Refugee salon owner rebuilds career from apprentice to successful business owner in Australia
When Iranian-born Mary Logan sought refuge in Australia, she hoped to continue her work in hair and beauty. However, her overseas experience and qualifications were not recognised, forcing the salon owner and manager to begin again as an apprentice.
From the CEO: Anniversaries highlight Australia’s welcoming spirit
February marks two anniversaries that highlight the generosity and success of Australia’s approach to refugee resettlement.
High-achieving refugee becomes university student peer researcher
When Abdallah Al Tibi and his family had packed their belongings in 2012 to seek temporary refuge from Syria in bordering Jordan, they did not anticipate that they’d never return, and packed for only two weeks.
Response to Shergold refugee settlement review*
Leading agency calls for immediate action * Investing in Refugees, Investing in Australia: the findings of a Review into Integration, Employment and Settlement Outcomes for Refugees and Humanitarian Entrants in Australia. Settlement Services International (SSI), one of Australia’s largest refugee settlement agencies, calls for three immediate actions in response to today’s report, citing employment and community models in their Regional Settlement Strategy as key to future success.
From the CEO: Best wishes for a compassionate, fulfilling holiday season
The holiday season at SSI always brings to the fore the warmth and compassion that exists within our community. In contrast to the commercialism often intertwined with the gift-giving season are the actions of folk like the Blue Mountains Refugee Support Group and Ashfield Public School P&C ― just two of the many groups who, in recent weeks, have delivered gifts for the individuals and families SSI supports.
New data illustrates SSI’s community impact
SSI staff made a positive difference in the lives of nearly 27,000 people who came through the doors of the organisation’s four primary offices during the most recent financial reporting period, SSI CEO Violet Roumeliotis told SSI’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Sydney last week.
From the CEO – Private sector’s inspiring efforts to help refugees
As the New Year ticked over, a common theme in reflections on 2016 was the adversity the year brought with it. Along with the loss of popular icons such as David Bowie, Harper Lee and Leonard Cohen, we experienced unprecedented global events, like Brexit and the mass migration of people seeking safety, and saw escalating violence in areas such as Syria and South Sudan.
Working together to support CALD families in the Hunter
SSI and Northern Settlement Services, members of the Hunter Multicultural Advisory Committee, were integral in facilitating the CALD Child Protection Forum held in Newcastle last week.
From the CEO: We can learn from others
I want to talk about an African woman, a single mother, who has five children and had never set foot outside of her small village until she was forced to flee as a refugee. The humanitarian crisis that gripped her home included all the horrors that are too common to refugees around the world.
Free community-based legal help reaches new arrivals
A partnership between Legal Aid NSW and settlement services provider Settlement Services International (SSI) has been effective in providing free legal assistance to recent arrivals and migrants, especially in Sydney’s west, an independent review has found. Almost 2,200 services were provided to clients in the first year of the project and the partners today signed an undertaking to continue the successful collaboration.