For generations, Australia has given refugees fleeing war and persecution a chance to rebuild their lives in safety. One million refugees have made that journey since World War Two, and they’ve become us.
Teachers, nurses, business owners, neighbours, community leaders, colleagues, and settlement workers who now welcome the next generation.
This is the cycle of welcome that has quietly built modern Australia, one generation supporting the next.
The cycle of welcome isn’t abstract. It’s lived by real people every day.
One in five SSI staff are former refugees who understand what it takes to start over because they’ve done it themselves.
Meet some of them.
From orientation participant to Orientation Leader
When Joseph arrived in Australia as a refugee in 2014, an SSI welcome team was waiting. He didn’t know it then, but that moment would define his life. Ten years on, Joseph is the one standing at the door making sure every newcomer feels exactly what he once felt: seen, supported, and full of hope.
From Afghanistan to Project Coordinator
Razia’s journey differs from many refugees. An accomplished academic and professional, Razia came to Australia through a complementary pathway, sponsored by SSI to bring her expertise to our operations. Today, she’s proof that welcome benefits everyone – refugees, employers and communities alike.
From seeking support to providing it
Tea came to Australia with her mother, navigating a new country largely on their own. Now she ensures new arrivals have the support she wished for when she first arrived.
Spend a day with Tea.
These milestones celebrate what’s possible when Australia chooses welcome.
Figures refer to refugees supported by SSI settlement programs (FY20/21–FY25/26).
Welcome isn’t charity. It’s how Australia grows stronger with every generation.
This cycle of belonging strengthens our economy, enriches our culture, and shapes our national identity.
Refugees arrive in Australia seeking safety and opportunity after being forced from their homes due to war, violence or persecution.
With support from organisations like SSI, they rebuild their lives by learning English, finding work, raising families, and establishing roots in their communities.
They become teachers, healthcare workers, business owners, and community leaders who fill skilled workforce gaps, start businesses, volunteer, and strengthen the social fabric of their communities.
They become the welcomers themselves, using their lived experience to guide the next generation, strengthening the communities that once embraced them and reflecting the shared responsibility at the heart of Australian life.
Australia’s story of welcome is built by everyday people who choose to extend opportunity, understanding, and support. Here’s how you can be part of it.
Your contribution helps create opportunities for newcomers finding their footing.
SSI is one of Australia’s largest refugee resettlement providers, supporting thousands of refugees every year to rebuild their lives and contribute to Australian society.
For over 25 years, we’ve helped people find housing, learn English, secure employment, access education and healthcare, and build the connections that turn a new country into home. We’ve supported families through their most challenging moments and celebrated with them as they achieve independence, pursue their dreams, and give back to their communities.
At SSI, we believe everyone in Australia deserves access to equal opportunities. With decades of experience serving diverse and multicultural communities, we deliver essential services and work for local and global systems change.
