The generosity of everyday Australians is significantly improving the experiences of refugees and people seeking asylum living in the Australian community, according to a leader from the humanitarian settlement sector. Speaking at the start of National Volunteer Week, Settlement Services International (SSI) CEO Violet Roumeliotis said the actions of volunteers had a profound effect on the lives of people fleeing war and persecution.

Volunteers come from all walks of life but one thing they have in common is a generosity of spirit that drives them to give up their time to help vulnerable individuals.

People volunteer for many reasons: altruism, corporate social responsibility, free time. For Naila Yousid, her experience resettling in Australia as a refugee prompted her to become a volunteer.

Like many Australians, Natalie Tsirimokos watched the global refugee crisis gain momentum in 2015 and felt compelled to act. “I spent a lot of time thinking about how I could help, so I began researching local not for profits,” she said.

Peter Rose’s experience volunteering with SSI has shown him many of the challenges that refugees and people seeking asylum face as they try to join the workforce in Australia.  Mr Rose said that an obvious reason was their lack of English, but there are others that are not as apparent.

A cooking enthusiast who is seeking asylum in Australia has capitalised on his volunteering experience with SSI to secure a restaurant job. For the past two years, Mostafa has cooked and provided support at Settlement Services International’s (SSI) fortnightly Community Kitchen at the Auburn Centre for Community.

Being a volunteer involves a high level of commitment, but it is thanks to those who can commit that some of the most beautiful causes in the world become possible. Volunteers are usually firm believers in a cause; they are trustworthy, professional and kind-hearted.

Australia has a proud tradition in volunteerism, as shown by a remarkable 36 per cent of the population aged 18 and over who regularly offer their time to support others, and those who volunteer for SSI are prime examples. The options for aspiring volunteers are endless, although sport, community and education have long maintained their status as the most popular recipients of the volunteering efforts of Australians.

Volunteering is a way of life for Charlotte Mullens, who says giving back to the community gives her the drive to succeed. A regular volunteer for SSI’s Community Engagement program, Charlotte has helped to mentor young refugees, support young mothers to learn English, and she is a regular supporter of SSI’s Community Kitchen events.

Language is an important element of any culture, and being able to speak the local language can make the difference between participating in a new community, or isolation. With this is mind, SSI has offered regular English classes for people seeking asylum.  All participants in the English classes were people who received case management support from SSI’s Status Resolution Support Services (SRSS) program.

Every Friday for the last nine weeks, morning commuters have bustled through Circular Quay on their way to work, oblivious to a group of men dressed in gardening clothes and walking shoes who excitedly await their ferry.

During Volunteer Week, on May 12, SSI held a lunch to celebrate and express its huge gratitude to the wonderful volunteers who help the organisation support its clients every day. SSI has about 170 volunteers who have provided a great range of support.

June Simpson “I was a school counsellor, I specialised in emotional disturbance, and when I retired three years ago, I wanted to work with asylum seekers. I saw an article in The Sydney Morning Herald about SSI setting up a soccer team. I thought, what a great idea, giving asylum seekers a sense of purpose and inclusion.

Rami El-Edan came to Australia as a refugee and now, two years on, he’s studying community service and helping other new arrivals as a student placement Social Support Volunteer at SSI. Rami was born in Iraq and fled to Jordan with his family because they were being persecuted for their Mandaean religion. After two years there, at age 23, his family was granted protection by Australia.

Theresa Saade, from Lebanon, is studying for a double diploma in counselling and community service in Sydney and has been completing her student placement as a Social Support Volunteer at SSI . Ms Saade, who lives with extended family in Sydney, said she felt her volunteer role supporting newly arrived refugees with their settlement was valuable for SSI clients as well as her self. 

An SSI case manager joined a diverse panel at the “Volunteering for All - Trends and Tips” forum last month to discuss and explore the positive effects of volunteering. The forum was hosted by NSW peak body The Centre for Volunteering at Customs House, on March 25. SSI case manager Marcela Hart, who was nominated to sit on the panel by colleagues, said the event had a particular focus on building the capacity of the volunteer sector to recognise, respect, manage and support people from diverse backgrounds.

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SSI Gambling Harm Prevention Program Coordinator, Marziyah Razi shares her journey arriving in Australia as a refugee and how her past experiences have influenced and motivated her efforts at SSI. As a dedicated volunteer, Marziyah also shares how she builds strong connections within the Afghan-Australian community in Melbourne. Tell us about your resettlement journey? My […]