‘Art in the Hills’ is one of the longest running annual art exhibitions in Sydney. For 44 years, Oakhill College has hosted the exhibition to engage the community by inspiring and developing an appreciation of the arts. This year, the Hills District and beyond, will be inspired by the works of two artists of refugee background, Bassam Jabar and Victor Youssef.

SSI Youth Collective steering committee member Sarah Yahya added another award to her collection of accolades when presented with the Premier’s Multicultural Youth Award last week. Sarah, her mother and sister, came to Australia as refugees from Iraq in 2007. The family had spent seven years in Jordan after fleeing Iraq suddenly in the middle of the night when Sarah’s father was arrested.

Waking up to the voices of news broadcasts from three different radios, and sometimes also the television, is an almost daily ritual for Felix Bennett. Some mornings, Mr Bennett hears a sports story that he has submitted and he gets a rush of excitement. “It makes me happy for the day and makes me feel special,” Mr Bennett said about hearing his story on the radio.

Communities in Wollongong and Parramatta enjoyed free events to celebrate the "official" arrival of the Ability Links NSW (ALNSW) program and to meet their local ‘Linkers’. Both events incorporated great local musicians, inspiring speeches, and fun with selfies, chalk boards, hand print signs and henna.

After months of hard work since its inception in July 2014, the start of 2015 saw almost 20 launches of the Ability Links NSW program, culminating in the major Parramatta and Wollongong events. SSI is proud to be funded by the NSW Government to implement this program in partnership with UnitingCare and St Vincent de Paul throughout NSW; a program that will help change the lives of people with disability, their families and carers.

SSI began searching for a suitable office in the Bankstown area in September 2014, to accommodate staff and service needs of the SRSS program, the Multicultural Foster Care Service and Ability Links NSW, along with meeting, interview, training and function rooms. “(SSI General Manager) Peter Zographakis suggested that we check out a brand new site called Little Saigon Plaza, which was so good that we assumed it would be too expensive for SSI to lease in,” said Janine Stainer, SSI Facilities and Operations Manager.

Celebrations as an SSI client was ‘Highly Commended’ was a highlight for a group of SSI staff and clients who attended the 2015 Zest Awards at ANZ Stadium on February 19. SSI was nominated in two categories for two Community Engagement initiatives, Community Kitchen and Playtime.

The 2015 program of the SSI Community Music Program for refugees and asylum seekers living within the community began in the last week of February. The sessions, which are based on creative music therapy, are facilitated by a registered music therapist (RMT) from Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapy Australia.

It was a distressing event based on fear and miscommunication in 2010 that was the impetus for Sally Sussman to devise the show that is Origin-Transit-Destination. Ms Sussman is Australian Performance Exchange (APE) Artistic Director and over three performances her latest show will take participants on a journey­ in the company of extraordinary asylum seekers from Middle East warzones.

Radical appeal: Young people and religious extremism Recent events have thrown a spotlight on religious extremism and its enactment through violent acts. Government, media and the public have shown concern at the vulnerability of young Muslims towards the influence of extremist ideology. This Speakers’ Series explores why young people in contemporary Australia might be attracted to an extreme religious ideology.

On Tuesday, February 24, 10 Migrant Resource Centres and Multicultural Services across NSW will host free events for the local community to come together in a show of solidarity. A united voice will be on display through activities such as forums, discussions, soccer games, sausage sizzles and performances by local musicians.

NSW Minister for Citizenship and Communities, Victor Dominello, donned an apron to cook up a free lunch for up a group of asylum seekers at the SSI Community Kitchen in Auburn. Mr Dominello, whose grandparents migrated to Australia from Italy, said he was honoured to meet with asylum seekers, SSI employees and volunteers, and to have the opportunity to share his love of cooking with them.

This Speakers’ Series will explore how and why young Muslims might be feeling disenfranchised within the Australian community and attracted to an extreme religious ideology. What has been done? What can be done? Join us for an evening of engaging discussion that will explore these current and complicated issues.

Thank you Premier Mike Baird. Your comments at a recent Australia Day function in support of refugees and asylum seekers were positive reinforcement for all of us who work to help these people make the most of their lives in Australia. I had the pleasure of hearing Mr Baird say emphatically that NSW was in a position to support more refugees and asylum seekers and that the state would welcome them.

SSI was busy throughout December–January celebrating the achievements of Ability Links NSW and introducing the program to local communities. Ability Links NSW (ALNSW) supports people with a disability, their families and carers to live the life they want, as valued members of their community.

Multicultural NSW gifted Settlement Services International (SSI) 200 tickets to the 2015 AFC Asian Cup for our refugee and asylum seeker clients, who have so far enjoyed the tournament immensley.  A large majority of SSI’s clients are from soccer-loving nations, and this will be a great opportunity for people who feel far away from their families and old friends to watch a live game between world-class players.

SSI donated a pharmacy vaccine refrigerator to the Asylum Seeker Centre (ASC), so that the centre can provide free vaccines to those asylum seekers who are not covered by Medicare. During a meeting convened by Refugee Health and attended by David Keegan, SSI Manager Humanitarian Services, it was revealed that some groups of asylum seekers did not have access to important vaccinations, such as immunisations for children.

SSI CEO Violet Roumeliotis has added her voice to a call by NSW Police and the Premier for calm and vigilance in the aftermath of today’s sad events at Martin Place. “The tragic outcome of the hostage situation in Martin Place has shaken everyone in our community.

Settlement Services International CEO Violet Roumeliotis has been named in Pro Bono Australia’s Impact 25 list of the most influential people working in the not-for-profit sector in 2014. Ms Roumeliotis was chosen in the top 25 from 200 people working in the sector, by more than 3,600 Pro Bono Australia readers who voted.

‘Tis the season for giving and membersof Hillsong Church have continued their generous support for SSI’s asylum seeker clients with donations of food and gifts for children and families. The church has supplied Christmas presents for about 100 children in Sydney who are seeking asylum, as well as food hampers for families.