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Vulnerable temporary visa holders who live in southern Sydney and are adversely affected by COVID-19 can access greater support from Advance Diversity Services (ADS) thanks to a $40,000 grant received last month from Multicultural NSW.

Temporary visa holders from South East Sydney, St George, Sutherland or surrounding areas who are facing financial hardship can receive emergency food and supplies, medical support, telecommunications, transport and essential housing (i.e. crisis accommodation and rent payment) via ADS.

CEO of ADS, Antoinette Chow, said the funding is critical to ensuring the wellbeing of vulnerable temporary visa holders who have increasingly been at risk of hardship since the onset of the pandemic.

‘ADS and other specialist migrant and settlement services have been doing what we can to assist these people with essentials, but the grant makes it feasible for us to offer dedicated emergency support.’

To receive this support from ADS, people must:

• Currently reside in NSW  
• Demonstrate hardship caused by the COVID-19 pandemic
• Not receive any income assistance (regular living allowance payment) from the Commonwealth Government
• Currently hold a temporary visa which may include (but is not limited to) one of the following:
  • Temporary Working Visa Holders
  • Provisional Visa Holders 
  • Partner and/or Prospective Marriage Visa Holders
  • Bridging Visa Holders (excluding people seeking asylum) 

This includes all visa sub-classes who are deemed as temporary visa holders with the exception of asylum seekers* and international students** as they have been covered in previous funding measures.

Those seeking emergency support must also make an appointment with ADS by phoning its office on (02) 9597 5455. Please also phone for further information, if required.

Ms Chow said ADS was pleased to receive this NSW Government funding from Stream 1 of the Vulnerable Temporary Visa Holders Funding Tranche 2 Grants Program.

‘The $40,000 grant has boosted our capacity to provide essential services and emergency relief to people at the margins who are struggling in these difficult times.’

Extra support during COVID

Migrant Resource Centres, such as ADS, have been at the frontlineof providing extra support to members of the Australian community during COVID – and particularly to international students and asylum seekerswho have had limited overall support from the government. 

ADS is grateful to have received a number of grants to support this work from:

• The Australian Chinese Charity Foundation – 2 x $3,000
• Multicultural NSW immediate crisis support grant – $5,000
• Metro Assist emergency relief funds to support vulnerable people

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*Asylum Seekers should be referred to one of the following funded organisations:

• The Salvation Army
• Settlement Services International
• St Francis Social Services – House of Welcome
• Asylum Seekers Centre
• Jesuit Refugee Service
• Australian Red Cross

**International Students should refer to the Study NSW website for further support.

A newly revised training and employment directory, which offers information to new arrivals to help them develop effective job-seeking plans, was launched online by Advance Diversity Services (ADS) on July 17.

A joint project of ADS and the St George Sutherland Shire Employment, Training and English Action Network (SSETEN), the Directory: Employment and Training Pathways is particularly useful for new migrants settling in the St George and Sutherland Shire areas.

Alex Hu, who is a recent migrant from China, believes the employment directory will help new migrants find the right training pathway to increase their skills to get a job.

‘Language and lack of understanding of how the systems work here are the major barriers to most new migrant job seekers,” he said. ‘The employment directory provides comprehensive information on English classes, training, applying for a job and the Australian workplace. I think every new migrant would find it very useful.’

ADS Manager for Settlement and Community Services Anthony Scerri: ‘the directory is a vital resource and guide for ADS Community Services Officers when they provide clients with knowledge about training, employment, recognition of overseas qualifications and English classes.’

‘The directory assists our staff to help people find the right training organisations and courses, the appropriate job-search agencies, and the best options for voluntary work to gain local experience.”

Mr Scerri said the updated version of the directory in English will be helpful to new migrants in the local area and funding was being sought to get it translated it into a variety of community languages.

­See the Directory: Employment and Training Pathways online here https://drive.google.com/file/d/1h0Wf6FMJK-YLKb8_efnedJBUCJApGJ0J/view

Advance Diversity Services (ADS) has released a new edition of its Welcome to Australia New Arrival Kit and the kit’s fresh design and updated information make it even easier for people to find the services they need to help them settle and thrive in Australian society.

The kit has been translated into Arabic, Bengali, Nepali, Thai and Simplified Chinese. It is also targeted to ensure newly arrived migrants and humanitarian entrants in St George and the Sutherland Shire have the information at their fingertips that will help them to build self-reliance and confidence, and to connect with mainstream and settlement-related services as soon as possible after arrival.

Purna Dawadi from Nepal used the kit to build skills and find work in Australia. “The early days were isolating,’ he said. ‘Thanks to ADS’s New Arrival Kit in Nepali I found a free English class and enrolled at St George TAFE where I completed Certificate III in aged care. I also joined ADS’s Nepalese Fatherhood Support Group, which led to my full-time job – and my family is settled, with a great group of friends.’

The kit contains information about: finding English classes and employment services; enrolling children in school and contacting universities and training colleges; accessing housing and health services; locating interpreters, translation, and legal services; connecting with churches, mosques and synagogues, and more.

Community workers can also use the kit as a trusted resource in referring clients to services for assistance.

‘Adjusting to a new country and its customs can be intimidating and overwhelming,’ said ADS Manager for Settlement and Community Services Anthony Scerri. ‘The kit helps newly arrived people to find their feet – assisting them with their search for employment, a place to live, health services, schools and language acquisition.

‘It’s a very accessible resource for them.’

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Download the Welcome to Australia New Arrival Kit here https://advancediversity.org.au/resources/

Advance Diversity Services is a leading non-profit services provider that assists migrants and refugees in the St George and Sutherland Shire to thrive in Australian society. It supports people in these areas who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, asexual, and all minority sexual and gender identities, including atypical biological sex (LGBTIQA+).

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Media Contact

Anthony Scerri, Manager, Settlement and Community Services

Advance Diversity Services

Phone: (02) 9597 5455

Email: anthonys@advancediversity.org.au

Caption: Purna Dawadi from Nepal (pictured here with his family) said ADS’s New Arrival Kit in Nepali helped him find an English class, skills training, work and belonging.

Advance Diversity Services (ADS) has been awarded HWEI Gold Employer and HWEI Service Provider of the Year in the Australian LGBTQ Inclusion Awards announced on June 11 in a virtual ceremony hosted by ACON.

ADS staff will be presented with the award at a live ceremony on October 19.

The inclusion awards celebrate Australia’s top organisations for LGBTQ inclusion based on the results of the Australian Workplace Equality Index (AWEI) and Australian Health + Wellbeing Equality Index (HWEI). They also acknowledge leaders, individuals and networks that have made a significant impact on LGBTQ inclusion within their workplaces.

ADS entered the awards under the HWEI and scored 85/100 – which is a very high score for a first-time entry.

ADS Chief Executive Officer, Antoinette Chow, said, ‘It is great to receive both HWEI Service Provider of the Year and HWEI Gold Employer which acknowledges the work ADS has been doing to improve our services and practices to support people who identify with a diverse gender and/or sexuality (LGBTIQA+).

‘Our efforts have included rolling out our marketing campaign BE YOU WITH US, playing a lead role in developing the 2020 edition of the Multicultural LGBTIQA+ Support Directory, establishing our LGBTIQA+ Working Group, partnering to educate and inform community services staff who work with Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Communities about best practice, and becoming a member of the Welcome Here Project.

‘We’re proud of how far we’ve come. We also know there is more work to be done in our services and across our region to ensure LGBTIQA+ people feel included and safe to pursue the services they need.

‘For the rest of 2020 we aim to have a strong focus on staff training, educating staff about gender and sexuality diverse clients. This award assures us we’re on the right track.’

ADS is a proud member of ACON’s Pride in Health + Wellbeing, a national program that provides support, training and guidance in LGBTI inclusive service delivery. It also administers the HWEI as part of Pride Inclusion Programs, a suite of social inclusion initiatives run by Australia’s leading LGBTI health organisation, ACON.

Launched in 2019, the HWEI is a benchmarking tool which provides health and wellbeing organisations the opportunity to assess, measure and improve their practices to better include lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTIQ) people in their services.

To participate in the index and the awards an organisation must provide evidence of their inclusiveness across a number of key areas.

These areas include: access to LGBTIQ expertise and how often working groups are consulted; understanding of the health disparities of LGBTIQ people and how this influences service provision; inclusion strategies and implementation; inclusive and supportive care assessment, care planning and/or case management documents; visibility of LGBTIQ people in marketing and media content, understanding of how language can impact LGBTIQ people health care settings, and sensitivities around disclosure.

The information gleaned from organisations allows the HWEI to benchmark LGBT inclusive service delivery identify, map any gaps that exist, and allow for continuous quality improvements to be made. The knowledge gained from the HWEI will result in better experiences of LGBTIQ people when accessing health and human services across Australia.

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Media contact for more information: Anthony Scerri, Manager, Settlement and Community Services, 9597 5455, anthonys@advancediversity.org. au

Caption: Advance Diversity Services receives HWEI Gold Employer and HWEI Service Provider of the Year at the online ceremony on June 11.

Local refugees have shared their stories of courage and resilience in a series of video clips produced by Advance Diversity Services (ADS) in partnership with Georges River Council and Refugee Advice and Casework Service (RACS) to be screened on social media during Refugee Week from June 14 to 20.

Filmmakers Bebi and Liz Zekirovski shot the three short videos aware of the complexities of refugee issues and informed by a recent trip to Rohingya refugee camps in Bangladesh, where more than a million Rohingya refugees are living in cramped and unsanitary conditions after fleeing violence and abuse in neighbouring Myanmar.

The Zekirovski’s will feature as part of a Facebook Live event hosted by ADS on Thursday June 18 at 4pm in which the videos of the refugees’ stories will also be shown. Join the event live via the ADS Facebook page here https://www.facebook.com/advancediversityservices/ (registration not required).

Sydney-based Rohingyan refugee Sajeda Bahadurmia, who appears in one of the videos, said, ‘Refugee Week is very important for me. I am happy to speak out. The world needs to know what is happening to my people.’

ADS Chief Executive Officer Antoinette Chow said refugees across the world were facing the danger of displacement exacerbated by the global coronavirus pandemic.

‘We hope that the videos and the Facebook Live event will raise awareness in the community of the reasons refugees flee to Australia,’ Ms Chow said ‘We also want to show people how they can make refugees feel welcome.’

Councillor Kevin Greene, Mayor of Georges River Council, said in the last five years, Georges River Council has welcomed over 100 refugees into the area.

‘Every refugee seeking safety brings their own story of why they left home and their journey to find safety here. The sharing of stories is an opportunity to not only remember and honour their journey, but also to raise awareness to better understand the contribution that refugees make in society.

‘Georges River Council is proud to be a Refugee Welcome Zone. We are committed to welcoming refugees into the community, upholding the human rights of refugees, demonstrating compassion, and enhancing cultural and religious diversity in our community.’

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To maintain social distancing and keep people safe during the Covid-19 pandemic, Refugee Week events in 2020 will be held online from June 14 to 20.

Read more about Advance Diversity Services’ work with asylum seekers and refugees here.

The Refugee Advice and Casework Service is a strong, independent public voice for the rights of refugees and people seeking asylum.

The Georges River Local Government Area is an official Refugee Welcome Zone and supports the annual Refugee Week event and celebrations.

BebiZekirovski’s A Silent Agreement (2017) was the first Australian feature film to showcase Auslan (Australian sign language). Liz Zekirovski appeared in the film.

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Media contact for more information:Jenny Tang, 9597 5455, jennyt@advancediversity.org.au

Caption: Refugee Week 2020, Year of Welcome

(image source: https://www.refugeeweek.org.au/refugee-week-resources/)

‘Nothing is more valuable than listening and understanding the stories of a migrant or asylum seeker especially when working out what services are right for them,’ says Hayley Bryant who started her student placement with ADS in January 2020 and will conclude it at the end of May.

What drew you to volunteer and/or to do your student placement with ADS?

When going through the interview process at uni I stated that I was open to anything. My main aim during placement is to learn as much as I can about different things. I am fortunate that with ADS I get to experience in a lot of different areas.

What are you studying and where? And how has your personal history and/or your cultural background informed your work with ADS?

I am studying a Bachelor of Social Work at the University of Wollongong. From my background, and the area I live in, I have not been exposed to the inequities that people from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) backgrounds experience. Because of this, I have had to use more of my social work background to inform my work.

What ADS programs have you assisted with and how have you been encouraged to apply your studies and/or expand your skills in your role?

I have assisted with the SETS program and also aged care. Both have encouraged me to work in a teamwork environment and understand policy, community engagement and advocacy.

What has been the most challenging work you have done with ADS during your time as a volunteer / student?

Working with clients one on one was very challenging! I had not had that experience before so it was very daunting. I had so much to learn and a lot to work on – but it helped me immensely.

How has the coronavirus pandemic affected your placement role?

COVID-19 has not affected my role overly much. I am fortunate enough to continue to support the staff at ADS from my home and from the office. The physical distancing requirements have limited a little of the experience – in the sense of attending client assessments – but overall ADS has adapted really well to the changes required, ensuring everyone remains safe.

What strengths have you brought to your role and placement?

I’m not really sure on this one, I think having a social work background has helped me. From everything I have learnt thus far at university I can apply these skills at ADS and also share my knowledge with the staff.

What has been your proudest moment, greatest achievement, deepest connection in your time at ADS?

One of my biggest achievements has been working on the Multicultural LGBTIQA+ Support directory. I have been working on this project since I started my placement and seeing it develop, over time, has been great. I am excited to see it in its finalised form.

‘Be You With Us’ is ADS’ tagline, and it reflects the organisation’s commitment to welcoming and accepting everyone of all ages, gender, culture, sexuality, and religious beliefs. How have you been encouraged to ‘Be You With Us’ during your time with ADS?

ADS has provided me with the opportunity to be a part of LGBTIQA+ training which has allowed me to broaden my knowledge. Our work with allied organisations and LGBTIQA+ specific groups has also allowed me to work in an inclusive environment.

What more should the Australian Government be doing to welcome migrants and refugees and to ensure they find the support they need to adjust quickly and well to life in Australia?

The government does not provide enough support, resources or funding to migrants and refugees. Having English as their second language limits a person’s access to a variety of information, so I believe more in-language materials are needed as well as more visibility of services in the community.

What is your ultimate goal and how has the work you’ve done with ADS equipped you for what you would like to do next?

My ultimate goal is to work with children who’ve lived with domestic and family violence or been involved in drug and alcohol abuse. ADS has allowed me to take a different perspective when working with clients and to understand how culture is important in many people’s lives. Nothing is more valuable than listening and understanding the stories of a migrant or asylum seeker especially when working out what services are right for them.

I love ADS because it does extraordinary work for the CALD community that does not get the recognition it deserves. They are an incredibly supportive and kind team.

Marie Eve Santi Amantini began as a volunteer with ADS in October 2019 and went on to complete a student placement with ADS from January 27 to April 3, 2020. She says these experiences have been invaluable in equipping her to contribute to the community and assist people in need.

What drew you to volunteer and/or to do your student placement with ADS?

I am passionate about helping refugees, new migrants and Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) communities. Advance Diversity Services (ADS) is a community organisation that specialises in this area.

What are you studying and where? 

I am studying a Diploma of Community Services with 4Life College.

What strengths have you brought to your volunteer role and student placement?

My own migration journey from France to Australia taught me the intricacies involved in navigating a new life. This has informed my work and helped me to understand issues related to separation, trauma, conflict and the orientation required to build a new and supportive community.

What has been your proudest moment, greatest achievement, deepest connection in your time at ADS?

When I work towards assisting clients with complex needs I have a deep sense of accomplishment. I previously wrote the case management plan and coordinated the referrals for a refugee client newly released from a detention centre in order to support his safe settlement in the Australian community, and was feeling good about it.

What ADS programs have you assisted with and how have you been encouraged to apply your studies and expand your skills in your role?

I supported the Emerging Communities team in three programs: Specialised Intensive Services (SIS); Settlement Engagement Transition Support (SETS); and Community Capacity Building (CCB).

I assisted the community workers with coordinating the Positive Parenting program with Bangladeshi and Nepalese families, which aims to improve health and wellbeing, and participated in the Waste Wise project that helps new migrants to learn recycling practices. I also assisted case managers in the Specialised Intensive Services program (SIS) which supports humanitarian entrants who have complex needs.

Through these programs, I was encouraged to use the skills I learnt during my diploma, including case management and case work, project and event management, and collaboration with service providers. Magdaline Shenton-Kaleido, as Community and Settlement Team Leader, provided thorough supervision and reviewed my day-to-day work, which assisted me to develop my skills. Furthermore, I received regular training opportunities, including LGBTI-inclusive practice and a Child Safe Workshop.

What has been the most challenging work you have done with ADS during your time as a volunteer and student on placement?

English is my second language, so it can be challenging to write reports or important emails in English. Even more, communicating in professional English can sometimes be tricky.  

“Be You With Us” is ADS’ tagline, and it reflects the organisation’s commitment to welcoming and accepting everyone of all ages, gender, culture, sexuality, and religious beliefs. How have you been encouraged to “Be You With Us” during your time with ADS?

I felt completely accepted for who I am by the team. In fact, I only eat vegan food and it can be challenging to have different behaviours than the broad community. The team members have been accepting and provided vegan food options when needed.

What more should the Australian Government be doing to welcome migrants and refugees and to ensure they find the support they need to adjust quickly and well to life in Australia?

The government could support migrants and refugees by providing more funding to community organisation to offer orientation programs to all new migrants and refugees on arrival. This would support better access to services and equal opportunities.

Also, many government policies are designed for the general Australian population but do not consider the special challenges that migrant and CALD populations confront in early settlement. These newcomers, especially from emerging communities – Rohingyans and Mongolians for example – would benefit from a more consultative and inclusive approach to policy making. Without this, policies focus on culturalism and differences, rather than taking a real problem-solving approach.

What is your ultimate goal and how has the work you’ve done with ADS equipped you for what you would like to do next?

My ultimate goal is to contribute to the community by assisting people in need. ADS has been assisting me to develop the skills I need by immersing me in all aspects of community work, and with intensive team support. I am very grateful for this.

I love ADS because of its commitment to provide a high level of expertise in its provision of CALD services.

INFORMATION FOR SERVICE PARTNERS AND COLLABORATORS

As the COVID 19 situation develops, we would like to take this opportunity to inform you of how ADS is responding. The health and safety of our staff, clients, service partners and collaborators is a priority. 

We are continuing to provide services with health and safety in mind

• To keep our service consumers, staff and the public safe during the coronavirus pandemic, we are restricting public access to our offices.
• We are minimising face to face client contact and using alternative means of providing services to our clients where possible and with funding requirements in mind.
• We are continuing to provide services but by appointment only or over the phone (9am – 5pm, Monday to Friday). Please know that the ADS team is here to help.
• All ADS run group based activities have been postponed for the time being to reduce the risk of transmission of the virus in group settings.
• We have postponed all ADS organised community events e.g., festivals, information sessions. 
• We have postponed ADS hosted inter-agency meetings where alternatives to conducting in person meetings cannot be arranged.
• We have instructed our staff to not attend in person external interagency meetings until further notice. Staff can participate in meetings via electronic means.

Minimising the risk of transmission

• We have processes for staff to notify us if they are unwell or have had exposure to the virus.
• We have instructed staff on good hand/cough/sneeze hygiene, and social distancing measures.
• Provided hand sanitizers in all our offices and to staff visiting clients in their homes.
• Introduced arrangements to maximise social distancing e.g., interim working from home, postponement of internal training.
• We have written to clients about COVID 19 and how they can help us minimise the risk of transmission in their interactions with us.

These are difficult times for our clients, service providers and the community as a whole.  We will continue to work in solidarity with you to provide needed services as best we can with health and safety being front of mind. We will provide updates as the situation unfolds.  

Antoinette Chow

Chief Executive Officer