towards their goals”, said Elissa Trafford, one of the SSI mentors.

Externally, a number of community leaders who completed the Disability Inclusion Leaders Training project delivered by SSI in May, organised and delivered events to their communities to honour IDPwD.

One of these events saw Japanese community leaders host an event called “Tomoni”, meaning ‘together’. “Because of the resources and my better understanding about the social model of disability, we in the Japanese community feel more confident and motivated to continue to make our community more inclusive for people with disabilities”, said Chie Nakatsuka, Japanese community leader who completed the training.

Wafa Zaim, a leader in the Arabic community, led a presentation about her learnings from the SSI inclusion training and how the community can make a difference by understanding and promoting inclusive attitudes.
On a separate event held in Arabic, a recently arrived community member held back her tears whilst stating that “I feel I am freer to take my child who has autism to the community activities because I know that he is not sick, just different”.

Disability-inclusive attitudes and behaviours are embedded into a number of initiatives led by SSI. Acknowledging the social, financial and emotional benefits of an inclusive society will continue to support our work internally and externally.

Sharing this message throughout our communities, workplaces and businesses is key to building a society where everyone can feel they belong.

For more information about PACE, visit: https://www.and.org.au/pages/mentoring.html
For more information on the Disability Inclusion Leaders Training Project, please contact Javier Ortiz on jortiz@ssi.org.au

We are finding exciting and innovative ways to make Coffs a home for people who have newly arrived.

Community News will be a bimonthly opportunity for you to see the projects and initiatives we are pursuing, and to keep you in the loop for opportunities to get involved in. As a Coffs Harbour local myself, I know just how amazing and supportive our community can be.

Let’s take a look at the past year – here’s a snapshot!

Fusion Festival

This was the first year SSI has had the opportunity to participate in Fusion Festival, and what a day it was! This amazing celebration of diversity and culture truly reflected our community values and its capacity to welcome those seeking to build a new life in Australia.

The SSI Coffs team were excited to use the event to build more relationships in the multicultural sector of Coffs Harbour. It was an important opportunity to invite newly arrived families and reassure them their culture and heritage will be respected and appreciated in their new home.

Roja Resh – The Yazidi day of remembrance

‘Roja Resh;’ translated as ‘Black Day,’ marks the day ISIS attacked the Yazidi community in the Sinjar district, Northern Iraq, in 2014.

On the day of ‘Roja Resh,’ August 3rd, SSI together with STARTTS and Coffs Harbour City Council, assisted in creating a space for our Yazidi families to gather and bring together members of the wider Coffs community who were interested in learning the significance of “Roja Resh” and why it should not be forgotten. A sombre ceremony, we had tea and coffee as the community stood and told stories, shared photographs of loved ones and lit candles.
It was so heart-warming to see families establish their voice and share their story with the Coffs Harbour community.

Freedom Feast

Even though it was in June, I can’t fail to mention the spectacularly successful ‘Freedom Feast’ held during Refugee Week – a council initiative and the brain child of Andrew Davis – Sustainable Living & Community Programs Coordinator Coffs Harbour City Council.

The community came together as one big family, sharing a long table sit down meal, complete with live entertainment, stories and a community performance. Over 600 people brought a plate to share, making it a community feast of mouth-watering authentic home cooked food from all over the world for everyone to enjoy.

The SSI team attended steering group meetings, circulatied information and organised and coordinated a children’s activity that contributed to a public art installation at the mall.

New SSI Volunteers

SSI wants everyone to work together to assist our newly arrived families achieve incredible goals- and volunteers are a critical part of making amazing things happen.
We’ve recently welcomed a number of new volunteers into our Coffs Harbour team, but there’s room for plenty more! From providing housing assistance, to creating fun kids activities, we have a huge variety of volunteer opportunities, click here to check them out.

CommuniTEA

The SSI Coffs team is thrilled to announce a new ongoing community led initiative… CommuniTEA!

The project is about supporting newcomers to develop a positive sense of community, to have a voice and find home in their new community. Eritrean coffee will be served by the lovely Martha, while Syrian tea and coffee will be served by Zozan and Kamiran. CommuniTEA is about creating a space for individuals to build social networks, develop a sense of belonging and to share their skills and stories.

Come and join us at the Harbour Markets on Sundays to celebrate “CommuniTEA”.

This initiative is made possible through the support of the incredible Kim, from the Happy Frog and the Frog 500 fund. The fund gives 100% of the profit raised from specially marked in-store products back to our local community raising $500 to put towards various local projects and worthwhile causes.

By purchasing the products shown in the link you are making a donation to the Frog 500!

Check it out here ……http://thehappyfrog.com.au/frog-500-fundraiser/
Together with Bec at STARTTS the first Potluck in the Park was held on Thursday 22 November. It’s a potluck, which means you bring a meal with you and share with others if you’re keen. Essentially it’s about providing a platform for people to gather, connect established community members with people who are newly arrived and have a huge amount of fun!

The evening was so well attended by all that we’d like to have another “POTLUCK” on 24 January 2019!

Culturally Responsive Practice Training

On Thursday 15 November SSI Coffs Harbour offered professional development opportunities to valued community partners in our fundamentals workshop, aiming to assist them build upon their capability to work more effectively with diversity.

Our culturally responsive practice training was developed to support our own diverse workforce. This highly interactive workshop assists participants to be able to:

• Identify the five capabilities for culturally responsive practice
• Reflect on their own cultural identities, beliefs and values
• Demonstrate a complex understanding of culture
• Recognise the impact of migration and exile on individuals
• Utilise communication skills for effective cultural understanding
• Incorporate strategies that build rapport and engagement

Thank you to all who participated, I very much enjoyed spending the day with you and building on our connection

Settlement Outcomes in Regional Australia

Jock Collins (UTS) and Carol Reid (Western Sydney Uni) visited Coffs Harbour in November to complete research on the integration of refugees in regional Australia areas.
Their research included interviewing 15 families from various back grounds, who arrived in 2015, 2016 and 2017. A longitudinal study will be conducted over the next 3 years to learn what life is like for new comers in Australia..

During this time we employed 4 Bilingual Research Assistants (BRA) from our local community. A big Thank you to Meena, Hasan, Warda and Khider for acting as a bridge between the researchers and families – I value your skills and cultural knowledge.

If you would like more information about the research project please contact me.

New Families

Over the past couple of months we’ve had a number of new families arrive from Syria Iraq Burma Congo Afghanistan and Eritrea!

WELCOME TO ALL

Have a happy and safe holiday everyone!!

It has been an amazing year working together and I look forward to next year.

Many of the people we work with are far from their native countries, friends and family ― an absence that is particularly acute at a time of year when so many of us are reuniting and connecting with loved ones.

These gifts from everyday Australians are a reminder for vulnerable individuals that someone out there in the wider community is thinking of them over the holidays.

The holiday season is also a time to reflect on our challenges and achievements from the year. In 2018, SSI rolled out select services and initiatives in Queensland and Victoria, and launched several new offices in regional NSW. One particular success story is our office in the new settlement region of Armidale ― now a prime case study for successful regional refugee settlement.

The federal government has recently announced an independent review of employment, settlement and integration outcomes for refugees taking place in the coming months. I look forward to sharing our experience of what has been effective and where there is room for improvement. Lately, there has been a lot of policy talk about regional settlement, and I welcome the opportunity to recommend greater coordination from all levels of government to deliver the best settlement outcomes for refugees.

In 2019, SSI will also be bedding in our merger with Access Community Services, a not-for-profit community organisation based in Queensland. Like us, Access is committed to community support, development and capacity building. Our organisations have had a strong partnership for a number of years, most recently with the rollout of our Ignite Small Business Start Ups initiative across Queensland.

It’s still early days, but I have no doubt that, this time next year, I’ll be reporting to you on the many doors that have opened to us as a result of this collaboration and the numerous benefits to our members, clients and communities.

In the New Year, SSI will officially launch our Melbourne office and, in combination with our merger, this will give our organisation an on-the-ground presence stretching across Australia’s eastern seaboard.

As always, our growth has been undertaken thoughtfully, responsibly and with respect for other services on the ground. We’re not looking to reinvent the wheel or duplicate services. We’re looking for gaps and opportunities to support vulnerable individuals and families.

Our newly released 2017-18 Annual Report shows that, over the course of a single year, SSI staff made a positive difference in the lives of nearly 27,000 people who came through the doors of our four primary offices.

In the same year:

• 4,200+ refugees received early settlement support from SSI
• 300+ volunteers contributed 58,000 hours to support our clients
• 3,900+ people seeking asylum were supported to live in the community
• 9,990+ families connected with their community during our Community Hubs activities
• 30,000+ individuals sessions were held with migrants and refugees through the SSI-led NSW Settlement partnership
• 1,100+ people secured employment with our support
• 100+ entrepreneurs were supported to overcome a vulnerability to establish or expand a business
• 165+ children were cared for each day by our Multicultural Foster Care team

These incredible figures are indicative of the sheer hard work and professionalism of our staff. They also illustrate the benefits of collaborations achieved through partnerships, consortiums, MOUs and other alliances.

Our continued success is thanks to our staff, community, members and partners. As the year draws to a close, I want to take the opportunity to thank you for your support in 2018. This time of year can be stressful on many fronts ― whether it be negotiating family politics, balancing finances or managing long periods of travel ― so please take the time for some self-care, and have a safe and fulfilling holiday season.

In the last financial year, SSI supported more than 4,200 refugees through the early stages of settlement, connected nearly 10,000 families with their community through Community Hubs Activities, and supported more than 4,700 people with disability towards their goals, according to SSI’s recently released 2017-18 Annual Report.

“More than 1,000 people found work with our help – including 700 people from refugee and asylum seeker backgrounds who were supported into paid employment,” said Ms Roumeliotis.

“This work was achieved through the sheer hard work and professionalism of our staff. It was also achieved through the wonderful mechanism called collaboration also known as partnerships, consortiums, MOUs and alliances.

“SSI has always recognised its growth and success is embedded in its relationship with the community, its members and partners, and we thank and acknowledge them once again today.”

During the year, SSI made inroads into new geographic areas, including the opening of its first interstate office in Victoria and the launch of several new offices in regional NSW.

“One particular success story is our office in the new settlement region of Armidale. Almost a year down the track, Armidale is a prime case study for successful regional refugee settlement,” said Ms Roumeliotis.

“This is thanks to our fantastic HSP team, strong community support, and solid engagement with civic leadership and other local stakeholders.”

And much more has also happened at SSI since the conclusion of the financial year, including bringing to Sydney the International Metropolis Conference, which saw more than 800 delegates representing 38 countries in attendance.

“Another exciting development that has been many months in the making is our merger with Access Community Services,” said Ms Roumeliotis.

“A merger with Access enables us to build our collaboration, join resources and extend the reach of our services to provide better outcomes for clients, funding partners and key stakeholders in Queensland.”

SSI’s AGM was preceded by an insightful debate on refugee employment and regional settlement featuring Jack Archer, CEO of the Regional Australia Institute; Lulu Tantos, CEO of Northern Settlement Services; Carmen Garcia, Community Corporate Managing Director; and Sera Kebabjian, a skilled white-collar professional who came to Australia as a refugee from Syria

Read SSI’s 2017-18 Annual Report here.

“I didn’t feel like I had much to offer [otherwise]. I don’t speak another language fluently, don’t have a background in this area; I didn’t even have a good grasp on understanding the needs of the situation or political charge around the refugee and person seeking asylum,” says the American born and now Australian citizen of 17 years.

“When I first moved to Australia, my manager and co-workers were so kind and welcoming to me. I didn’t know anyone here, but I had a job, a business-sponsored via and a one year plan. But I have never forgotten their thoughtfulness. So to see multitudes of individuals and families arriving to our country after horrific circumstances and after such loss and grief, I feel compelled to show that same kindness.”

Dozens of volunteers give up their time each week to help SSI support refugees, humanitarian entrants and people seeking asylum, and their reasons for doing so are varied. But the most important prerequisite you really need, is an interest in connecting with others.

Community Kitchen Team Leader, Ashley has seen how forming these connections have enriched her own life as well.

“It’s opened up a vitalising part of my life.”

“I’ve always been a believer in the idea that everyone has a story, and every story and every person is important. Despite our vast differences, our stories can still connect us with each other. We all have that need for belonging. I didn’t expect to feel like I could ‘belong’ with others from such different backgrounds, beliefs, experiences, etc. But there really is commonality in our humanity. My Wednesdays have become much more about belonging, than just showing kindness.”

During her two years volunteering at the Community Kitchen, Ashley has built up a large bank of fond memories.

“I love being able to sit with the guests and hear their stories. Even if communication between us may be limited, it’s an honour to serve them a meal and help plan an event they find enjoyable, or given them useful information.”

“One of my favourite memories is sitting with two sisters, their mother-in-law and their children, ranging in age from 6 – 16. They were from Mosul, in Iraq, and had been in Australia for about 6 months. They told me their stories, and told me how they’re finding Australia; their challenges, their schooling, and the dreams the kids had.”

And what is Ashley’s advice for people reading this who think they might be interested in volunteering?

“Take the first step and keep coming. There are moments that can be awkward or intimidating or you can really feel out of your comfort zone, but showing kindness and leaning in to an experience like this can be life impacting, not just for the guests, but for yourself.”

“I love the other volunteers; so capable and creative and caring, each with their own story and viewpoint.”

“And the staff, to work with intelligent and compassionate people in this sphere, has been really refreshing and insightful.”

SSI’s Community Engagement program runs events and activities designed to help refugees and people seeking asylum to connect with their peers and others in the community.

Click here to find out more about volunteering with SSI.