Hello and welcome to the first edition of Settlement Services International’s (SSI) Coffs Harbour Community News! My name is Lisa Steward and I’m SSI’s Community Engagement Coordinator for the Coffs Harbour area.
Since arriving in Australia three months ago, a Syrian family now living in Blacktown has been exploring the City of Sydney with Welcome2Sydney ambassadors, helping them become more familiar with the city and more confident about visiting locations independently.
Read more: Welcome2Sydney helps newcomers interact with multicultural city
Language is considered one of the main challenges newcomers face when they settle in a new country.
Read more: Welcome2Sydney sparks cross-cultural conversations in beautiful city
The JobActive team at Settlement Services International (SSI) was recognised on August 23 for maintaining a five-star rating for two consecutive years.
The settlement journey has continued for our 23 families in Armidale this July, with special emphasis on working directly with newcomer leaders and youth to establish their interests and support them in what they hope to achieve in Armidale. I’ve also had new opportunities to meet more of the amazing community groups around Armidale, who are excited to explore ways of helping our new families settle.
Read more: Sam's Space - Armidale Community News for July 2018
Welcome2Sydney is a new project, co-designed by City of Sydney and SSI, introducing newcomers to Sydney and its residents, and to the city’s history, culture and diverse communities.
Read more: New arrivals inspired by visit to Australian Museum
As part of Refugee Week 2018 celebrations, Settlement Services International (SSI) hosted public screenings of The Staging Post in regional Armidale and at the Australian National Maritime Museum (ANMM) in Sydney. The screenings fostered a positive narrative about refugees and resettlement in local and regional communities.
Read more: Public film screenings bring communities together during Refugee Week
Rashays Casual Dining recently announced that “by 2019 all Rashays restaurants will be deaf friendly.”
Read more: Punchbowl restaurant changes lives through inclusion
At 17, Paz Roman was nominated as Young Australian of the Year, mostly for her volunteer work. Ironically, she wasn’t an Australian. She came here from Chile as a refugee with her family when she was just a baby, and despite living in Australia since then, she struggled with the idea of becoming a citizen.
