SSI

What an incredible day celebrating community and diversity at World of Cultures 2024! 🌍🎉 Over 5,000 people descended on the cultural heartland of Queensland for an unforgettable event at the Kingston Butter Factory Cultural Precinct. Logan buzzed with vibrant rhythms, stalls, and flavours from the many diasporas that make up this beloved city. 🎶🌮 We are incredibly proud to host this annual event, and grateful to see so many families, individuals and children turn up to enjoy the festivities. Thank you to Jim Chalmers for showing up year on year and supporting your local event, a big thank you also to Charis Mullen MP and Mayor Jon Raven for your generous support of World of Cultures, and our sincere thanks to John-Paul Langbroek, Paul Scarr, Cameron Dick, Mindy Russell, Tony Hall, Natalie Willcocks and Councillors Teresa Lane and Tim Frazer for your attendance! A heartfelt thank you to our sponsors: Logan City Council, Bendigo Bank, Queensland Government, Ethnic Communities Council of Queensland, Logan Together, QPASTT and MultiLink Community Services Inc. for helping us create such meaningful and vibrant celebrations 🙌 Here's to many more celebrations of our diverse community! 🎉✨ #WorldOfCultures #CelebrateDiversity #LoganCity #MQM24

Follow Tea Duvnjak for a day in her life as a settlement caseworker in Queensland!  Tea herself came to Australia as a refugee, and she combines her professional experience with empathy and expertise to help newcomers adapt to their new homes.  This World Humanitarian Day, we honour everyday humanitarians like Tea, who have committed their lives to helping people affected by crises.  Learn more about our Settlement Engagement Transition Support (SETS) program: https://lnkd.in/g6JNKFhg  #WorldHumanitarianDay #refugees #ActForHumanity 

As young people seek positive paths, it's essential to support them in overcoming challenges such as mental health, family dynamics, and discrimination. Over the past two years, in collaboration with Logan schools and community networks, our Youth in Power Program (YIPP) empowered 60 youth aged 14-21 to navigate challenges, overcome fears, and build positive relationships. But with this pilot program wrapped up, where to from here? Here's how you can help: 💡 Leverage two years of expert program design and research from Griffith University to implement a proven, flexible model with clear results. 🗣 Spread the word with decision-makers and frontline workers. Early intervention in programs like YIPP not only saves money but changes lives. 🤝 Keep the conversation going! We're open to partnerships and collaboration. Let's continue this important work together. SSI continues to support young Queenslanders with the Youth Transition Support program, Settlement Engagement and Transition Support program and Multicultural Sports Club activities. For further information please contact: Kai Kim, SSI Youth Settlement 📧 skkim@ssi.org.au

Acknowledging and celebrating First Nations culture, history, and protocols is a continual process, but particularly important on occasions like today, International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples, let’s remember.    First Nations peoples are catalysts of change and bearers of unique worldviews, knowledge and skills. They’ve long advocated for the recognition of their identities, ways of life, and rights to traditional lands, territories and natural resources. Yet, throughout history, their rights have been violated.    We need to deepen our nation’s awareness and appreciation of the fact that First Nations cultures and civilisation are vital to our national story— a story enriched by a history spanning at least 65,000 years.     Practices such as Reconciliation Action Plans are crucial for Australians to move towards achieving makarrata, a coming together after a struggle. At SSI, we've learned valuable lessons as part of our inaugural RAP and hope to deepen that understanding through the rollout of our second RAP, which is currently in development. Cass Best (Kamilaroi Mari)

Innessa, a talented singer/songwriter, shares her inspiring journey at the 2023 Australian Women in Music Awards (AWMA). From black carpet moments to eye-opening industry panels, the experience was empowering. Networking with fellow delegates and gaining new insights at AWMA have boosted her confidence as she sets her sights for an Australia-wide tour. "For female artists who come from different countries, it's really helpful when you get support promoting yourself and connect with others on a similar path," says Innessa. Read her story here: https://lnkd.in/gzTpBVq6 📢 Applications are now open for this year's AUSTRALIAN WOMEN IN MUSIC delegation! If you're an emerging female music professional from NSW or Queensland, seize this unique opportunity to learn, grow, and connect with the music industry. Apply by midnight, 18 August. 🔗 https://lnkd.in/gXhtmVme #AWMA2024 #WomenInMusic #EmergingArtists #MusicOpportunity

Last year we hosted seven multi-talented female music professionals representing seven cultural backgrounds as part of SSI's delegation at Australian Women in Music Awards (AWMA) culminating in a glamorous ceremony in the heart of Meanjin/Brisbane. This year could be your time to shine! ✨ Are you an emerging female music industry professional from a diverse background or recently arrived in Australia? Apply to be part of our delegation heading to the AUSTRALIAN WOMEN IN MUSIC Awards in October to develop your artistic practice, connect with other artists and network with Australia's most established female musicians. Apply here: https://lnkd.in/gXhtmVme Hear from last year's delegates what they got out of the experience. 👇

Rooan Al Kalmashi from our International team proudly represented SSI at the 2024 UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency NGO Consultations in Geneva last month. Across three days, Rooan spoke about SSI and Australia's best practice model for resettlement and experienced expert-led sessions focused on durable solutions for displacement and strategies for effective partnerships. Rooan also attended the Asia Pacific Refugee Rights Network (APRRN) meeting with the Australian Permanent Mission, where she participated in discussions about the importance of government-CSO partnerships in addressing regional crises in the Asia Pacific. These consultations have been a pivotal forum for over 30 years, and Rooan's insights will be invaluable in her team's work influencing global policy, capacity building, and forging innovative partnerships and solutions. Learn more about SSI International: https://lnkd.in/gUDdGZGa Carmen G.

"Engaging with community via human service organisations to co-design solutions is a win-win for our understanding and community impact." These are the words of Tahlia Torcasio, a first-year mechanical engineering student participating in a first-of-its-kind community co-design consortium putting community at the heart of engineering solutions. Last week, SSI joined PRONIA and SydWest Multicultural Services in establishing an alliance with RMIT University which gives RMIT engineering students the opportunity to shift the dial on some of the big challenges facing CALD communities in Australia. RMIT's HERCULES consortium ensures students learn the fundamentals of engineering by solving real-world challenges through genuine engagement with CALD communities via not-for-profit organisations. The students’ prototypes ranged from a sustainable pest-resistant bamboo house designed for extended family lifestyles, to a sun-tracking solar panel built to be accessed by multiple households. The prototypes were created by a winning team of 18 first-year students in response to community consultation and as part of the RMIT SydWest Engagement Challenge.  Read more: https://lnkd.in/gxMneMkh Violet Roumeliotis AM, Elfa Moraitakis, Nikki Efremidis, Sharon Lanyon

We welcome the release of the Multicultural Framework Review which sets a progressive vision for a strong, multicultural Australia. This review drew on the voices of thousands of Australians to undertake the first comprehensive review of multicultural policy in Australia in more than 50 years. In December 2023, we were part of joint advocacy led by the FECCA (Federation of Ethnic Communities' Councils of Australia) and more than 80 other community organisations that recommended these changes so that multicultural Australia is fit for purpose for the 21st century. We look forward to working with the Federal Government, communities and our peers in the community sector to implement this progressive vision. Read SSI's full release: https://lnkd.in/gekZG8_E

Fantastic to see our very own Lawm Cangmah recently featured in a powerful campaign video by Thrive by Five.    As proud members of the Thrive by Five Alliance, we are advocating alongside over 20 organisations in the lead-up to the Queensland election for all political parties to prioritise children and families and take decisive action.   The alliance's Early Years Plan outlines the actions needed by Queensland to give every child the best possible start in life and address long-term systemic issues.   Check out the video and join us in urging all political parties to commit to the Early Years Plan: https://lnkd.in/gJjXqgsX