Sitting in the kitchen with my mum a few weeks ago, I had the immense privilege of telling her that on January 26 I would be appointed a Member of the Order of Australia for significant service to the community, particularly in the area of refugee support.

The intersection between ancient cultures was at the heart of a trailblazing paper by two SSI staff members at one of Australia’s leading multicultural conferences last week.

To honour the Indigenous community, women from Colyton Community Hub came together during NAIDOC to share their love in the best way they know: through delicious food and amazing hospitality.

Reflecting on times of great pain, strength and resilience, Settlement Services International (SSI) staff and local community members gathered at SSI’s Community Hub at Colyton Public School, to walk down the long path of forgiveness in recognition of Sorry Day.

Progressing towards a unified Australia — where inclusion and belonging are the rule, not the exception — requires us to create a space where we respect each other. Respect breeds acceptance, which in turn establishes trust. Only when all three elements are in place can we move forward and truly walk together.

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.

Sunday July 8 signalled the start of NAIDOC Week 2018, a time in which SSI celebrates the past, present and future contributions of our nation’s Indigenous people and their heritage. This year’s theme was ‘Because of her, we can’, which provided a fantastic opportunity to recognise the past and current contributions of Indigenous women to Australian society.

June has been an incredible month for SSI, our volunteers and our settling families in Armidale, marking Refugee Week, Volunteer Week and many more great events and initiatives.

Welcome to ’Sam’s Space’, my space, where in each edition of SSI’s Community News Armidale, I’ll be keeping you briefed on the latest projects, events, discussions and services led and supported by SSI, in the Armidale community.

One hundred and thirty-four newcomers and five ambassadors have already participated in Welcome2Sydney activities designed to make refugees and asylum seekers feel welcome and more connected to their new home.

Six projects supporting refugee communities in south-west Sydney have today received a boost from not-for-profit Settlement Services International’s $50,000 Community Innovation Fund. SSI announced today the first six recipients of grants from the ground-breaking fund, which honours the unsung heroes who contribute to Australian society by offering grassroots support to newly arrived members of the community.

Eighteen women from almost as many communities, including participants nominated by SSI, graduated on June 5 from a new community leadership program.

Affordable housing - why is it so hard to find and how do we work together to fill the gap? 

Hundreds of SSI staff, clients, volunteers and friends gathered on March 22 at Auburn Centre for Community to celebrate Australia’s vibrant and multicultural society with a joint Harmony Day and Nowruz event.

We all know how active we are as an organisation, but these last few weeks have been especially busy with outcomes and events that I‘m very much looking forward to sharing with you.

Multicultural women contribute unique skills and talents to Australian society, but more collaboration between sectors is vital to help women from CALD backgrounds thrive in Australia.

This Friday marks the one-year anniversary of the Federal Government’s announcement that Australia would resettle an additional 12,000 refugees fleeing conflicts in Syria and Iraq.

SSI led the “Every child has a culture” forum in Bankstown, on June 21, emphasising the importance of cultural recognition and diversity in out-of-home care.

At the New Beginnings: Refugee Arts & Culture Festival 2016, the fun won’t end with the music and dance performances. A host of original workshops will also expose attendees to new experiences ranging from relaxing yoga with sacred Aboriginal sounds to vibrant African dance and drumming.