New advocacy body to be the voice of NSW multicultural youth

Settlement Services International (SSI) has today announced the establishment of an independent multicultural youth organisation to focus on the needs of youth from refugee and migrant backgrounds.

SSI is the largest provider of refugee settlement services in NSW and a representative body for 11 migrant resource centres and multicultural services.

SSI CEO Violet Roumeliotis said: “The establishment of Multicultural Youth NSW responds to an unmet need for an organisation focused on the unique needs of multicultural youth and to assist young people from a refugee background to have a voice in their State.

“By providing initial funding for the new organisation, SSI is committed to providing leadership in the establishment of better awareness and services for youth from a multicultural and refugee background. SSI and existing partners make up a large percentage of organisations delivering services to this client group in NSW and have identified a need to respond in a coordinated way.”

The proposal to establish the organisation was unanimously endorsed last month by NSW MRCs and multicultural services.

“We plan to pool the resources of SSI and multicultural organisations to form a new self-funded entity within 12-18 months. SSI will initially auspice the organisation and we will shortly name a steering committee,” Ms Roumeliotis added.

A specialist youth project coordinator will run the organisation’s day-to-day operations with support from a steering committee made up of three young people as well as representatives from youth organisations,  MRCs and SSI.

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For more information: SSI Marketing and Communications Manager, Angela Calabrese 0401 284 828