Intercultural Sports Day Project – “United We Play”
CALD Domestic Violence Project
Muslim YES (Youth Employment Strategy) – Program & DVD Launch
A1. Southern Sydney Tenants’ Advise & Advocacy Service (SSTAAS)
The SSTAAS is part of a network of state wide Tenancy Advice and Advocacy Services funded by the Office of Fair Trading. The SSTAAS provides a range of advice and advocacy services to tenants in the Canterbury, Bankstown, St George and Sutherland regions. Some of the casework assistance offered by SSTAAS includes:
Bond disputes & compensation claims
Repairs and maintenance issues such as roof leaks, broken-down hot water systems and mould
Compensation/rent reduction claims
Termination of tenancy on grounds of rental arrears (DOH and Private)
Other types of casework dealt with by SSTAAS includes repairs, rent increases, bond disputes, general tenancy rights and obligations, compensation, rent reduction and early termination.
The aim of this Department of Immigration and Citizenship funded project, is to assist newly arrived Arabic speaking migrants, refugees and humanitarian entrants who reside in Canterbury-Bankstown and Central Western Sydney, with a particular emphasis on women. This project is a non-denominational one, which works across all Arabic speakers from the target groups.
The project commenced in October 2002 with services being provided from the CBMRC’s office in Campsie three days per week and from the CBMRC’s office in Bankstown one day per week. The two main components of the project are casework and community capacity building.
The provision of professional, efficient and accurate casework services offering advice and information is an essential aspect of the project work. In summary, supporting clients by providing information and direct assistance on a range of other issues such as accommodation/housing, immigration, and employment & training, English classes, tenancy and income support; providing advocacy, liaison, referral and information over the phone; writing support letters and making telephone calls on behalf of clients to different agencies and government departments; providing assistance with housing as an advocate for clients; providing assistance as an advocate for clients helping to solve clients’ problems with Centrelink, Legal, Police, English, Tafe, and employment.
For more information on this program, please contact Hoda Nahlous on hoda@cbmrc.org.au.
A3. Humanitarian and Refugee Settlement Program
This Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) funded projects provides expert refugee and humanitarian entrants’ specific work in CBMRC once people have exited the Integrated Humanitarian Settlement Program. The project assists newly arrived refugees and humanitarian entrants by providing direct services, information, referral, case-management services, community support structures and representing settlement issues to mainstream service providers to improve access and responsiveness to settlement needs and barriers, including clients from Africa (e.g. Sudanese, Ethiopia and Somali), Indian Subcontinent, Iraq, Bosnia and Iran in Canterbury, Bankstown and Inner Western regions. This year DIAC funded the project to extend to the Inner West region with a successful outreach provided from Burwood Community Welfare Centre half a day per week.
A more recent highlight of this project is the productive discussions and consultations with real estate agents in Inner Western Sydney. The discussions have, indeed been very positive where the project has had the opportunity to highlight and detail the cultures, plight and backgrounds of the project’s target groups. It has also stressed the experiences of the target group in getting accommodation in the private rental sector In that; the project encouraged a collective and positive approach and continuous dialogue with the view of improving and/or addressing this crucial housing issue.
For more information, please contact Mr Atef Hamie on atef@cbmrc.org.au.
A4. Small and Emerging Communities’ Settlement Program
The Small and Emerging Communities’ (SEC) Project assists refugee and other communities. This includes coordination of the SEC Hub by providing office space to the Sudanese and Sierra Leone communities and ongoing support and resources. The project also implements information sessions on different topics such as immigration, social security and general settlement issues.
Casework is provided from our two offices: Campsie and Bankstown. Immigration issues make up a large degree of the enquiries in the last twelve months. Most of the assistance was form filling, migration referrals and assistance with writing documents such as letters and submissions regarding spouse, skilled and refugee visas.
The project resources 34 groups and associations representing the African, Pacific and Indian Subcontinent by mailing information relevant to their communities such as training, funding opportunities, festivals and events organised by CBMRC. In particular the Project supports active small groups like the Tongan Community Support Services Inc. through the provision of community development advice; special joint projects; and logistics support. The project also runs a free English conversation class for small and emerging communities, coordinates the SEC Hub, the Tamil and African Women’s Support Groups and the Community Leadership Training Project.
For more information, please contact Mr Se Gun Song on segun@cbmrc.org.au.
A5. Youth Mentoring Settlement Program
This DIAC funded program is an application of the PACIFIC Special Tutorial Assistance Program (STAP) that the CBMRC had previously trialled at Wiley Park Public School. STAP is an early intervention program aimed at helping and supporting students and families to enhance educational achievement and to address issues, which often create greater problems for young people.
The casework, referral and information services component of the Youth Mentoring Project includes an outreach service, at the Bankstown Senior College as well as an outreach service at the Ashfield Early Childhood Cntre.
The top 5 issues this program assists with are, i) Poverty alleviation which includes assistance with Telstra bills as well as electricity and energy bills; ii) health, including men’s health and dental health; iii) Youth issues including relationships with peers as well as relationships with parents and other adults; iv) parenting skills issues and v) Immigration information;.
The program is successfully applying the PACIFIC STAP 3 pronged strategy of education for children and youth, parenting skills and mentoring from CALD backgrounds across a range of school settings in the catchment area.
This program is a result of partnership between the schools and the centre, finalised after consultation with the school principals. The schools completely support the project through provision of the venue and needed facilities for the activities of the project. This includes access and usage of kitchen facilities, classrooms, library and the sports ground.
A pool of about 15 project volunteers continues to support the students’ project and the early
intervention program has also been running well with support from parents who are committed to attending the sessions.
For a period of about 6 months in 2006, there were Dinka language classes which had helped in language learning and cultural activities for the young people and families participating in the project.
The Sports and Recreation component of the project has attracted a big number of youths in the area to participate because it caters for all groups in the area. This will work as an encouragement to youths both in skills and physical development for the future.
In partnership with smaller community groups the CBMRC runs thematic workshops for young people and their families in the Canterbury and Bankstown areas. Themes for these workshops include i) Impact of Drug and Alcohol on individuals and families; ii) Building Stronger families through promoting positive communication techniques; iii) ‘The Big Release’ – Managing emotions and Resolving conflicts. The idea behind these community partnerships is to ensure that services to the youths as well as their families are delivered in relevant and culture appropriate frameworks.
The Australian Tax Office supported, Tax Help program is now in its 14th year of providing Tax help services for low income and disadvantaged clients. Over the years it has helped pensioners, the unemployed, low income earners, people from a CALD background, people with a disability and indigenous people to complete their tax returns during the tax return time from July to October every year.
Poverty Alleviation Services
The CBMRC is an approved agent for the distribution of EAPA Vouchers, a form of financial assistance towards a telephone or electricity bill for people in crisis. Telstra Vouchers are provided to the Centre through the Smith Family. These prove highly useful and necessary for many tenants, refugees and humanitarian entrants and CALD new arrivals.
All projects across the Centre have access to and distribute vouchers to clients within their briefs. The poverty alleviation services provided by the Centre and central to all service streams in that we always allocate all those vouchers that are issued to the Centre. Further, we have sought several additional emergency allocations to meet the demand across the Centre.
Together with the vouchers, CBMRC works closely with charitable agencies, housing providers and Centrelink to ensure that people are living above the poverty line. We have also through 2006 provided clients, with second hand household goods, white goods, linen and other much needed items for our clients. Some of these goods have been donated by Staff, individuals associated with the Centre and Mansours.
Migration Advice Services
The Centre continues to provide free qualified Migration Advice through its Registered Migration Agent, with many years experience. Advice is provided through an appointment-based system or within the existing casework of staff.
Bilingual/Specialist Casework and Support Services
Bilingual Sessional Services are an essential part of CBMRC operations. Services are provided by key agencies covering a cross section of issues from settlement to disability issues. Please see the table below for an outline of the services being provided from the Centre.
Day
Language / Services
Name
Time
Monday
Italian
Chinese Parents Association
Chinese (CASS)
Ethiopian
Nicoletta
Pinkie
Betty
Assefa
9. 00 - 12.00 pm (Second Monday)
9.30 - 5.00 pm
9.00 - 5.00 pm
9.00 - 4.00 pm
Tuesday
Vietnamese
Auburn Asian Welfare Centre
Palastinian
Nga
Kefah
9.00 - 4.00 pm
9.00 - 5.00 pm
Wednesday
Chinese Gospel Fellowship
Spanish
Indonesian Community Council of NSW Inc.
Irene
Nubia
Suhandi
9.00 - 5.00 pm
10.00 - 4.00 pm
10.00 - 4.00 pm
Thursday
Well Women’s Clinic
Jo
9.30 - 3.30pm
By Appointment
Friday
Chinese Parents Association
of NSW
Indonesian Community Council of NSW Inc.
Burmese
Bangladeshi
Pinkie
Yani
Elizabeth
Mushami
9.30 - 5.00 pm
10.00 - 3.00 pm
9.00 - 5.00 pm (1st & 2nd Friday)
9.00 - 1.00 pm
Justice of the Peace Services
CBMRC offers Justice of the Peace services to many clients who come to see us for applications to DIAC, tenancy matters, qualification recognition and other documentation processing where certification of copies is required. The in-house Justice of the Peace service compliments the work of CBMRC and saves clients the time and trouble of having to go to another service or office to get their documents officially certified.
Well Women's Health Clinic
The long established Well Women’s Health Clinic is a highly successful result of an active partnership between Leichhardt Women’s Health Centre, NSW Adult Migrant English Service, Sydney South West Area Health Service and CBMRC.
The clinic provided FREE service for women every Thursday from 9.30am – 4pm. The nurses do health checks and provide advice and information on a wide range of women’s health issues. Sexual health check ups: pap smears, breast checks, pregnancy tests, contraception, post natal checks, menopause etc.; Emotional Health: depression, anxiety, quit smoking, referrals regarding domestic violence etc. There are interpreters available.
For appointments call the CBMRC on 9789 3744
A8. Community Capacity Building Services
The CBMRC considers that Community Capacity Building Services are vital to any successful and holistic intervention when assisting communities to improve their lives. The following programs are some examples of CBMRC’s work in this regard.
Youth Mentoring Settlement Program
One of the major components of the Youth Mentoring Settlement Program is the PARENTS SUPPORT and ACTION GROUP. The parents support groups provide parents with assistance in building their capacity as the best support mechanisms for their children’s schooling and education. In addition the whole preoccupation of the Youth Mentoring Project it to capture the whole family unit’s attention and engage them when the children are still at a very young age and moreover for migrant and refugee families, at their early stages of settlement process. The parents support program runs concurrent to each of the three existing mentoring groups.
Program for Pacific Parents at Ashfield, Belmore South and Campsie Public Schools
A parents’ support group runs concurrently with the weekly youth mentoring session at each of the schools with the Special Tutorial Assistance Program. These parents’ support groups are designed to help in enhancing parenting practices through the exposure to other culture appropriate parenting skills programs. The group facilitator has been trained in a variety of packages, which include TIPS, Parenting Across Cultures, 123 MAGIC, Keeping Children Safe, and others.
The parents support group at Campsie Public School has also undertaken sessions of the Stronger Families package, a package aimed at identifying violentbehaviours amongst Pacific families and providing alternatives to enhancing family andcommunity harmony.
Southern Sydney Tenancy Advice & Advocacy Service (SSTAAS)
An important part of the SSTAAS work is to distribute information to tenants so they become aware of their rights and responsibilities in a tenancy agreement as well as getting equipped with information that may assist them in resolving a conflict with their landlord. We reach the community by participating in information events, festivals and other community activities. For example, the service have disseminated tenancy information and service information at local area International Women’s Day celebrations, community the Muslim Women Association community events, community information at Canterbury City Council, Canterbury Area Customer Forum, Campsie Food festival, Sutherland Info and Community services, Bankstown Area Tenants’ Association and AMES information sessions.
Small & Emerging Communities’ (SEC) Hub
In 2006 the CBMRC consolidated the SEC Hub, to ensure that emerging groups have access to infrastructure and technological support. The Centre converted one of our meeting rooms into the Hub where the project worker is based and a range of small and emerging community organisations frequent to attend to their community business and volunteering. The Hub is also very well recognised as a place people can get useful and up to date settlement and community information and assistance.
Women’s Groups
There are two Women’s Groups:
Arabic Speaking Women’s Group on each Wednesday, 10 am at Bankstown Office.
African Women’s Group each Wednesday, 2pm at the Bankstown Office.
This project has been initiated by the centre in response to the fact that some small associations and groups are growing at a fast pace without the information they require to implement sound governance practices. This project will provide information on financial management, meeting procedures, governance matters, funding and accountability issues.
A9.Special Projects and Events
Each year CBMRC coordinates a wide range of special projects and events. Below are some examples.
Seniors’ Week
Seniors from different communities were invited to participate on a day of activities at the MRC. Approximately 35 people from different communities attend and they enjoy what the CBMRC has planned. Tai Chi has always been popular with the seniors and the Tai Chi instructor on the day had everyone up doing the basic exercises of Tai Chi and some basic Chinese dance movements.
Refugee Week
CBMRC is a member of the organising Committee for Refugee Week. Each year a range of events are coordinated across a range of local/regional agencies. Those fleeing their home countries often speak of the good environment, the opportunity to interact with others and the usefulness and relevancy and importance of the information that is provided at these events each year.
Honouring Fathers’ Project
The Honouring Fathers Project was a pilot project funded by Canterbury Bulldogs Leagues club. The project aimed at supporting and honouring fathers in the Canterbury and Bankstown local government areas.
An important element of this project was engaging fathers and their children. This innovative project provided interaction, support and improved men’s participation in parenting activities. It highlighted challenging issues such as roles and responsibilities within the family for men from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.
In implementing the activities for the project the Special Projects Officer had worked in partnership with programs workers in Campsie Public School, Bankstown Senior College and other families from migrant and refugee backgrounds.
The Project peaked with a photography exercise and the families that participated were issued with disposable cameras with which to capture images that depicted the value and esteem of their father’s role in their family. The project culminated with a day-long event held at Belmore Youth Resource Centre. The event gave children an opportunity to display and talk about their photographs as well as celebrate their fathers.
The Project was showcased at the annual 2007 Community Symposium convened by the Community Relations Commission of NSW; and the model has become the impetus for more father-specific aspects of the current parents’ support programs that the CBMRC implements.
Thinksmart Tenancy Project
The NSW Office of Fair Trading funded this recent project. The project specifically focused on delivering tenancy information and generating awareness among community members through training workshops and working with community leaders andvolunteers who would act resource persons in their communities in the provision of information and awareness rising.
This project will service the targeted communities in our LGA and these communities are part of the small and emerging communities in the area whose majority are refugees and humanitarian entrants. These include Sudanese, Tongan, Samoan, Persian, Syrian and Dari speakingcommunities.
An Information and Training Manual was produced and is available free of charge upon request at CBMRC.
Anti Poverty Week
In past years, the Centre was represented on the NSW Committee of the National Anti-Poverty Week Campaign held in October each year. As part of this involvement the Centre raised the awareness of partner and other agencies to the issue of poverty and encouraged agencies to hold an event as part of the Week. The Centre has undertaken community awareness raising on poverty issues with SBS Radio and local media.
‘Before You Rent’ Launch – Arabic Version
Through the work of the SSTAAS, the ‘Before You Rent’ a tenancy information resource for newly arrived refugees in simple English, a joint project of our service with the Tenancy Advice and Advocacy Program was developed. The Guide has been translated into Arabic, one of the most widely spoken languages among our current refugee intake. As one of the ways to reach our refugee target group, we distributed the English and Arabic versions of ‘Before You Rent’ widely to migrant services and refugee services providers. The booklet is also available online from the Tenants Union’s website, www.tenants.org.au
Visits to CBMRC by Officials
Over the years, the Management Committee and staff very successfully host visits to showcase the various programs operated by the Centre. We were honoured to welcome, the then Minister of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs, Minister Cobb and the now Parliamentary Secretary Mr Robb. We have also had visits by Mr Stephan Kerkyasharian Chairperson of the Community Relations Commission of NSW. We have also played host by Ms Linda Burney, Member for Canterbury, Mr Tony Bourke, Member for Watson, Mr Jose Alvarez, Deputy State Director DIMA, Mayors Furolo and Mihailuk. We have also had visits from many local school children and school staff and Canterbury Bulldogs officials who have been actively involved in a range of events and launches at the Centre.
Community Festivals and Events
The CBMRC is represented at a range of community events and festivals as a means to promote our many programs. These events included St George Migrant Information Day, Pacific Festivals (several), Ashfield Carnivale of Cultures, Haldon Street Festival, Riverwood Festival and many other forums and community celebrations.
The Centre has also addressed key conferences, including the Local Community Services Association State Conference, the NSW Police Cronulla Forum and the Department of Community Services Multicultural State Conference.
World Refugee Day
To celebrate World Refugee Day, the Refugee Working Party launched a DVD called ‘Listen Up! Australia’. This DVD is a short film depicting interviews with refugees from Burma, Iraq, Sierra Leone and Sudan, talking about their survival, vision, dreams and a range of experiences they have undergone in the refugee and migration journey.
The DVD gives voice to their lives, thoughts, aspirations and achievements and hopefully will contribute to raising the awareness of service providers and government on issues and needs of refugee communities in Australia. This DVD will also be helpful as a learning tool for students, community and government service providers.
This DVD is the result of a working group of committed community development workers, counsellors and caseworkers who work with refugee and emerging communities, as a part of Canterbury Bankstown Migrant Interagency. We thank Canterbury and Bankstown City Councils and CBMRC for their financial contribution and the support, which made the project possible.
DVD Launch – African SEAM Project
The African SEAM DVD was launched by Jose Alvarez, the Deputy State Director of the Department of Immigration and Citizenship.
African SEAM is a Systemic and Effective Approach to Mentoring for African communities.
Consequent to the success of the Pacific STAP (Special Tutorial and Assistance Program) program, the Canterbury-Bankstown Migrant Resource Centre was most fortunate in receiving a grant from the Canterbury Bulldogs Leagues Club to implement the African Youth Initiative. Additional funding was also received from the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) to implement the Youth Mentoring Project. These two projects have worked collaboratively to assist African students and their families in the Canterbury-Bankstown areas.
The following are main aspects of the help African students and families receive through the African Youth Initiative and the Youth Mentoring Project:
The provision of intensive academic assistance in a homework centre setting;
Facilitation of parents support programs
The provision of Information, Casework and Referral settlement services;
The provision of extra-curricular activities.
Both the African Youth Initiative and the Youth Mentoring Project employ an early intervention philosophy to addressing youth crime, juvenile and delinquency and inter-generational conflicts amongst migrant and refugee communities.
The strategy currently runs as part of the Special Tutorial Assistance Program implemented within the Youth Mentoring Program.
The African SEAM DVD is available from the CBMRC for $15.00
Harmony Day Forum
To mark National Harmony Day the Centre has jointly organised a Harmony Day Forum with the NSW Attorney General’s Department. It focused on issues for young people with a range of excellent guest speakers, youth participants and field workers making the Forum a great success. The Centre also co-organised with Canterbury City Council and members of the Multicultural Advisory Committee and wonderful day of celebration this year.
Intercultural Sports Project – “United WE Play”
The Centre held its first project of this kind. It was a day in Bankstown like very few others, truly an intercultural sports gala day including lion dancing, break dancing, Islamic Scout group, children’s games, indigenous games, indoor games and many other fun activities for people to enjoy. The day was a huge success and we would like to thank the many agencies and individuals who helped by getting into the spirit of the day. The project was made possible with the assistance of Bankstown City Council.
CALD Domestic Violence Project
This project was funded by the NSW Department of Community Services and the Centre worked in partnership with the Sydney Women’s Counselling Centre. As a result of this program the Centre established an African Women’s Support Group, which meets weekly. This group is an excellent information, education and support forum for very newly arrived African women.
B. Completed Projects
The following are examples of finalised projects that were funded under major government (both state and federal) grants program:
B1. Pacific Families Program – funded under the NSW Youth Partnership with Pacific Communities and monitored through the Department of Community Services:
This innovative multicultural, yet ethno specific Pacific family support program has been in operation for over 12 months. The program is the result of a close collaboration and partnership with Relationships Australia and Auburn MRC with funding provided by the NSW Department of Community Services. The project covers the Canterbury Bankstown area through Auburn and into the Central West as far as Blacktown and Mt Druitt. There is also a state-wide phone service that operates daily from both MRCs.
The program implements a range of support initiatives, which assist the development of Pacific families. There are 4 bilingual workers from Maori, Fijian, Samoan and Tongan backgrounds, who provide ethno specific family support to their target communities on a part time basis.
B2. Muslim YES (Youth Employment Strategy) – Funded by the Department of Employment and Work Relations (DEWR) Under the Australian Government’s Muslim National Action Plan Employment FUND.
What was the project about?
To engage at risk Muslim youths in order to assist in enhancing their employability and to assist in placing them in long term employment
What did the project achieve?
To build a robust best practice model for engaging young Muslims using a culture appropriate approach to creating sound relationships with employers in the sporting and clubs industries, as well as establishing mentoring and post-placement support for the participants.
The project ran for eight weeks with 15 participants of whom over half had either gained employment of had progressed to undertaking formal studies.
Who was the project’s target group(s)?
Muslim youths in the Canterbury-Bankstown, and Inner Western Sydney areas
How did the project build in flexible workplace arrangements to cater for the target groups?
The project had two levels of support with the participants receiving hands-on experience two to three days a week with the work placement; as well as two half-days. This mentoring consisted of individual mentoring in one half-day and group peer mentoring in the second half-day.
What industry did the project target?
Hospitality, Printing, and Community Welfare industries
C. Staff Roster at the CBMRC Bankstown Satellite Office:
Day
Staff
Service Focus
Time
Tuesday
Se Gun Song
Casework and group work for small and emerging
communities in the Canterbury-Bankstown and
Inner West Sydney Areas
9.30 – 1.30pm
Wednesday
Hoda Nahlous
Casework and group work for Arabic speakers
with a focus on women in the Canterbury-
Bankstown and Auburn Areas
9.30 – 1.30pm
Friday
Atef Hamie
Casework and group work to humanitarian and
women entrants in Canterbury-Bankstown and
Inner Western Sydney Areas
9.30 – 1.30pm
Client Testimonial
"I have only just arrived in the country and I found the Canterbury-Bankstown Migrant Resource Centre staff very friendly and eager to help me settle into the country … they were genuine in helping me and my family get what we needed to settle into our new environment … The MRC staff and programs provided the important links to a big variety of useful services that have made our lives in Australia really very pleasant …”
