SSI CEO Violet Roumeliotis
In celebrating Refugee Week 2018 and supporting the UNHCR’s #withrefugees movement, SSI renews its commitment to refugees settling in Australia, to enable education, provide safety and facilitate the learning of new skills to support independence and self-determination.
We’re incredibly proud of the achievements of our staff and volunteers, who work at the coalface of refugee settlement with newly arrived families, many of whom were part of the 12,000 additional refugees accepted by Australia under humanitarian visas due to the Syria/Iraq humanitarian crisis.
The latest region to accept refugees with the support of SSI’s Humanitarian Settlement Program team has been the regional centre of Armidale, and we’ve seen a truly incredible outpouring of support and welcoming from the community, some of whom have already joined SSI as volunteers and are assisting the newly arrived families.
In reflecting on this single project, I can see SSI’s work truly reaches the heart of the #withrefugees movement.
Australia can count itself among the most successful examples of multiculturalism in the world with 28% of Australians born overseas, who over generations have brought with them their traditions and cultures to enrich our society.
Everything we are seeing about refugees in Australia at the moment, the benefits, the challenges, the stories of sorrow and hope, are all part of the wonderful cycle of settlement and the transition to a place of safety and infinite prospects.
Every generation has experienced mass migration movements of some scale and, looking back in retrospect, we can clearly see the willingness of those migrants to contribute and build our society for the better.
Settling in a new part of the world has no common formula, but in countless examples throughout history there have been pockets in which migrant communities initially gathered for mutual support and familiarity. Over time, as confidence and independence grow, those communities become enabled to move on and spread out to seek new homes and prospects to build a successful future.
Education has always been one of the most powerful tools in developing independence and self-determination, and we’ve achieved some incredible goals in this area for refugees, in partnership with the NSW State Government, Allianz (refugee scholarships) and the patronage of Peter Shergold, Chancellor of Western Sydney University.
Education and refugee scholarships have seen thousands of individuals enabled to reach their full potential upon settling in Australia, and many of them have used their invaluable skills to give back to their communities and drive initiatives alongside SSI.
A prime example of this success is the Youth Collective. Under the guidance of SSI Youth Project Coordinator Dor Achiek, participants are encouraged to drive their own programs based on the needs and visions they see within their communities.
In a larger capacity, SSI uses this same philosophy of consulting client needs to inform our direction and strategies on a regular basis, for all our programs and initiatives. To assist in this we’ve created the Community Innovation Fund to provide the resources to enable change by the community, for the community.
Most recently we’ve taken this approach of stakeholder consultation in preparation for the upcoming UNHCR Annual Consultations with NGOs in Geneva, by coordinating directly with the Refugee Council of Australia, the peak body of refugee advocacy on Australia.
On June 27 SSI will once again take an active role in the consultations, with SSI’s Humanitarian Settlement Program Manager, Yamamah Agha, acting as official Rapporteur.
SSI is committed to maintaining an active voice in the area of migration and settlement services on a world stage. We’ve taken huge strides in recent years to establish ourselves as a thought leader through our partnerships and participation in global discussions, held at events like the UNHCR’s Geneva consultations and the highly anticipated Metropolis Conference 2018 hosted by SSI in Sydney in late October.
This Refugee Week we have an incredible program of refugee engagement across NSW. Just a few of the highlights include the New Beginnings Festival at the Community and Refugee Welcome Centre in Lilyfield, which will host a screening of acclaimed film The Staging Post, which will also be played at a special screening in Armidale for the whole community to enjoy.
Thirty refugees have also been invited to a special meeting with the Minister for Home Affairs and Immigration and Border Protection, Peter Dutton, on Wednesday June 20 in Canberra, where they will have the opportunity to tell their stories of successful settlement in Australia and their dreams for the future.
SSI has been proud to facilitate this visit in partnership with the Department of Home Affairs, and we thank our program participants for taking time out of their busy lives to attend.
Have a safe and happy Refugee Week 2018!
During Refugee Week we:
- reflect on the needs faced by millions of people forced from their homes
- come together to celebrate the courage of refugees resettling in Australia
- recognise the generous acts of welcome displayed to refugees by so many caring Australians
As SSI CEO Violet Roumeliotis says: “In celebrating Refugee Week 2018 and supporting the UNHCR’s #withrefugees movement, SSI renews its commitment to refugees settling in Australia, to enable education, provide safety and facilitate the learning of new skills to support independence and self-determination.”
Key SSI events for Refugee Week
June 20: SSI Speaker Series & Film Screening — The Staging Post, Armidale
June 21: SSI Speaker Series & Film Screening — The Staging Post at the Australian National Maritime Museum
June 24: SSI New Beginnings Festival event The Spirit of Welcome will officially close 2018 Open Inner West at the Refugee Welcome Centre in Callan Park, Leichhardt.
Read how Innovative artist blends technology with art to build engagement during Refugee Week.
SSI will announce the opening of the second round of applications for the Community Innovation Fund.
Events hosted by member and partner organisations
June 20: Bayside Refugee Week Event — How I Became a Refugee film screening.
June 20: #Fairfieldstandswithrefugees — 10am-12.30pm Level 1 41-43 Smart Street, Fairfield, Monamor Reception Centre. Contact Morlai on 9727 0477.
June 21: Penrith Celebration hosted by Penrith Multicultural Interagency, 10am – 2pm, St Marys Community, Centre, St Marys, Corner Community & Cultural Precinct, Building 5, 29 Swanston Street, St Marys. Contact Laura Sardo 9833 2416 or laura@nma.org.au.
June 22: Freedom Feast Multicultural Banquet — Coffs Central (Upstairs) Food at the Terrace, Harbour Drive, Coffs Harbour, authentic cultural food, live cultural music and dance, and storytelling
June 22: Western Sydney MRC Connecting Communities — Community HeART.
June 22: Blacktown City Refugee Week Celebration 2018.
June 27: Bankstown Navigating the Changing Landscape #WithRefugees.
Other events
Refugee Council’s Refugee Week events
City of Sydney Refugee Week what’s on
Adi Tefera photographed by William Robinson in Summer Hill.
As part of the SSI IgniteAbility program and in recognition of her strong entrepreneurial spirit, Ms Tefera was selected to run a morning coffee business at the Four Brave Women café in Summer Hill. She serves coffee that is sustainably sourced from Ethiopia, as well as hot chocolate, and chai and spiced tea.
At Four Brave Women, Ms Tefera offers takeaway breakfast foods influenced by her Ethiopian and Eritrean background, including kita firfir, a spicy-savoury pancake dish, and teff chocolate brownies. Her plans for the future include the desire to run traditional Ethiopian coffee ceremonies in the shop.
Her coffee business is thriving with the support of the local community. Ms Tefera is diving into all aspects of the business from selecting coffee beans and blends to engaging suppliers, developing recipes, marketing, and financial planning.
In collaboration with her facilitator at the IgniteAbility program, Ms Tefera has set herself some exciting goals, including running a market stall at Marrickville Street Food Markets, focussing on traditional vegetarian Ethiopian cuisine.
She also plans to produce a series of YouTube tutorials on Ethiopian cultural-cooking and recipes, traditional Ethiopian health and wellness remedies, and upcycled life hacks.
“My dream is to own an Ethiopian restaurant – a vegetarian restaurant, so I can share the culture and the dance and the food, the coffee,” she said in a recent interview with ABC News.
Ms Tefera is eager to create a contemporary Ethiopian cookbook for the Australian market. She plans to develop a website and an online platform that will channel and centralise all her activities, and ultimately, offer her products online for sale.
“I had nothing when I came to Australia — this [IgniteAbility] program is great for any refugee wanting to create a better future for themselves in Australia,” Ms Tefera said.
While Ms Tefera says that as a single mother, it is difficult to manage all her projects, it’s an opportunity she is embracing, both for herself and her young son.
“[My] son had tears when he found out I was involved in running a new business — it’s so nice to see that he is proud of me, and I am proud of what I have achieved,” she said.
To follow Adi’s journey, follow her Instagram page: www.instagram.com/adis_kitchen/
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/adiscoffeeandkitchen/
Having only arrived on Australian shores several months ago, florist Renold and his parents were yet to visit the iconic Sydney Harbour and Royal Botanic Garden. Starting the day with a tour of Circular Quay and the Harbour surrounds, they stopped for a picnic in the garden before continuing on to the garden’s main attraction, The Calyx.
“It’s a very special and wonderful place,” said Renold. “We were finally able to see something truly Australian and unique. Everyone was very welcoming and nobody at any time made us feel like strangers.”
Both Alice and Kate relished the opportunity to show the newly arrived family some of Sydney’s most breathtaking landmarks. “They took thousands of pictures and were constantly smiling, which was amazing,” said Alice. “Renold was really excited and proud of his floral knowledge, telling us the name of every flower he came across.”
Despite the language barriers between the ambassadors and the family, Renold and his parents were keen to chat with Alice and Kate. “They were really happy to learn new words in English,” said Kate. “The fact that they couldn’t communicate in English was evidence of how difficult it is to feel part of a new society and community without these communication tools.”
By the end of the day, Kate and Sam had forged a strong bond with Renold and his family, with the two Welcome2Sydney ambassadors picking up a couple of Arabic expressions.
“The family tried to teach us some Arabic,” said Kate. “Nawal, Renold’s mum, asked how to say she was happy in English. It was a great feeling — I felt like we had formed a relationship.”
Welcome2Sydney is a new project co-designed by the City of Sydney and Settlement Services International, aiming to connect ambassadors from the City of Sydney with newly arrived refugee members of our community.
Ms Roumeliotis is a strong advocate for aspiring young women, particularly those of CALD backgrounds. Launching the scholarship program, she said, for the vast majority of new arrivals, work and making a meaningful contribution to society were the most significant markers for settlement.
“The skills, experience, innovation and motivation new arrivals bring need to be harnessed. Migrants are entrepreneurial and have a wealth of knowledge to share,” Ms Roumeliotis said.
Commonwealth Bank Head of Strategy – Multicultural Community Banking and SSI business partner, Malini Raj, participated in the event as a mentor and found the experience of forming new connections with aspiring women of refugee backgrounds inspirational.
“I feel honoured to have been included in such an authentic and meaningful event, encouraging dialogue and connections among these refugee women who are going to do great things,” Ms Raj said.
“The event highlighted the importance of engaging with refugee communities at a grassroots level, and the importance of sharing stories to understand the journey and the challenges of these amazing women.”
Ms Raj sees mentoring as a valuable opportunity to gain insights into how the financial services industry can better address concerns, issues, gaps, and needs to improve financial inclusion.
“Mentoring is critical to foster greater cultural awareness and inclusion, and ultimately fostering greater social cohesion,” she said.
Under Ms Roumeliotis’ leadership, SSI is activating a vision for a society that values the diversity of its community and supports meaningful social and economic participation to assist individuals and families reach their full potential.
“Women doing it their way in business is a key theme close to my heart, and we hope this scholarship will help our newly arrived women to have the confidence and support to know we back them in,” she said.
“Together, we can continue to make this country great and empower young women to reach for the stars and pursue their business dream.”
Each Ignite Multicultural Women’s Business Scholarship is valued at $20,000 worth of professional and specialised support. The package includes working with an individual business facilitator and mentorship from a team of Ignite experts.
The scholarships will provide direct access to a resource team to provide advice on financial management, administration and compliance, effective marketing strategies and business planning services.
Recipients will be selected through a merit-based expression of interest.
The exhibition project is artistically driven by Mr Rabet and other artists from refugee backgrounds and fosters an environment of understanding and support among the artist community.
Pairing technology with art, Mr Rabet uses innovation to help other artists to develop their art projects. He has created a hot wire machine from scrap material that makes laser cuts into styrofoam and is referring to this during the workshops.
Mr Rabet’s artistic practice began after arriving in Australia in 2010 and spending two years detained in immigration centres. He uses art as a form of therapy to overcome the trauma that he has suffered as a refugee.
“Art doesn’t need a translator. It’s one language for everyone, and everyone can speak it,” Mr Rabet said.
His first touchstone with a local arts organisation in Australia was the Refugee Art Project.
“When I was in Villawood, Refugee Art Project came to visit me and I began working with the limited mediums available to me. The tools I made are in the Powerhouse Museum, including a paintbrush I made with hair from a local cat who befriended me,” he said.
Through the New Beginnings Festival, the SSI Arts and Culture program has given people like Mr Rabet the chance to connect with others through the universal medium of art.
“For people with trauma backgrounds, this allows them to express things that, in any language, sometimes words don’t exist to adequately express.”
SSI Arts and Culture Producer Raphael Brasil had the pleasure of visiting the creative studio of Mr Rabet in Parramatta and was astonished by the innovative methodologies used to create art.
“Majid is a designer, an inventor, a technologist and, beyond everything else, an artist engaged with life,” Mr Brasil said.
“I was amazed at his creations as most of them were made from scrap materials. From a sunflower-inspired solar panel to sculptures and musical instruments made entirely from recycled materials, Majid takes art and technology to a whole new level.”
The exhibition will open during event times and by appointment during Refugee Week between June 20 and 30, 2018. Inner West Council has supported the SSI New Beginnings Festival for Refugee Week through Open Inner West 2018.
Stay in the loop by regularly visiting the New Beginnings Festival website.
There are many ways to get involved with this celebration of hope, unity and new beginnings. Click here for more information about sponsorship opportunities and becoming a festival partner.
Australia can count itself amongst the most successful examples of multiculturalism in the world with 28% of Australians born overseas, who over generations have brought with them their traditions and cultures to enrich our society.
The economic contribution of migrants and refugees has been well documented by leading economists to be invaluable. Our own experience and research shows an exceptional proportion of new arrivals into Australia who are provided with proper guidance and mentoring from organisations such as SSI, go on to start successful business ventures of their own.
An amazing example of this entrepreneurship is the recently opened ‘Four Brave Women’ café in Summer Hill, where former refugees Zahra Armian & Adiam Tefera have created a business which explores culture and cuisine through an eight week cycling menu, where refugee of different nationalities are welcomed to showcase their traditional foods while building experience in operating a sustainable business in Australia.
The Productivity Commission report released in 2016 outlined that the economic contribution of migrants was critical and contributed to Australia avoiding a recession in the wake of the Global Financial Crisis. It also confirmed that the contribution of migrant workers is forecast to increase Australia’s GDP by 7% by 2060.
“Cultural diversity is an asset which sparks innovation and creativity, and contributes to the economic and social prosperity of all Australians,” said SSI CEO, Violet Roumeliotis.
Settling in a new part of the world has no common formula, but in countless examples throughout history there have been pockets in which migrant communities initially gathered for mutual support and familiarity. Over time, as confidence and independence grow, these communities are able to move on and spread out to seek new homes and prospects to build a successful future.
“While we may face challenges in the short term, the long term prospects of migration, multiculturalism and cultural diversity will allow Australia to continue to develop and nurture its global community,” said Ms. Roumeliotis.
The Big Australia National Compact on Permanent Migration, signed by multiple organisations such as the Migration Council of Australia and the Australian Council of Social Services at the beginning of May this year, highlighted the importance of civic inclusion for those who had arrived in Australia to work and contribute socially, economically and politically.
Refugees and migrants currently arriving in areas of Western Sydney, such as Fairfield, reflect the trend of initial settlement in seeking a familiar and supportive community. While this does justify a need for increased infrastructure and services, SSI has already seen the total percentage of Iraqi and Syrian refugees settling in Fairfield under the Humanitarian Settlement Program drop from 55% in 2017 to 45% in 2018.
Image: Samantha Airs, Community Engagement Coordinator, Armidale
As a first order of business, I’m very happy to announce that the overwhelming response from the Armidale community has been to welcome, include and support the newly arrived Yazidi families. Members and groups within our community are eager to work alongside SSI to support them, and we’ve now got a great group of Armidale locals trained up as official SSI volunteers to help whenever they’re needed.
Over the past month, since starting in my role as the Community Engagement Coordinator for SSI in Armidale, I’ve met with a number of community groups and civic leaders. These have included members of The Salvation Army, Sanctuary, Aboriginal Lands Council, Reachout for Refugees Armidale and the Armidale Men’s Shed. Again, I was blown away by the outpouring of generosity and support of every one of these groups and some fantastic initiatives were discussed which I’m keen to follow up in the coming months.
On the 2nd May I attended the New England Multicultural Interagency Meeting. There was a lot of interest concerning settlement of the Yazidi community by those that attended. Jennifer was able to provide plenty of insightful and detailed information to the attendees, and I was approached by numerous community groups and support services to discuss creative and collaborative ideas with regard to supporting the newly arrived families. Those ideas included music and writing groups, environmental activities and a range of welcome events.
Planning is also underway for the Staging Post screening during Refugee Week on the 20th June. Armidale Regional Council, Belgrave Twin Cinema and SSI are working closely together to make this a night to connect and share stories of community. Keep an eye out here and on SSI’s social media channels linked at the bottom of the ‘In the Loop’ e-mail for more details as they become available.
A final point I’ll make is in expressing the appreciation that the 15 newly arrived families feel towards the welcome they’ve received, and the overwhelming generosity from the public. Donations of furniture, clothing, blankets, toys, books and household items are being received and stockpiled by community members. I am currently working with Helen Larkin, The Salvation Army and other charities to develop a process so items are accessible to families.
That’s all for now, stay tuned for more SSI updates in the near future.
Refugee families have visited many famous Sydney sites thanks to Welcome2Sydney.
Welcome2Sydney is a new project co-designed by the City of Sydney and Settlement Services International, aiming to connect ambassadors from the City of Sydney with newly arrived refugee members of our community.
Throughout February and March connections occurred through social, cultural and recreational activities, including visits to parks, Circular Quay, the Royal Botanic Garden, Darling Harbour, Google and the National Maritime Museum.
On February 16, ambassadors and refugee families visited Darling Harbour, Chinatown and Circular Quay to celebrate the biggest Lunar New Year festivities outside Asia and to share in those celebrations with one of Australia’s largest migrant communities.
Three families from Syria were welcomed by two ambassadors: Katie and Neil. It was a unique opportunity for the families to share experiences and celebrate the Year of the Dog, discover their Chinese zodiac signs, play with other children and see the lunar lanterns lighting up the harbour.
The families were impressed by the beauty and liveliness of Sydney, which they said felt like home. One family member said how comfortable and safe she felt in the city.
The Welcome2Sydney ambassadors in turn enjoyed the enthusiasm of the families, one saying that he “loved seeing the joy in the participants’ faces as they saw and experienced new aspects of the city I love”.
Other activities were organised in Victoria Park on the occasion of the Yabun Festival on Australia Day and on Fair Day during Mardi Gras.
They were special experiences for participants as they were introduced to two important communities in the City of Sydney: Aboriginal and LGBTQI. Families enjoyed mixing with cultures very different from their own, meeting new people, and watching different ways of celebrating.
Another Welcome2Sydney ambassador and three families had religious and cultural conversations with an Aboriginal woman that helped the participants become familiar with the experiences of Indigenous people and improved the local community’s understanding of refugees.
After the activity, one participant said she was happy to do something different, see the city and not be thinking about the troubles she had experienced.
A group of 10 young refugees visited Google and the National Maritime Museum on February 27. It was an opportunity for participants and ambassadors to meet each other, explore the venues, share food and talk with peer engineers and designers.
The participants were engaged in conversations about software, working at Google and their own careers.
They also met with Welcome2Sydney ambassador Lewis, who walked them through the Maritime museum and shared his outstanding knowledge of Australia’s history, migration and Sydney.
On Harmony Day, two families had the opportunity to attend a football match between Sydney FC and Brisbane Roar at Allianz Stadium in Moore Park. They shared their passion for sports with Welcome2Sydney ambassador Neil, enjoyed one of Australia’s popular sports and explored the park and Surry Hills area on their way back.
Five families took part in two tours and picnics in the Botanic Garden and met with Lesley, Katie and Isabella. The families shared food and information with the ambassadors while exploring spots they had never visited before and taking photos of the beautiful views.
Many participants expressed how safe and welcomed they felt in Sydney. One couple said the initiative was important because it helped newcomers improve their wellbeing and mental health after a long and difficult journey to Australia.
Atefeh Hekmat artist and workshop facilitator for New Beginnings Festival Refugee Week 2018 captured at Lilyfield Community and Refugee Welcome Centre.
In her native country of Iran, Atefeh Hekmat was a thriving assistant artist with over 20 years of experience working in the field. After opening her own art gallery, Ms Hekmat curated several exhibitions with the support of art teachers and friends.
Ms Hekmat was invited to work with Tehran Municipality, a job offer that she was not able to take as she had to leave Iran and come to Australia to seek asylum. She has since put her work on display at the SSI Art is Our Voice exhibition and a number of community and women-focused events.
“I appreciate that SSI gave me this opportunity, as when I have an exhibition, I improve my feeling. SSI gave me more confidence to express myself to people around me.” Ms Hekmat said.
The series of creative workshops that Ms Hekmat will be facilitating for newly arrived artists will feed directly into an exhibition that will be curated by Ms Hekmat and two other leading artists, Damon AMB and Majid Roberts.
SSI Arts and Culture Manager Carolina Triana foresees the exhibition to be an example of the successful collaboration between artists from refugee backgrounds who have been in Australia for a number of years and those artists who have recently arrived to Australian shores.
“The exhibition project is being artistically driven by Atefeh, Damon and Majid, from workshop facilitation all the way to the exhibition design and curation.” Ms Triana said.
Inner West Council General Manager Rik Hart said the Centre cements the place of the inner west in supporting people from around the world who have suffered unimaginable hardship.
“The Inner West community has a strong commitment to social justice,” he said.
“Council staff and community volunteers also developed a new mobile app to connect refugees to local support services and offers of help. I am honoured to that Inner West Council is a Refugee Welcome Zone.” said Mr Hart.
Reverend Peter Smith from the Justice and Peace Office of the Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney, which contributed $60,000 towards staffing costs at the Centre, said the Office was very happy to be working with Inner West Council and Settlement Services International (SSI).
“We have always been of the opinion that welcoming refugees is the responsibility of all of Sydney, not just the Western suburbs,” he said.
“People of the Inner West have many gifts and talents that can enrich the lives of refugees.”
Ms Hekmat’s artistic practice centres on oil and acrylic painting on canvas. She has a great love of nature and her works reflect the changing moods of the landscape. Her artistic process represents her desire to connect with her inner journey as an artist.
Ms Hekmat is looking forward to facilitating the creative workshops for newly arrived artists and is equally grateful for the exhibition opportunity that it will bring to the fore.
“I have a good connection with SSI, they always encourage me to improve my ability and I am so thankful for the opportunity.” she said.
The exhibition will open during event times and by appointment during Refugee Week from June 20 – 30, 2018. The SSI New Beginnings Festival for Refugee Week has been supported by Inner West Council through Open Inner West 2018.
Stay in the loop by regularly visiting the New Beginnings Festival website.
There are a number of ways to get involved with this celebration of hope, unity and new beginnings. Click here for more information about sponsorship opportunities and becoming a festival partner.