Two newcomers to Sydney had an amazing day with their Welcome2Sydney volunteer ambassador, Amanda.
Welcome2Sydney works on making newcomers feel comfortable, boosting their self-confidence and overcoming their fear of communicating with locals.
Since its launch early this year, the collaboration between SSI and the City of Sydney has been inviting newcomers and Sydney residents to meet and engage in welcoming activities to reduce barriers and encourage a cross-cultural conversation between people from different backgrounds.
An elderly couple from Syria met with Amanda, one of the Welcome2Sydney volunteer ambassadors, to go on a city tour and explore the beautiful spots that Sydney has to offer.
They were initially reluctant to meet with an ambassador due to their poor English skills. However, they eventually spent a wonderful day with Welcome2Sydney volunteers exploring the harbour, taking the ferry and sharing some fish and chips by the water at one of Sydney’s iconic attractions.
After the activity, the newcomers said, “We were sceptical at the beginning as we realised that volunteers did not speak Arabic. However, after spending some time together, we felt so comfortable and relaxed. The most beautiful thing about this outing was how we connected with the hosts despite our limited English.
“We were able to understand each other and easily communicate. We had such an amazing day, everything outside was colourful and Sydney is just a paradise.”
The Welcome2Sydney activity was a great first experience of the city for the newly arrived couple. It demonstrated that barriers aren’t surmountable, and differences in culture or language are not an issue in communicating with others and making connections.
SSI Chair Elisabeth Shaw and Director of Employment & Enterprise Services Terry Wilson presents the JobActive team with a commemorative plaque.
The JobActive team delivers services to jobseekers living within the Sydney East Metro region. Since July 2015, SSI has supported job seekers through JobActive to become work ready and employable, as well as assisting them to find and maintain a job.
During the celebration, SSI CEO Violet Roumeliotis emphasised the impact the JobActive team at SSI had on the wider community.
“What’s most important is that five stars are the outcome of something much more important. Thanks to this wonderful, hardworking team, 1,000 job seekers have found and kept a job. This team made that happen,” she said.
Ms Roumeliotis added, “I was really impressed when I found out that the latest results show the team rated 237 per cent higher than the minimum requirement to obtain a five-star rating. This is definitely going above and beyond, and I’m very proud of this team for such an achievement.”
She also highlighted the importance of offering services to people from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds. “As we are a diverse workforce, we understand the community, and that allows us to provide innovative support to facilitate and improve inclusiveness. These qualities set our staff apart from other providers,” she said.
Minister’s Visit
Dr David Gillespie (Assistant Minister for Children and Families) and Barnaby Joyce (Member for New England) met with SSI staff and newcomer families during a recent visit to our Armidale office. It was a great opportunity to discuss regional settlement practice as well as to engage directly with those who have moved to Armidale with the vision to create a better life for themselves and their children. Newcomer families expressed their gratitude to the Armidale community for the welcome and support they have received since arriving in Australia and the sense of safety the community provides- photos attached.
Working Group
Leaders of the newcomer community have been meeting with SSI’s Humanitarian Settlement Program Team Leader Bintu Kamara and I on a fortnightly basis. The purpose of this working group is to foster leadership, build necessary knowledge and skills to empower and ultimately build connections within the Armidale community. The newcomer community have expressed interest in employment, continued development of English skills and undertaking excursions within the local area. Projects are underway to support these aspirations thanks to their leadership and an amazing response from services and businesses in the area.
Youth Consultation
A number of young people from among our newcomers met with Bintu I on two occasions over the school holidays, to discuss what they want from living in Armidale and to shine a light on their interests and talents. These young people were very engaged and eager to share their thoughts, as well as grateful to be given the opportunity to explore what support services and activities they could participate in to meet other Armidilians. One youth member mentioned that they had been living in a camp for so long that life had only seemed to involve going to and from school and little else. A few popular areas of interest expressed by our young community members included photography, dance and music.
Closed workshop with Council
As part of our ongoing partnership with Armidale Regional Council, I was fortunate to meet, provide updates and answer questions in relation to SSI’s work with the newcomers, as well as explaining a number of opportunities we’re currently exploring with groups and businesses to assist refugee settlement in Armidale.
Sustainable Living Association Panel
I was invited to attend the Sustainable Living Association Annual General meeting whereby I sat on a panel alongside Northern Settlement Services and Sanctuary. The purpose of the panel discussion was to brief the community about refugee settlement, establish ways for the broader community to be involved and welcome newcomers to the region. It was great to be involved in such an initiative.
The Lions Club
I met with members of the Armidale Lions Club and provided an update in relation to the SSI settlement process. The Lions Club members were very accommodating and it was great to have a chat over dinner regarding amazing work they undertake in the Armidale community and how we may work together in the future.
Donations
SSI Armidale received a trailer load of donations from Big L, Possum and a family from Woy Woy this week. They travelled 500kms to provide donations of clothing, blankets, books, toys and linen. It’s such a generous gift to the newly arrived families and we are so appreciative of the thought and effort to gather the goods and drive to deliver them to us in Armidale.
Welcome2Sydney provided a great opportunity for families to learn more about their new country at the Australian Museum.
The program recently invited 55 people to visit the Australian Museum — the oldest museum in Australia — in order to showcase the rich history of Australia, its natural history and Indigenous peoples.
The activities were a great opportunity for families to learn more about their new country and the children had a fascinating time exploring the different sections at the museum, from zoology to mineralogy and anthropology.
Mary from Syria was so impressed by the stones she saw that, after her visit, she gave a presentation about Australian minerals and mining at TAFE.
Maral from Iraq was so happy about the visit he said, “We did not know that this museum existed or was even located in this big building. We did not know about all these extinct animals, famous Australian personalities and all these rocks that Australia has.”
She was so excited that she shared her experience and photos with her colleagues in her English class and kept talking about it for days.
Rana and her family also had a marvellous time. Rana said, “It was impressive to see how humans can take care of history and tiny things that we take for granted like a fly or an ant. The kids were going insane and mind-blown by what they have seen at the museum.”
SSI and Welcome2Sydney would like to thank the Australian Museum for hosting the informative and enjoyable activities, and for offering complimentary access.
Q&A panel facilitator Malini Raj with panellists Muzafar Ali, Khadim Dai, Jolyon Hoff and Kim Tao at the ANMM.
The inspirational film follows the lives of two Afghan Hazara refugees, Muzafar Ali and Khadim Dai. Stuck in Indonesia after Australia “stopped the boats” and facing many years in limbo, they built a community and started a school that sparked a refugee-led education revolution.
Armidale Regional Council Mayor Simon Murray opened the screening in Armidale and said the film screening was a timely reminder about the “fantastic skills, initiative and creativity many refugees bring to their areas in which they settle.”
“They typically bring a wonderful mix of resilience and fertile optimism about the opportunities presented to them by their new homes,” he said.
“The success story told in The Staging Post is a great example of what often comes from that mix.”
SSI Community Engagement Coordinator for Armidale, Samantha Airs, said that the screening is an opportunity to foster a positive narrative about refugees and resettlement in local and regional communities.
“The Staging Post conveys powerful messages about friendship and connection. The film’s key message is the resilience and agency of refugees to generate change and create solutions,” Ms Airs said.
Ms Airs said that there was an overwhelmingly positive response from the local community in welcoming newly arrived families from Iraq and Syria in Armidale.
“Welcome events hosted by the community have included picnics, barbeques and morning teas to share food and company. Community initiatives range from music classes, woodwork and craft sessions, English and creative writing classes, bird watching, and community gardening.”
The Sydney film screening hosted at the ANMM fostered curiosity with audiences who were interested to hear from former refugees and film leads Muzafar Ali and Khadim Dai.
Mr Dai said that the SSI screenings of The Staging Post gave a voice to and connected refugees to regional Australian communities in places such as Armidale.
“It was a wonderful experience for me to meet all those people in Armidale and Sydney,” Mr Dai said.
“Having a voice for refugees are very important, and I was very lucky to raise my voice through SSI screening of The Staging Post.”
Commonwealth Bank Cultural Diversity & Inclusion Champion and partner of SSI, Malini Raj facilitated the Q&A panel discussion after the screening and said that the discussion had a strong message around courageous people never giving up.
“Thanks SSI and ANMM curator Kim Tao for giving me the privilege to facilitate the panel discussion following tonight’s screening,” Ms Raj said.
“The engaging discussion showed that courageous people never give up and with sincerity and commitment, big things can happen.”
ANMM Curator Kim Tao participated in the panel discussion and said that the questions that followed from the audience highlighted the real impacts of immigration policy on people’s lives.
“It showed that documentary filmmaking and museum programs have much in common, by inviting audiences to focus on personal, individual stories in order to humanise the facts of history,” Ms Tao said.
“The event was a truly inspiring night, showcasing the capacity of film, filmmakers and storytellers to harness the communicative power of personal biography and remind us of our common humanity.”
The Staging Post is a real-life, real-time, multiplatform documentary about friendship, connection and the power of community. Click here to learn more.
Customers at Rashays Punchbowl, seeking to be one of Australia’s most inclusive restaurants.
The nationwide commitment of the restaurant brand, which comprises 22 restaurants and four food court locations, was inspired by Rashays’ Punchbowl store owner Bashar Krayem and his staff, who jumped at the opportunity to learn Auslan (Australian sign language) and work to reduce the barriers for members of the deaf community seeking to access the restaurant.
Mr Krayem, who won an Australian Muslim Achievement Award in the “Man of the year” category in 2017, is passionate about giving back to the community.
“We live in the community and we are around community, so we try our best to deal with the community in the best way possible and whatever work we can do to create a good environment for community,” he said.
In line with his beliefs and influenced by the Zero Barriers movement — an initiative driven by the Multicultural Network and supported by the NSW Business Chamber, three local governments in South West Sydney and Settlement Services International — Mr Krayem looked for other ways to make an impact in his community.
“Our goal is to become one of Australia’s most inclusive restaurants,” he said.
On May 18, Rashays Punchbowl opened its doors to customers with autism and their families by hosting Sensory Hour Iftar dinners. The restaurant dimmed its lights, turned off electronics, stopped using machinery that made excessive noise and, most importantly, promoted the initiative to families of children with autism through the local not-for-profit organisation “Gift a Smile”.
“This is the first time that I have felt that it was okay to take my child to a restaurant ever since he was born,” said one of the mothers attending the Iftar dinner. “We finally have come to an environment where we feel accepted and not have to worry about being judged.”
Zero Barriers project officer Zizi Charida said, “Seeing the smiles on the children’s faces is incredible and shows how this movement is really making a difference in people’s lives.”
The large number of staff and extra support required to initiate the Sensory Hour activities meant there was additional financial cost to the restaurant. However, Rashays saw it as a long-term investment resulting in more customers accessing its restaurants and a more inclusive and happy community overall.
Sean Williamberg, Inclusion officer at the NSW Business Chamber and former restaurant owner, said, “Profitability from making a restaurant more inclusive triples on average as most of us do like to access restaurants with at least two other people, not to mention that inclusive restaurants mean happier communities resulting in a more productive society and willingness to spend locally.”
The Sensory Hour dinner was inspired by the Maori word for autism “Takiwatanga” — which means his/her own time — and the teaching of Islam to look after your peers.
SSI’s Multicultural Disability Inclusion and Promotion Officer, Javier Paul Ortiz, said, “The combination of spiritual and cultural beliefs to fuel inclusive practices reflects the vibrancy of Sydney’s south-west and the strength and courage of leaders like Mr Krayem to pave long-lasting systemic change for people living with diverse abilities and living across all our communities.
“We can all take a lesson from Rashays and think about the opportunity and benefits that stem from making our communities more inclusive.”
Rashays Punchbowl hosts Sensory Hours every Wednesday from 5pm to 6pm.
Watch Rashays Punchbowl Sensory Hour video.
We realise that influencing positive and fair social justice policies in Australia requires engagement with global communities, and in particular engaging in networks and fora that incorporate a global perspective on mass migration movements and critical refugee situations.
Image: SSI’s Humanitarian Settlement Program Manager, Yamamah Agha, NGO Rapporteur for the consultations
This year, the consultations and associated events held at the end of June in Geneva provided us a unique opportunity to influence global refugee policy by conveying the voices of the people we support and those of our partner organisations.
These were heard alongside others with lived experience, NGOs, international and UN organisations, UNHCR and community-based refugee organisations who met in person to share experiences, learn from others and plan ahead.
This year SSI’s Humanitarian Settlement Program Manager, Yamamah Agha, was selected for the role of NGO Rapporteur for the consultations and, with the assistance of a team in Geneva and at home, ( I want to particularly acknowledge the outstanding work of Katrina Grech and Carmen Ghaly ) was able to capture valuable ideas and perspectives to inform the event’s final report.
Yamamah Agha’s full summary speech at the closing plenary of the UNHCR Annual Consultations with NGOs can be viewed here.
The inaugural Global Summit of Refugees was held prior to the consultations, with Adam Buraijami, Team Leader of the HSP Welcome program, representing SSI. The summit brought together refugee-led organizations and change-makers from around the world to discuss lived experiences and propose solutions for a more effective and sustainable global refugee policy. We congratulate Paul Power and the Refugee Council of Australia for its pivotal role in this ground breaking event.
During this time in Geneva I was also invited to present on “new forms of cooperation in reception and integration of resettled refugees”, as part of the UNHCR Annual Tripartite Consultations and Working Group on Resettlement, where I spoke about SSI’s successful corporate partnerships, such as SSI’s Allianz Ladder program.
I left these discussions more motivated and determined than ever to continue SSI’s great work in this space.
SSI was also proud to participate in the sixth and final formal Consultation on the Global Compact on Refugees. This was a historic event and the finalised compact will be crucial in solidifying international commitments to a shared responsibility for hosting and supporting the world’s refugees.
I believe refugees need to be a part of informing global policy that affects their lives, and to that end it was invaluable to bring the voices of the organisations and communities we support into the consultation process.
Thank you for your continued support of SSI.
#NaidocWeek2014 – Because of her we can
Celebrations during NAIDOC Week were found across all parts of our community. SSI has historically participated in NAIDOC week through the activities of its partners and programs but this year it increased its involvement.
It has always been a critical part of SSI’s philosophy to recognise the Indigenous owners of the land in which SSI operates and settles new arrivals. It has now committed to strive beyond its current levels of Indigenous participation as part of a strategy to embrace diversity and build on SSI’s reputation as an inclusive organisation servicing the needs of the people it supports and their communities.
SSI is a diverse group of people working with diverse communities, and it considers it important to continue to build an inclusive culture within the organisation and among those with whom it works.
As part of SSI’s Humanitarian Settlement Program (HSP), SSI has created an Indigenous Participation Plan (IPP), with the intention of increasing the number of Indigenous employees in its staff and increasing its spend with Indigenous businesses. SSI will also be improving its engagement externally with Indigenous communities and, internally, building on its understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, histories and cultures.
This NAIDOC Week SSI was proud to participate in several events of its own and with its partners. In its Ashfield, Liverpool and Parramatta offices SSI staff attended screenings of the indigenous feature film Occupation Native, which was promoted as part of NAIDOC Week 2018.
Almost 200 people attended SSI’s NAIDOC celebrations at the Auburn Friendship Garden and Community Kitchen. SSI brought people from all walks of life, newly arrived to established community members, to learn about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture and practices. Explore the Facebook gallery of photos.
Most people were not at first familiar with NAIDOC but everyone left with a better understanding and established positive connections throughout the day.
SSI Community Engagement Practitioner Diana Nguyen expressed thanks to Kinchella Boys Home for their support and for bringing the Uncles, Community Greenings for delivering a Native Food Talk, Mt Druitt Indigenous Choir, Bunnings for providing a free pot painting workshop and giveaways, the Community Engagement Team at NDIA, Max Employment, GWS Giants, and Cumberland Council Children’s Services.
Captured are Inner West locals at the Spirit of Welcome event at the Community and Refugee Welcome Centre.
The New Beginnings Festival for Refugee Week is the first instalment of SSI’s 2018 New Beginnings Arts & Culture Festival — a refugee-led art exhibition showcased works that were created through a series of workshops.
Creative workshops were facilitated by artists from refugee backgrounds for newly arrived communities. Artist facilitators included Atefeh Hekmat and two other leading artists, Damon Amb and Majid Rabet. Click here to view an interview with the lead artist facilitators.
SSI New Beginnings Festival Producer Raphael Brasil said that the festival this year demonstrated how collaborative work and community engagement are key elements to building a sustainable and diverse arts community.
“With the Community and Refugee Welcome Centre being established as a new cultural and artistic hub in the Inner West, I am confident that we have achieved an important exchange between artists and newly arrived and local communities,” said Mr Brasil.
The festival launched with an intimate invite-only event marking World Refugee Day on June 20 and closed Open Inner West festival on June 24 at the Community and Refugee Welcome Centre in Callan Park. The two events brought together newly arrived refugees and Inner West locals for a celebration of creativity, arts and community.
Mr Brasil acknowledged the success of the work that had been done by the lead artist facilitators who not only ran the creative workshops but also curated the art exhibition that was comprised of works created by newly arrived artists.
“None of this would have been possible without the fantastic work led by Majid, Atefeh and Damon, and the leadership of people like the Centre Coordinator Moones Mansoubi and all the staff and volunteers involved from both SSI and Inner West Council.”
The Community and Refugee Welcome Centre Coordinator Moones Mansoubi said that the Centre is all about bringing communities together and that the SSI New Beginnings Festival provided an ample opportunity to do just that.
“We were honoured to host more than 300 people during Refugee Week; the festival brought artists, newcomers and locals together and reminded us that diversity is beautiful,” she said.
Ms Mansoubi said that the diversity of music, dance, short films and workshops created a thriving arts hub and is an excellent example of the successful collaboration between the Welcome Centre and SSI Arts and Culture program.
“It was a pleasant collaboration, I would like to acknowledge Inner West Council for supporting us throughout the workshops and the festival, and we look forward to celebrating Refugee Week with the New Beginnings Festival at the Welcome Centre in 2019.”
Some standout festival highlights included a performance from The Solidarity Choir that ignited a sense of collective consciousness in the room, and a traditional Assyrian performance by George Karm placed audiences in jovial spirits. Intricate creative workshops led by the Community Tapestry Workshop and Traditional Kite Making engaged participants in practical and meaningful ways.
Captured are workshop participants at the Opening Event of New Beginnings Festival.
The upcoming SSI New Beginnings Festival in Spring is a highlight event of the cultural program of the 2018 International Metropolis Conference.
Hosted in Sydney’s iconic Darling Harbour, this one-day arts and culture festival promotes the talents, vitality and diversity that people from refugee and migrant backgrounds bring to Australia’s creative sector. The outdoor festival will feature live music, dance performances, kids’ workshops and food and market stalls with an array of international cuisines and cultural handicrafts.
SSI visited Belvoir St Theatre to thank Belvoir and the cast and crew of Sami in Paradise for their support of SSI Refugee Scholarships.
During the world premiere season of Sami in Paradise, every performance was dedicated to raising funds to help refugees minimise financial barriers in attending high school, vocational training, university, or having their skills and qualifications recognised.
Naushin Rahman, SSI’s Partnerships and Fundraising Manager, said, “We are so grateful to the Sami in Paradise audiences for their generous donations, to the cast and crew for their passion and commitment to the cause, and to Belvoir for coming up with an innovative way to involve its community in supporting refugees as they find their feet in their new home.”
Sami In Paradise is Nikolai Erdman’s subversive play The Suicide, adapted and contemporised by director Eamon Flack and the company of actors to become a madcap dark comedy with a subtle dose of pathos.
Set in a refugee camp that is home to a man at the end of his tether, it seeks to cut through polarising debates about refugees.
Mr Flack said, “The play is about the idea that no human is better than any other human, and even if you are robbed of all the basics of your life and all of your dignity, it doesn’t mean you are less than anyone else. This isn’t a play about other people and other places, it’s a play for anyone who wakes up in the middle of the night feeling a bit worried about the future.”
Among the cast, featuring Yalin Ozucelik, were Mandela Mathia and Hazem Shammas — who after each performance called out for audience support for the scholarships.
Mr Shammas recalled how Sami in Paradise led to a surprising reunion with Mr Mathia.
“About 10 years ago I was involved in some workshops for young refugees and new migrants out at Blacktown, in western Sydney,” he said.
“The workshops were held by Playwriting Australia to give kids, especially these particular kids, an opportunity in developing drama skills, playwriting and skills in theatre.
“One of the kids there was a 15-year-old Mandela, who I think had just arrived in Sydney and was starting his new life. So we spent the week and he wrote a scene that was good enough to be included in the following year’s Playwriting festival.
“So on the first day of rehearsal for Sami in Paradise, Mandela comes up to me and says, ‘I know you’ and I think ‘What, have I done something wrong?’
“I didn’t recognise him of course 10 years on.
“Then he reminds me that years ago he had done that workshop and that I’d played his dad in a scene he wrote. And I think, Wow! I was blown away.
“Now here he is. He’s just graduated from Nida and we’re about to share the stage on his first professional gig.
“I was so humbled and inspired that I always want to tell this story. Because throughout the project we teamed up with an organisation like SSI to promote and support the opportunity-building experiences that we hope could continue to encourage new Australians.
“And here, with Mandela and I, we’ve got this kind of full circle coming together. Like I would never have thought back then one of those kids was going to end up doing what we do and here we are.
“And he’s now given his work to do the same thing for someone else. It’s great and something that I think we should all be proud of.”