The seven cooking enthusiasts recently completed a course at Jamie’s Ministry of Food Wetherill Park, where they had access to practical kitchen hints and tips and nutritional education that will empower them to make better eating decisions.
Among the dishes prepared over the seven-week course were healthy, delicious main meals and sides using fresh seasonal produce.
Participants also learned about knife handling skills, kitchen hygiene and safety, the value of eating food that is in season and creating meals from scratch.
The class was arranged by Settlement Services International’s Community Engagement team, which delivers a range of events and activities that allow SSI clients to learn new skills and develop community connections.
SSI CEO Violet Roumeliotis said it was particularly important for people who are seeking asylum to have the opportunity to meet new people in a welcoming environment.
“Social inclusion plays a large part in a person’s ability to adapt to life in Australia, which is so important to people who are waiting for their application for refugee status to be assessed,” she said.
“It helps to build a sense of belonging and community connectedness, which has a range of benefits on mental health and wellbeing.
“One of the particularly encouraging aspects of Jamie’s Ministry of Food program was the level of comradery that was developed among the participants. It was great to see people from such diverse backgrounds come together to bond over their shared enjoyment of cooking.”
One of the participants, Atoosa, enjoyed learning new skills and was particularly pleased to receive her certificate of completion, which she will include in her portfolio to support her job search.
“One of my favourite things was learning about other cultures and their foods,” she added.
Another participant, Selvakumar, will use his new skills at an upcoming Community Kitchen, where he will lead a team of volunteers to create a meal in celebration of the Tamil New Year.
Classes at Jamie’s Ministry of Food aim to equip people with the skills and knowledge to cook for themselves, while also inspiring and empowering them to change the way they eat and think about food.
These celebrations, however, took place against a tumultuous global backdrop, where just hours before news had broken of the devastating terrorist attacks in Brussels.
While the media primarily focused on the Belgian capital, we know similar attacks also occurred in Turkey and Mali in the days before. Our thoughts are with the families of all those who were killed or injured.
The response to past terrorist attacks shows us these events can divide communities and lead to racist activity. Refugees and people seeking asylum are particularly vulnerable in the aftermath of such attacks.
Rather than contemplating our differences, however, we should mark these events by renewing our focus on inclusion, respect and racial tolerance. We should strive for social harmony and greater cohesion among all community members, including those from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.
A wonderful example of this was the ‘I’ll ride with you’ hashtag (#IllRideWithYou) that gained popularity following the 2014 Martin Place siege. Everyday Australians used the hashtag as a vehicle to show their support for Muslims in their local communities by offering to accompany their fellow commuters to help counter any anti-Muslim sentiment.
Many people are also pitching in to extend their support to some of the newest arrivals to the Australian community: Syrian and Iraqi refugees. We only have to look to Sydney’s northern beaches where dozens of congregations are working together to coordinate a warm welcome for Syrian refugees as they settle in their new communities.
At SSI, we’re involved in a number of initiatives that promote social cohesion and harmony for refugees and people seeking asylum, such as Leichhardt Council’s proposed Refugee Welcome Centre. SSI is one of a number of organisations that co-signed a letter urging the Baird Government to get behind the council’s plans for a temporary accommodation centre for newly arrived refugees.
SSI is also working closely with restaurateurs and sisters, Carol and Sharon Salloum, who are using their connections in the hospitality industry to help newly arrived refugees find employment and integrate into their new communities.
The sense of belonging and inclusion that refugees receive from employment is just as important as the economic independence it offers. Finding work helps refugees to improve their language skills and develop new social connections, which ultimately helps them to settle successfully into their new communities.
Finding alternative employment pathways for refugees, migrants and people seeking asylum was one of the main drivers behind SSI’s recent partnership with insurer Allianz Australia, which will result in permanent roles for 20 people over the next two years. Allianz will also deliver educational scholarships to help refugees and people seeking asylum, in a similar manner to the educational scholarships that we offer through the SSI Foundation.
Both opportunities support refugees to ensure their meaningful social and economic participation by eliminating education as a barrier to settlement in Australia. Access to education ultimately increases social participation, independence, and economic and personal well-being for people from refugee backgrounds, leading to social cohesion in their new communities.
In a similar vein, SSI’s Ignite Small Business Start-ups initiative supports fledgling entrepreneurs from refugee backgrounds while they establish a small business or expand an existing one. Many refugees have a strong entrepreneurial spirit and, when supported to overcome settlement challenges, they will go on to contribute greatly to the Australian economy.
Employment is also at the core of two of SSI’s newest programs. The first, ParentsNext, is an initiative to help parents prepare to enter the workforce when their youngest child reaches school age. SSI, in partnership with Metro Assist, will work with parents in the Bankstown area to identify goals and develop skills so they are prepared to re-enter the workforce when their children start school.
The second is our Work for the Dole program, which equips jobseekers with skills in areas including logistics, marketing, hospitality, business administration, and arts and crafts. The program aims to give jobseekers real skills, experience and interaction with employers that will help them in their search for work.
Reza Heidarzadegan, an Iranian refugee whom SSI is working with, put it best when he recently explained to SSI staff why finding employment was at the top of his wishlist on arrival in Australia last year.
“Working here, as a newcomer, gives a person lots of opportunities,” he said. “You’re getting to know the people who live here, with whom you’re going to live and with whom you’re going to share. You’re learning the culture, you’re improving your language proficiency and then, above all, you are contributing to your new community besides making your own life.”
Organisations like SSI have a big role to play in promoting meaningful social and economic participation through employment and humanitarian services.
In the aftermath of senseless violence like we saw in Brussels, it’s important that we remember why we’re in engaged initiatives that promote social harmony, and refocus our efforts on inclusion and respect for all.
Among the newly employed refugees are electricians, cleaners, removalists, painters, bricklayers, carpenters, retail staff, and labourers.
SSI HSS Service Delivery Manager Yamamah Agha said the strong employment numbers were a testament to the tenacity of newly arrived refugees who had overcome significant challenges to secure work in Australia.
“Refugees are among the most vulnerable individuals in Australia, and yet they bring a wealth of skills and talents that we can benefit from socially and economically,” Ms Agha said.
“These latest employment outcomes are just one example of the resilience and tenacity of refugees in Australia, who are so eager to overcome barriers such as language and skills recognition to contribute to Australia.”
Among the two dozen clients who overcame the odds to find work was one refugee who secured work as a childcare worker and home tutor within two months of arrival.
In another family of new arrivals, three of four family members have already secured jobs, while the fourth is in the process of establishing a business.
“Finding employment is a big step forward during the resettlement process. It helps refugees and humanitarian entrants to make new social connections, improve their confidence and become more independent,” Ms Agha said.
“The fact that so many newly arrived refugees have secured work within such a short timeframe is inspiring, and we are thrilled to have supported these individuals to achieve such a vital step in their settlement journey.”
SSI endeavours to prepare HSS clients to join the workforce by linking them to job readiness programs and supporting them through case management to develop the skills and knowledge that will assist them in their search for employment.
Clients are encouraged to prepare themselves to enter the labour market and seek employment after arrival.
These jobs are not the only recent success stories from the HSS program. A number of refugees have also started tertiary education, while two refugee artists have an opportunity to have their works exhibited under SSI’s Arts and Culture Program initiatives.
The doors opened at 9am at the Bankstown and Condell Park offices of ParentsNext where parents will be supported to prepare for employment by the time their youngest child reaches school.
ParentsNext is an Australian Government initiative that SSI and Metro Assist will deliver in the Bankstown local government area. The initiative will operate in 10 Local Government Areas across Australia and it forms part of the Australian Government’s Growing Jobs and Small Business Package.
SSI and Metro Assist are community-based, not-for-profit organisations with experience in helping individuals and families with parenting, family and disability support, employment, tenancy issues, accommodation, and women’s and refugee settlement services.
SSI CEO Violet Roumeliotis said that although becoming a parent and raising young children is a wonderful and rewarding experience, it can mean many years out of the paid workforce.
“Our staff will work with parents to help identify their goals and develop skills so that they can make their transition back to work more easily,” Ms Roumeliotis said.
Metro Assist CEO Lou Bacchiella said his organisation had a number of practical employment support activities to help parents gain skills and qualifications that would help them become job-ready.
“With 30 years in assisting local communities we are very pleased to have been selected as a ParentsNext provider. The program sits well with the range of services we provide and we have strong local connections to make it accessible,” Mr Bacchiella said.
ParentsNext will work with referrals from the Department of Human Services, as well as voluntary participants. All participants must live in the Bankstown local government area.
ParentsNext staff will work closely with parents to help them identify their education, training and employment goals and the barriers to achieving them. Through this process, a Participation
Plan will be developed and staff will be available to parents to provide the support required.
ParentsNext is located at:
SSI Bankstown
Level 2, 462 Chapel Road Bankstown
Ph: (02) 8713 9343
And
Metro Assist Condell Park
43 Simmat Avenue Condell Park
Ph: (02) 9790 1766
Among the eclectic spread of dishes on offer at the event held at Community Kitchen was a yoghurt pasta recipe that Fatima’s mother cooked for her and her five siblings while they were growing up.
“My mum always made that recipe,” said Fatima, who is the NSW Community Hubs Manager at SSI. “It had pasta, yoghurt and the garlic, which was all nutritious, but at the same time it was practical to make when feeding six kids quickly. For summer, it’s also a nice cool dish.
“Even now, I make it for my grandchildren when they come over for lunch. It’s quick and easy, and in a Middle Eastern kitchen, yoghurt is something you always have in the fridge.”
In order to combat the hot summer heat in Auburn, a team of chefs comprising SSI staff, clients and volunteers also prepared fresh lemonade and Jalab – a cordial that often is used to break the fast during Ramadan.
“You make the mixture, you add pine nuts and you freeze it a couple of hours before breaking the fast,” Fatima said. “It’s not frozen, but it’s like an icy slushy.”
Fatima’s menu also drew inspiration from all the women in the NSW Settlement Partnership (NSP) team, including Edith Gonzalez, who helped whip up “completos” – a hotdog variation from Chile that is accompanied by avocado, diced tomato, and mayonnaise.
Rounding out the International Women’s Day feast were sausages, kofta, salads, and a Lebanese lentil and rice dish.
Yoghurt pasta
Serves 4–6
Ingredients:
500g pasta
1kg plain yoghurt
1 clove of garlic
½ tsp salt
A pinch of fresh mint or mint flakes
Method:
Crush the garlic and salt together. Add the mint, and crush all three ingredients until combined, before mixing them into the yoghurt
Boil the pasta until al dente then stir through the yoghurt mixture and serve.
Fatima’s tip: This child-friendly dish goes nicely with a garnish of pine nuts roasted in butter, or chilli flakes. It works as a side dish or as a meal on its own.
Lentils and rice
Serves 4–6
Ingredients:
1 cup of lentils
1 cup of rice
5 medium onions
½ tsp salt
½ tsp cumin
½ tsp seven spices
Method:
Cover the lentils in water, leaving about an inch of water on top. Boil until the lentils are soft but still hold their shape. A layer of water should remain on top of the lentils when cooked.
Dice four of the onions and cook in a splash of vegetable or olive oil until golden. Run the rice under cold water and drain, then stir it into the onions and fry for 1–2 minutes.
Add the salt, spices, and lentils. Put the kettle on and continue stirring the mixture until the kettle has boiled. Add two cups of boiled water and bring the mixture to the boil, then reduce to a low heat and cover.
Meanwhile, cut the remaining onion into half rings and deep fry in vegetable oil until dark brown and caramelised.
Simmer the rice and lentil mixture until it’s dry and fluffy, then serve and garnish with the deep dried onion pieces.
Fatima’s tip: This dish goes nicely with a side of cucumber and yoghurt. Follow the pasta and yoghurt recipe but cut the yoghurt quantity in half and substitute the pasta for 2–3 diced cucumbers.
Hosted by Metro Assist in partnership with Settlement Services International (SSI), the forum aimed to improve service providers’ understanding of issues affecting refugees in Australia and to create a cooperative response to challenges such as English language barriers, health and family matters and education.
Speaking to an audience of some 100 community service practitioners, SSI CEO Violet Roumeliotis said the challenges refugees face often continue when they arrive in Australia.
“We are constantly looking for new initiatives to increase the value we offer to the vulnerable people we serve, she said. But our end goal is not to deliver services alone – it is to support individuals to find their way in Australia, to be the best they can be, and to help them shine,” she said.
“I firmly believe that working together to connect refugees and asylum seekers with the services they need and make community connections, helps to empower them to reach their full potential so they can live independently and lead happy, meaningful lives.”
Metro Assist CEO, and SSI Board Member, Lou Bacchiella said creating best practice services in this area was critical, because settlement doesn’t happen automatically for refugees.
“For some, personal resilience can see them land on their feet relatively fast, but for others, settlement can take a very long time, and in some cases, the pain of their experience never really leaves them,” he said.
Also speaking at the event, NSW Coordinator-General for Refugee Resettlement Professor Peter Shergold said the Federal Government’s commitment to accept an additional intake of refugees from the Syria and Iraq conflicts provided an opportunity to reflect on what does and doesn’t work well with existing settlement services, and identify any gaps.
“It’s not going to happen overnight but we can start a process now over these next two years of really having the world’s best practice in terms of refugee resettlement,” he said.
This, however, will require the corporate and public sectors to coordinate their efforts with community organisations, and individuals and families, Professor Shergold said.
“Much of this doesn’t require an extra bucket of money,” he said. “It requires imagination, it requires effort, it requires commitment, and it requires emotional intelligence.”
One such cooperative effort is a fund Western Sydney University (UWS) established last year to provide education scholarships for refugees and fee waivers for people on bridging visas.
Professor Shergold, who is the university’s chancellor, said the $500,000 that UWS set aside for the fund had now grown to $1.2 million through the generous support of businesses and the broader community.
In February, Dr Jonud, who has a serious medical condition, attended a SSI Ability Links NSW (ALNSW) presentation at Sydwest Multicultural Services. ALNSW is a program delivered by SSI that supports people with disability aged 9 – 64 years, their families and carers, to live the life they want as valued members of their community.
“I attended the presentation and I immediately thought that Ability Links could give me the help I needed,” she said. “When it finished I ran after the Linker who did the presentation to discuss my idea with her.”
The SSI Linker that presented that day was Ms Seema Syed, who coincidentally speaks Urdu like Dr Jonad. Many of SSI’s Linkers are bilingual and bicultural, making it easier to work with people from all backgrounds and those who may be more isolated due to cultural or language barriers.
Dr Jonad and Ms Syed worked together to map out a pathway to help achieve her dream. Ms Syed found that traditional publishers were not suitable for the situation. She didn’t give up, however, and finally found a suitable alternative; an online writing community where users can publish their work for free.
“I was very lucky to meet Seema, she has been such a great help,” Dr Jonad said. “I uploaded my book online and I got over 500 readers in three months. I couldn’t be happier.”
This outcome pushed Dr Jonad to keep up with her writing and she has already published her second book online.
If you would like to read Dr Jonad book, you can find it here.
SSI delivers ALNSW in over 40 LGAs. If you think ALNSW could help you or someone you know, please contact us to find out if we are in your area: (02) 8713 9200 or abilitylinks@ssi.org.au.
For more stories about SSI Ability Links NSW, follow the Facebook page
Journalist Sarah Malik facilitated the evening and opened the March 29 event by describing the journey of a refugee and asylum seeker as being like that of Jason and the Argonauts — though their quest was Australia, instead of the Golden Fleece.
Four amazing individuals were on the panel for the Inspiring stories of former refugees who made Australia home discussion and, throughout the evening, it became apparent that their common experiences were the power of education, employment and English language.
Hana Sadiq, from Iraq, said from her very first day in Australia she studied English. Ms Sadiq now helps newly arrived students and their families to settle in Australia.
“Language is the key to settling here,” she said.
“Australian English is the hardest English in the world to learn,” said Deng Thiak Adut, who came to Australia from South Sudan. Mr Adut, now a lawyer with his own practice, came to Australia with no knowledge of English.
Having escaped life as a child soldier, he said there were different wars to fight in Australia, and learning English (as well as the cold weather) was one of them.
Watch Speakers’ Series: Inspiring stories of former refugees in full below
{youtube}https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Ia5hJogRWA{/youtube}
Describing himself as the veteran on the panel, having arrived from Vietnam in 1978, Huy Truong said that, although the atmosphere towards refugees was then more positive than it is today, he and his siblings still struggled to fit in and there were even physical fights.
“Without language, every day was a frustration,” Mr Truong said.
The SSI Speakers Series provides opportunities for panel discussions that enhance knowledge and awareness about refugee and asylum seeker issues, and one of the issues discussed was the challenges that they each had to overcome.
Aminata Conteh-Biger was one of the first refugees from Sierra Leone to be accepted into Australia in 2000. Although very sociable by nature, her trauma caused her to become introverted, she said, and she struggled and felt isolated for a long time.
Now, every day provided a choice and “no” was not an option for her. “If someone says I can’t do something, I try even harder,” Ms Conteh-Biger said.
Mr Adut said he would never be able to explain how hard it was when he first arrived, but there were so many opportunities and he grabbed them all.
“Work hard and you’ll get there,” he said. “Australia truly is rich in everything, so take advantage of all the opportunities there are.”
Between them, Mr Truong’s parents worked 24 hours a day as factory shift workers. That strong work ethic spurred him on to succeed, contribute back to the country that accepted his family, and not waste the opportunity given to him to grow up in a safe place.
“Having come from a refugee background, that gave us a strong sense of self-reliance and a different perspective on life — you can’t really complain about ‘having a bad day’,” Mr Truong said.
Unfortunately, Mr Truong had to leave before the evening was over, but the one message the other three guests wanted to leave was what it meant to be a refugee.
Ms Conteh-Biger: “Be compassionate — there is not a deep enough understanding in Australia of why people are seeking refuge here. People don’t risk their children and their lives by putting them on a boat for no reason.”
Mr Adut: “Do not judge refugees. In fact they should be welcomed as heroes.”
Ms Sadiq: “It is difficult and they face hard times but, with support, employment and English, they will overcome them and thrive.”
“I started with the SSI Work for the Dole program in August last year,” Mr Blackwell said. “I began in the Community Kitchen SSI runs at Addison Road Community Centre in Marrickville, but soon they started giving me experience with the other program, Humble Creatives, and that is how I got here.”
His positive and hard-working attitude didn’t go unnoticed by the program managers. Once Mr Blackwell finished his compulsory hours of Work for the Dole, one of his supervisors encouraged him to interview for an upcoming position with the program.
Terry Wilson, SSI Employment Services Manager, said Mr Blackwell came to work every day on time and with a great attitude.
“When the program started growing and we opened a team assistant position, we all thought Chris would make a perfect fit,” Mr Wilson said.
Mr Blackwell attributes his fate to the personal connection he felt with the SSI program and its staff, who encouraged him to attend the sessions regularly.
“The SSI Work for the Dole programs are not boring at all; the organisers and staff are engaging, and I looked forward to going back every time, which was key in facilitating my return to the workforce.”
Mr Blackwell’s position with Humble Creatives started in December 2015 and he has two key responsibilities. On the one hand, he does market research to explore new products that would provide new skills for job seekers as well as being suitable for sale for the social enterprise.
On the other hand, he supervises the performance of job-seekers, making sure they arrive on time, sign their timesheet, and learn new skills each day. This also involves supporting job-seekers in pursuing their professional goals and finding something related to their interests.
“The challenging part is making sure everyone is occupied with something to do and involved in the activity of the day,” he said.
But Mr Blackwell remembers the feeling of pride he felt when he helped one a long-term unemployed job-seeker undertaking SSI’s Work for the Dole program to find a job as a concierge in a city hotel.
“He had been unemployed for a long time and he wasn’t enjoying life,” Mr Blackwell said. “I understood how he felt, because I had also been there.”
“Having been a job seeker helps me in the sense that I can relate to a lot of it what the Work for the Dole participants have been going through”.
Family fun for Blacktown North Public School playgroup at Luna Park.
Settlement Services International is the support agency for Community Hubs in NSW, where 12 Hubs are located in three local government areas.
Twenty-one people in nine families from Blacktown North benefited from a very enjoyable day out — an event that seemed most unlikely when newly appointed Community Hub Leader Hasret Mehmedali took up the challenge to organise a trip in her first week at work.
Hasret spotted the opportunity on the Playgroups NSW website when searching for ways to start a playgroup.
When Hasret suggested the idea to Blacktown North Principal Carmen Cefai, she thought it was “crazy”, given there was only a couple of weeks to plan. But she simply said, “If you can achieve this, you will win these families over.”
That became Hasret’s mission. Planning required meeting the school community, starting a playgroup and building rapport with families to gauge and invite them to join the playgroup and to go on the trip.
Within a week, Hasret established strong connections with the families and attracted huge interest in the trip. The families agreed to contribute to the travel costs to and from Luna Park.
However, after finding out actual costs for a bus, Hasret thought that the entire trip would fail as she was faced with the new challenge of raising sufficient funds to subsidise the trip.
After speaking to a few agencies, without success, Hasret called Playgroups NSW who put her in contact with a generous sponsor who donated the total costs of transport for the day.
“The children were impeccably behaved on the bus to Luna Park,” said Hasret. “Even the driver commented on how quiet the trip was! Once we arrived at the park, families oohed and aahed at the iconic sights of Sydney, posed for a group photo and headed into the park.”
The group was directed to the Big Top to enjoy many performances, including Playschool and Hi5. Hasret said it was wonderful to see the families enjoy their time with their children while singing along and engaging with each act.
After the performances, there were many other things to see. There was a Lego Duplo exhibit, Play-Doh, Crayola stands and rides for children to play and explore. This kept the families and children busy for hours, interacting and having fun together.
The children were also treated to free face painting and balloons and an opportunity to meet the farm animals at the petting zoo.
On the way home, the bus was awfully quiet, and many parents carried their children off the bus asleep in their arms, indicating a great day was had by all.
The parents expressed their appreciation to be part of such a wonderful experience. And, although exhausting, it was very rewarding for the new Hub Leader.
Hasret not only won the hearts of the families, but also now has a large attendance each week at the school’s playgroup.