Refugees projects

As a result of a generous bequest, QSA has been able to expand its financial support of communities in need to include refugees both here in Australia and overseas. What follows is a summary of these most recently commenced projects – if you would like to know more, please contact the QSA office. Our latest project, which began in February 2019 is in Bangladesh. An article about this can be found in the latest QSA Newsletter here within this website.

Hobart, Tasmania – Quakers in Hobart have established a program providing micro-grants to enable refugees the opportunity to finance their own livelihood ideas and initiatives. Perhaps it’s a sewing group learning new skills; childcare to enable parents to learn language and vocational skills; or establishment of a herb garden to provide traditional herbs for a café run by a group of refugees. A small grant can mean so much.

Friends’ School also in Hobart, Tasmania has received a grant from QSA to enable some Year 11 and 12 students to spend time with students from diverse backgrounds who are part of the Young-Migrant Education Program (Y-MEP) at TasTAFE. Y-MEP is for immigrant and refugee young adults aged 17-25 years who have recently arrived in Australia, or who have not yet completed secondary schooling in Australia and need to further develop their English language and literacy skills. Time spent together helps with learning, but more than that, it is helping to establish relationships, and as one school student reported:-

I had the opportunity to help many individuals broaden their knowledge on a variety of topics, including future careers and the workplace……a highlight of the day was the games and activities we were able to play as a group, it gave us a chance to connect with the students on a deeper level – and I know that I was able to find many things in common with many of the students…..I felt privileged being able to hear what they had to say, and to be surrounded amongst such a diverse group of heart-warming individuals …

In Perth, Quakers are linking with a Save the Children program entitled ‘It Takes a Village’ . Many of you reading this would be familiar with the saying that it takes a village to raise a child, which is attributed to an African proverb, that’s the origin of this program’s title. The program supports newly-arrived immigrant and refugee families with young children settling in the Perth suburbs. The program addresses the right of children to play and to education and the right of families to settlement support to facilitate their full participation in the social life of the community.

‘It Takes a Village’ has five components

• Multicultural early learning program via playgroups
• Life skills classes for mothers
• Family support and casework, with support from a qualified social worker and a small team of bi-cultural staff
• Live and Learn Lifeskills and After School program for school aged children
• School holiday family fun days in the local park.

One mother reported that before coming to playgroup, her children only played by themselves, but now they are learning to share and play together with other children.

As well as this, she has also said how important to her are the new friendships she has made with other mothers.

In Adelaide, QSA and the Quaker community there is supporting the Australian Refugee Association’s Youth Hangout for its drop-in program for 12-17 year old secondary school students. This program links the students with appropriate services through a mentoring process, with mentors who are university students able to provide information and guidance around employment and study opportunities available to them. Quaker support is facilitating a paid staff member to co-ordinate the program which also provides opportunities for networking and volunteer mentors from among the Quaker community with whom they can exchange skills and ideas.

It should be emphasised that the opportunity to network is important, but Quakers do not become involved to preach or convert people, as proselytising is not something we ascribe to. What we do want to promote is the chance to form friendships, support and help where we can, with no strings attached!

During 2006, there were 753 Burundian-born people in Australia of whom 166 were relocated in Brisbane and a further 22 in rural Queensland. Many Burundian refugees had spent years in refugee camps before being resettled – not an uncommon story – where living conditions were and are often over-crowded, water and sanitation inadequate creating a continual threat of infectious diseases, and with a stressful and highly politicized environment resulting in violence and on-going trauma.

Quakers in Brisbane over the past four years have been supporting the African Great Lakes Refugee project to assist refugees from Burundi, Rwanda, Eastern Congo, Uganda and Tanzania. They have been supporting the work of a Burundian pastor who as well as acting as interpreter due to his extensive language skills, is able to support the families with services such as advocacy and support to interact with the legal system and bureaucracy of the Queensland Department of Family Services and Centrelink.

In Victoria, the Asylum Seeker Pathways Project supports young university students who are seeking, or have been given, protection in Australia in their education and employment pathways, and helping to build social inclusion, connection and support. QSA is supporting a weekly drop-in centre that is well attended. In addition funding has been allocated to continue a sewing group of 16-30 women and children to actively socialising, learning English and sewing in a safe and friendly environment. These projects also provide opportunities for networking and support which is so very important for everyone.