SydWest Multicultural Services is excited to announce its annual Seniors Christmas Celebration, taking place on Saturday, December 7th, at Bowman Hall in Blacktown, starting at 2pm. This year also marks the tenth anniversary of our successful collaboration with the Sri Sathya Sai Global Council – Australia.
The dedicated volunteers from Sri Sathya Sai Global Council have been instrumental in making this event a success. Their contributions range from setting up the venue to organising the entertainment & gifts for our seniors and recording the proceedings. This year, around 50 volunteers will be working on the day from Sri Sathya.
“We are so pleased to be working with Sri Sathya Sai Global Council in delivering our annual Christmas for seniors – they are a powerhouse partner without whom we would not be able to run this event with such great success each year,” said Mereline Murimwa-Rarami, SydWest’s Aged Care Manager.
Over the past decade, this event has grown in size, strength, and popularity. This year, more than 400 seniors will enjoy performances by various seniors social support groups, featuring cultural dances and songs, as well as other entertainment.
Elfa Moraitakis, CEO of SydWest Multicultural Services, expressed her gratitude: “I am so thankful to our Aged Care team and their strong collaborative connections with Sri Sathya Sai Global Council that allow us to celebrate our seniors and the holiday season together. This partnership is truly an example of SydWest values in action.”
Join us in celebrating this milestone and the festive season with our vibrant community!
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Media enquiries For further information or to arrange photo opportunities or interviews, contact Vikki Hine, Media and Events, SydWest Multicultural Services on vikki.hine@sydwestms.org.au or 0428-109-215.
About Sri Sathya Sai Global Council – Australia
Sri Sathya Sai Global Council – Australia is a non-profit voluntary organisation. Inspired by the founder, Sri Sathya Sai Baba who is regarded as a global teacher and a humanitarian, the members of the Sri Sathya Sai Global Council – Australia strive to make a positive impact on society through various humanitarian initiatives, free educational programs, and community service projects.
The teachings of Sri Sathya Baba can be summed up as ‘LOVE ALL-SERVE ALL, HELP EVER – HURT NEVER.’ The members dedicate themselves to the practice and promotion of love and compassion through selfless service. More information on Sri Sathya at https://saiaustralia.org.au/
Assistant Minister for Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs the Hon. Julian Hill MP has officially launched the new Western Sydney Region Settlement Consortium (WSRSC) at a special community event in Blacktown last week.
WSRSC will see 4 migrant resource centres and multicultural organisations leveraging their significant skills and expertise to support newly arrived migrants and refugees settling in the area.
65% of new arrivals to NSW settle in Greater Western Sydney with popular areas including Blacktown, Campbelltown, Cumberland, Liverpool and Penrith.
The consortium is funded by the Federal Government through the Settlement Engagement and Transition Support (SETS) program and is led by SydWest Multicultural Services.
The other partners are Accessible Diversity Services Limited, Community Migrant Resource Centre and Western Sydney Migrant Resource Centre, all operating in the Greater West for almost 4 decades.
Minister Hill paid tribute to the grassroots approach employed by consortium members working hand in hand with local ethno-specific groups and community leaders.
‘The real magic happens when multiple organisations can invest in collaboration and find those ways of sharing and working together, and thereby being able to connect the clients – the people that we serve – with the best service [and] the right service for them,’ the Minister said.
Leading Australia construction group John Holland representative Sharon Stevenson said the company was excited about opportunities to partner with consortium members in its bid to create a more diverse construction industry.
John Holland is already working with SydWest on a job readiness program for refugees and migrants in Western Sydney which enables them find work in construction or like industries, benefiting both those looking for work, and an industry looking for skilled workers.
“Together we can make a lasting impact on our community,” she said.
SydWest CEO Elfa Moraitakis thanked those who attended the launch to hear about the new entity and how it could work with others in the community to benefit the community.In her address, she also reflected on the long history of the migrant resource centres and their contribution to the successful settlement of newly arrived refugees since 1981.
More than 120 guests turned out including community leaders and local councils, sector leaders, local police, health services and jobs and training providers.
Entertainment was provided by the talented Larissa Kovalchuk who played the Bandura, the national instrument of Ukraine. Larissa is a current contestant on The Voice, 2024.
Photo Caption: (L-R Melissa Monteiro, CEO, Community Migrant Resource Centre; Joanna Mathew, CEO, Auburn Diversity Services Initiative; Assistant Minister for Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs the Hon.Julian Hill MP; Elfa Moraitakis, CEO, SydWest Multicultural Services and Maeve Brown, CEO, Western Sydney Migrant Resource Centre.
During Refugee Week, SydWest will host a community event in Blacktown featuring a short film and thought-provoking panel discussion to acknowledge and celebrate successful refugee settlement in Western Sydney.
Following the premier of the short film featuring the stories of three refugees – Adnan Ajjan from Syria, Zohra Anwari from Afghanistan and Suman Chhetri from Bhutan – and the importance of family to their successful settlement, the panel will explore some of the key themes of Refugee Week.
Date: Wednesday 19 June Time: 10am to 12:30pm Location: Bowman Hall, 21 Campbell St, Blacktown
Interview talent MC and panel facilitator: Sunil Badami
Born in Blacktown and raised in Seven Hills, Sunil is a writer, performer, broadcaster and academic. He appears regularly on radio and TV, most recently on the ABC TV program India Now!
Panelists:
Roman Abasy, Sports Coordinator at Reclink. Roman is a champion wrestler, engaging with refugees in sports as part of his work. A strong advocate for equality and women’s rights, he was forced to flee Afghanistan when the USA withdrew troops and the Taliban took power.
Deena Yako, Director of Community Engagement, Refugee Council of Australia. Deena is a former Assyrian-Mandaean refugee born in Iraq now works as a refugee advocate, utilising her personal experience of surviving and thriving.
Suman Chhetri is featured in our film. He is a former Bhutanese refugee who now works in mental health at the Western Sydney Local Health District.
A new partnership between SydWest Multicultural Services and RMIT University will see humanitarian engineering students working with our culturally diverse community to solve local issues, using local resources.
The SydWest-RMIT Engagement Challenge will focus specifically on ways young people and seniors can work together to address issues across health, energy, infrastructure and the environment.
RMIT’s Dr Spyros Schismenos – an academic specialising in empowering communities to solve humanitarian and development issues – says his students are keen to learn more about the benefits of co-designing solutions with community, as opposed to designing solutions for community.
“Real impact is created through genuine partnership and by empowering the communities we work with,” Dr Schismenos said.
Projects could include how to address climate change and heat stress and designing housing appropriate for larger families or seniors from culturally diverse backgrounds.
SydWest Aged Care Services Manager Mereline Murimwa-Raramisaid members of the Blacktown community are experts in their own lives and are best placed to provide valuable insights and possible solutions to challenges that they face.
‘At the same time members of the community can gain a sense of worthiness and take ownership of solutions,’ she said.
SydWest Multicultural Youth Case Manager Bronwyn O’Brien said our community members can bring a different perspective to the conversation and often have ideas others had not already thought of.
‘Western Sydney is an extremely diverse and vibrant area and with diversity comes different forms of creativity, and that can enhance our problem solving,’ she said.
Dr Schismenos is passionate about teaching and researching the most effective interventions for these communities and has a number of students enrolled in his course from Western Sydney.
“We have students from Western Sydney enrolled in this course, so for some of them it is a personal motivation to get involved,” Dr Schismenos said.
The humanitarian engineering program, through Dr Schismenos, also works with UNESCO on projects as diverse as women in science in developing countries, and environmental initiatives.
SydWest is proud to be partnering with RMIT and looks forward to seeing what can be achieved.
What is humanitarian engineering?
As Dr Schismenos explains, humanitarian engineering sits across all engineering disciplines with a focus on social impact and improving quality of live in society.
Humanitarian engineers specifically work with vulnerable and marginalised communities and combine specialist social and technical thinking with core engineering practice.
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Media enquiries: Vikki Hine, Media and Events. E: vikki.hine@sydwestms.org.au or T: 0428 109 215 or Cindy Sciberras on 0412 897 286.
Two hours every week at Blacktown, Bashir Faiz can be found in the passenger seat of the SydWest Multicultural Services Learner Driver car, patiently instructing newly arrived refugees so that they can obtain a NSW drivers’ licence.
Over at our disability division at Croydon, Maggie Ross can be found baking up a storm with our NDIS participants every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
Both agree that volunteering gives them a great deal of satisfaction.
Bashir and Maggie were just two of a host of SydWest volunteers who were celebrated this week at High Tea as part of National Volunteer Week celebrations.
Acting CEO Clement Meru said volunteers played a critical role in SydWest’s ability to provide quality services to the community.
‘Our volunteers take part in a range of activities,’ he said. ‘From helping teach refugees and humanitarian entrants new to Australia how to drive, to supporting our disability participants with cooking skills, to helping out with translations or with our Mother’s Support groups that help new mums make friends.’
‘There are people like Ana Estala who came to Australia in 1974 and who set up our first Spanish social support group for seniors. Even though she has recently moved to the Central Coast, she still comes back every week to ensure our Spanish speaking seniors can get together and socialise in their own language,’ he said.
‘Then there is Ivona Jurcevic, initially from Croatia, who pays regular visits to seniors, providing friendship and support, and will soon be running rockabilly dance lessons for our disability participants.
‘They are too many people to individually mention, but they are the lifeblood of our organisation and we are deeply grateful for their service.’
Each year SydWest has the hard task of awarding a volunteer of the year – this year it went to Bashir. He was presented with a certificate by our Board Member Professor Peter Zelas at the morning tea event. You can read more about his story, and Maggie’s, below.
Case Study 1
Volunteer of the Year helps navigate road to driving success
Two hours every week, Bashir Faiz can be found in the passenger seat of the SydWest Multicultural Services Learner Driver car, patiently instructing newly arrived refugees so that they can obtain a NSW drivers’ licence.
The qualified driving instructor, who runs his own driving business, has been doing this for 7 years and was recently recognised with SydWest’s Volunteer of the Year award.
Bashir’s voluntary work with the Learner Driver Mentor Program helps alleviate the cost of driving lessons for new arrivals to Australia. Having a driver’s licence means greater independence and self-confident, and greater chances of getting a job.
A migrant from Afghanistan, Bashir speaks Farsi and Pashtu, so can communicate in language with refugees and humanitarian entrants who come from countries including Afghanistan, Iran and Northern Pakistan.
SydWest caseworker Khatol Ahmadzay said Bashir has helped many people over the years, including a sole parent from Afghanistan, who could not read or write, and was struggling to get her children to school, or to get to a job, by public transport.
With the dedicated help of Bashir, she was able to obtain her licence, opening up a world of opportunity for her and her family.
‘I am honoured to be making a small contribution to this fantastic organisation,’ said Bashir, adding that being a volunteer gave him a great deal of satisfaction.
‘His selfless commitment and positive impact on our organisation and community make him a truly deserving candidate for this year’s award,’ said Saurav Shrestha, SydWest’s Settlement Services Team Leader.
CAPTION: SydWest Board member Prof Peter Zelas presents the Volunteer of the Year award to volunteer Bashir Faiz, with HR Manager Nicholette Bowen.
Case study 2
Love of baking inspires volunteer work teaching cooking skills to people with disability
Maggie Ross, of Penshurst, loves to bake.
Three times a week she can be found at Participate Australia’s Croydon premises, creating amazing meals and treats with a group of disability participants. [Note: Participate Australia is part of SydWest, running its disability division.]
A former cafe owner and restaurant cook, Maggie stumbled upon the volunteer opportunity at Participate Australia through friend networks about 7 years ago.
She started making basic food once a week as part of an organised activity to teach cooking skills. ‘Biscuits and bread – bread you can’t kill – I just tell them, go for it!’ she says.
‘It has now evolved, and I make lunch meals as well as something to go with it afterwards. For example, on Monday we made meatballs and salad.
‘Some participants help cook the whole meal while others just do parts of it. It’s whatever they want to do,’ she said.
Maggie was one of the guests of honor at a SydWest’s high tea this week. SydWest spokesman Thom Calms said Maggie makes an amazing contribution to the organisation.
CAPTION: Volunteer and keen cook Maggie Ross. [Please note we also have a video interview of Maggie].
Facts about volunteering
Across Australia is it estimated that over 5 million people volunteered through an organisation or group.
Volunteers contributed 596 million hours to the community.
Men and women tend to volunteer at similar rates.
A 2023 survey found that 93% of volunteers were either satisfied or very satisfied with their experience volunteering.
A survey of culturally diverse volunteers found that they described volunteering as an ‘inseparable element of their culture that needed to be passed onto the next generation and shared with other Australian communities.’
SydWest this week hosted a delegation from Zimbabwe including the Zimbabwean Ambassador to Australia, a senior MP and business leaders to showcase our successful programs for youth.
The visit was organised by Member for Blacktown Stephen Bali MP.
The Zimbabwe delegation was interested in positive youth engagement through sport and other activities and wanted to learn more about what other jurisdictions do.
SydWest Acting CEO Clement Meru shared examples of SydWest programs that help address a range of youth issues, including mental health, and cultural barriers that might prevent youth from accessing services.
‘The delegation was particularly interested in setting up spaces or facilities in Zimbabwe that attracted youth and provided a place where they would feel safe enough to open up about any issues they may be facing,’ Mr Meru said.
‘We were able to provide examples of all the different ways we engage with local youth, including youth from African backgrounds, particularly through sport.
‘We also outlined the success we are having with our New Way Forward program for our youth at risk from culturally diverse backgrounds.’
Other discussions were around ways Zimbabwe could help address skills shortages in Australia, including within aged care where there is a critical shortage nationally.
Across Greater Sydney there are more than 5000 people from Zimbabwe, and the number settling in Blacktown is growing.
As part of the visit, all parties signed a Memorandum of Understanding in Friendship and Cooperation initiated by Mr Bali and expressed a desire to continue to collaborate and share learnings.
Mr Bali said that while the two countries were separated by more than 11,000 km they were committed to working together to ‘generate initiatives that boost social, cultural and sporting relations that encourage charitable, business and community based partnerships’.
Mr Meru thanked the delegation, led by the Hon. Darlington Dzikamai Chigumbu MP, Member for Budiriro South; His Excellency Mr Joe Mhishi, Ambassador for Zimbabwe; and Ruth Pasi, a local community African-Australian leader for visiting and for their interest in SydWest.
Twenty-five community representatives from the Blacktown area have travelled to the nation’s capital to view democracy in action under a new civics education program for emerging migrant and refugee leaders and those preparing to become Australian citizens.
Member for Blacktown, Stephen Bali, nominated SydWest to receive a $30,000 grant from the NSW Government to help build understanding of Australia’s political system and decision-making processes.
At Parliament House, Canberra last week they were met by Member for Chifley and Minister for Industry and Science, Ed Husic, toured the parliament and observed Question Time.
‘Leaders and influencers from across 25 different cultural groups in the Blacktown area identified the need for leadership development, which led to this program,’ said SydWest Settlement and Community Programs Manager Clement Meru.
‘When people understand the functions of all of our tiers of government, agencies, departments and courts they can engage more fully and confidently in the Australian community and this will put participants in a great position to be able to advocate and make representations on behalf of themselves or their communities,’ Mr Meru said.
‘Ultimately the program aims to foster a sense of belonging, inclusion and empowerment so that our new arrivals can contribute meaningfully to Australian society.’
Program participant Osman Abdulrahaman, who came to Australia from Sudan, is now a permanent resident and preparing to apply for citizenship. He said he found the visit inspiring.
“I saw many different people, from different countries and backgrounds all working together in the one building,’ he said. ‘It was easy to see the Prime Minister and other parliamentary members, which is very different from Sudan. It made me feel that anyone can be a member of parliament one day if you want to help other Australians.’
Another attendee was Rabia Johini who arrived in Australia 2 years ago from Khabul, Afghanistan. While Rabia trained as a lawyer in her home country, women and girls are now prevented from going to school and to work.
‘It was good to see different people, different cultures, and women coming into the parliament,’ she said. She said it was valuable to see Parliament House and Australian democracy in action.
Mr Meru said he appreciated Minister Husic taking time out of his schedule to meet the group.
He was also grateful to Mr Bali for nominating the project for funding under the Local Small Commitments Allocation Program.
The funds will help SydWest design comprehensive civics course, conduct awareness sessions and facilitate field visits, such as the one to Parliament House, Canberra.
Other visits will be to the NSW Parliament and Blacktown Council. The program forms part of a range of activities SydWest provides to build leadership capacity in diverse communities.
More than 400 people gathered together for a fun celebration in a joint Harmony Day and Seniors Week event this week, organised by SydWest.
The much anticipated event on our annual calendar saw people of all ages – from children to our seniors – come together for a morning of fun and educational activities.
Participants strapped on their dancing shoes, practiced Tai Chi, and experienced wonderful cultural, musical and poetry performances plus a cultural fashion parade while the children were kept busy with face painting and drawing.
In between the crowd was entertained with inspirational speeches and information sessions on water safety and healthy living.
‘Harmony Day and Seniors Week activities are a much-anticipated part of the community social calendar,’ said SydWest Settlement and Community Programs Manager Clement Meru.
‘It is a time to celebrate the true local spirit and sense of belonging within our proudly diverse community, learn more about each other and provide opportunities for new friendships to be forged across generations.
‘We are thankful to our guest speakers including Blacktown Deputy Mayor Chris Quilkey, Uncle Colin for the Welcome to Country, and all of our performers and educators for a fantastic celebration of what makes this community great.’
It’s that time of year where SydWest Multicultural Services celebrates women’s achievements as we continue the push for gender equality during celebrations for International Women’s Day (IWD).
This year SydWest will host a special morning event in Glenwood on Thursday 7th March 2024 from 10am to noon.
The keynote will be delivered by 2023 Australian Human Rights Medal award winner Juliana Nkrumah AM (see photo at top of page). Our guest speaker is Minister for Communications and Member for Greenway Michelle Rowland. NSW Women’s Minister Jodie Harrison has recorded a video message as part of the formalities.
The event will feature performances from Iranian women’s choir AvaZan (Persian for ‘voices of women’) and a slam poetry performance by Shabnam Siddique – a poet, writer and mixed-media artist.
Lastly, there will be an interactive Bollywood dance session for guests featuring renowned dance instructor Anchal Rastogi.
‘While we come together in March each year for a celebration of women’s achievements, and this year with a focus on inspiring inclusion, it is important that we have conversations about equality for women and girls all year round,’ said Elfa Moraitakis, CEO of SydWest Multicultural Services.
‘At SydWest we are working hard to create opportunities for all women from all different cultural backgrounds to achieve and succeed.’
SydWest will also show a short video at the local IWD event that showcases clients and staff and their aspirations for inclusion.
You will find the 3 minute version here and a 60 second version here.
Jobseekers looking for a rewarding role supporting seniors to live independently have the chance to meet a range of employers in the one location – and apply for a role on the spot – at events being held in February and March 2024.
Mt Druitt will be the location of an event tomorrow, Thursday 15 February, with others to be held in St Marys, Parramatta and Blacktown.
SydWest Multicultural Services CEO Elfa Moraitakis said the Employment Accelerator events give people with a desire to improve the quality of people’s lives the chance to jump start their career in the Home Care sector.
“With a skills shortage in Aged Care, it’s exciting to be involved in an initiative like Employment Accelerator to help bring more people into the sector,” Ms Moraitakis said.
“The Employment Accelerator event is a unique opportunity to bring Home Care employers together with potential employees in the one spot, reducing what might otherwise be a lengthy application process.
“Candidates have the chance to speak to a range of possible employers and may land a job on the spot if they’re the right match.
“Employers can meet a pool of candidates in person in a relatively short time and discuss the benefits of the career and working with them.”
SydWest Multicultural Services held the first Employment Accelerator (Home Care) event at its Blacktown premises at the end of January, attracting nearly 40 candidates.
Two more events dedicated to Home Care will be held this month, with the March events opened up to a range of other industries including Health and Disability, Transport and Logistics, Construction, Hospitality and Cleaning.
Anyone looking for a job can attend an Employment Accelerator event. You will need to register for a free ticket.
Venue
Time
Date
Registration
Mount Druitt Hub Level 1, 9 Ayres Grove, Mount Druitt
Employment Accelerator is an initiative of Sydney Greater West CALD and Migrant Employment Working Group.
The events are organised in collaboration with Sydney Greater West Local Jobs, SydWest Multicultural Services, SSI Home Care Workforce Support Program, Australian Catholic University, Blacktown City Council, TAFE NSW, State Member Mr Stephen Bali, Macquarie Community College, FindMe, Salvation Army Employment Plus, AMES Australia, AUSRIA, Services Australia, OCTEC, Safe Map Community Network, MAS National, HARDA, Leaders Care, and Care Connect.
The SSI Home Care Workforce Support Program has provided funded for this latest series of 5 events,
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14 February 2024
Media enquiries: Vikki Hine, Media and Events. E: vikki.hine@sydwestms.org.au or T: 0428 109 215 or Cindy Sciberras on 0412 897 286 (Wednesday & Friday only).
