Expo puts refugees on path to employment

Dress for success and their suited maniquine. 

Employment is integral in the settlement journey for newly arrived refugees, migrants and people seeking asylum. It provides a valuable pathway to achieving independence. To highlight the opportunities available to new arrivals, SSI partnered with a number of specialist organisations to hold a targeted employment expo.

A young mother from Iraq, Sabha, had been in Australia just two weeks, but said she attended the event to gain knowledge about entering the Australian workforce.

“I would like to find work in the near future when my children are old enough to attend school and it is helpful to get some information about how I could do this and what work I could find,” she said.

The expo took place at SSI’s Community Kitchen – a fortnightly intercultural lunch event bringing together new and established communities. More than 10 specialist organisations participated, including Dress for Success, Navitas, Macquarie Community College, Centrelink, Fighting Chance and Futureability

Before a delicious Persian lunch was served, organisations shared tips and advice for jobseekers. Topics covered included; CV support, understanding worker’s rights and self-care when job seeking.

“Employment provides a valuable pathway to achieving independence and is integral to new arrival’s settlement journey. The Employment Expo was a fantastic opportunity to bring providers together and share accessible information on how individuals can be supported in their search for employment,” said SSI Director Employment Services and Social Enterprise, Kylie van Luyn.

Learn more about Community Kitchen here