Australian Refugee Association Inc in Adelaide, South Australia | Community organisation

Australian Refugee Association Inc

Locality: Adelaide, South Australia

Phone: +61 8 8354 2951

Address: Shop 94, 68 John St, Salisbury SA 5108 Adelaide, SA, Australia

Website: http://www.australianrefugee.org

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• Non-profit organisation
• Charitable organisation
• Community organisation
• Social service
• Charity organisation

25.01.2022 The COVID19 pandemic.has shown that financial literacy and digital literacy are incredibly interdependent. Thanks to our partnership with Ecstra Foundation, we've distributed 40 laptops, tablets, and internet dongles to migrant and refugee individuals and families experiencing financial hardship. And we're training them how to use the equipment and access online platforms (MyGov, Centrelink, ATO, banking, etc).

25.01.2022 During the second Sudanese Civil War, one man helped save many young orphans from becoming child soldiers. Discover the extraordinary true story of the 'Father of the Lost Boys", Mecak Ajang Alaak, as told by his son and author, Yuot in his new book. Join ARA's CEO Deb Stringer on August 4 for an online conversation with Yuot about this incredible, dangerous and life affirming eye witness account. Registrations essential! Co-presented with City of Marion Libraries and Fremantle Press.

24.01.2022 'You make a choice: is it better for me to die walking or die standing still? I chose to walk.' The New Land, New Hope exhibition shares the remarkable stories of people like Yeman, who was among the first wave of refugees from the Horn of Africa region, 30 years ago. "New Land, New Hope" is on at the Migration Museum until February 28th and was made possible with kind support from the City of Adelaide. ... Thank you to Yeman for sharing his story. https://www.australianrefugee.org/new-land-new-hope/

23.01.2022 One era ends and another begins... ARA is merging its Underdale and Salisbury offices into one northern location during the first half of October. It will be a sad farewell to our Henley Beach Road home of more than 20 years. If the walls could talk, they would tell you about the ARA family the many people who first walked through those doors as clients and returned as community leaders, volunteers, staff, advisers, board members and donors. But our sadness is tapered by t...he exciting opportunities that the move brings - increased access to services for northern clients; greater connection with other service providers in the area, finally having the majority of staff in the one location, and new collaborations with some of the dynamic local organisations and services operating out of Salisbury. We are also opening a part time Western Outreach office to complement our part time Southern Outreach office. The move is being planed in stages to minimise disruption to services. Find out more about the stages and our new office here: https://www.australianrefugee.org/newlocation/

21.01.2022 Ratiba and Iman are going global! San Francisco's Angel Island Immigration Station Foundation has an online exhibition called Tastes of Home that features our World Refugee Day cooking livestream. Check it out, its available until October 31: aiisf.org/toh-migrationmuseums Migration Museum Ratiba kitchen

21.01.2022 Join us online on September 24 for the 2020 ARA Oration. Find out how we can all improve our ability to communicate, think, act and work effectively and appropriately across cultures. After the success of last year's format, we are again featuring a panel of speakers: Professor Mohamad Abdalla AM, University of South Australia,on what Islamic Studies can teach us about interculturalism;... Associate Professor Tahereh Ziaian, University of South Australia on the connection between intercultural communications and mental health; Associate Professor Shanton Chang, The University of Melbourne on the relationship between culture and information systems; Facilitator: Sowaibah Hanifie, Journalist ABC Australia Register now via the weblink in the event below. Presented by The Bob Hawke Prime Ministerial Centre and the Australian Refugee Association (ARA).

21.01.2022 Can you help two young men out of a desperate situation? We are seeking two families or two older couples who can open their doors to two young Iranian men on bridging visas. Both are in their early 30s. They arrived in Adelaide just before the COVID19 pandemic hit and have no income, no family or support network, and no place to live. Both men have spent time in detention centres and need ongoing support from ARA’s services. A welcoming place to stay and some advice on day t...o day living would help these young men get back on their feet. If you or someone you know can offer a bedroom and access to a kitchen and bathroom, we can cover boarding costs. One of the young men needs accommodation in the Marion area/Southern suburbs, the other does not require a specific location. Long term arrangements preferred. If you can help, or need more information, please call (08) 8354 2951 and ask for Dijana. Thank you.

19.01.2022 Come work with us! We are looking for two case workers - Afghani and Syrian/Iraqi - to provide support to new arrivals from Afghani and Syrian/Iraqi backgrounds. Both roles are part time, applications close this Monday 20 July at 9AM Adelaide time. Follow the link for position descriptions and more information. https://www.australianrefugee.org/about-us/vacancies-at-ara/

18.01.2022 This beautiful artwork from ARA case worker Carolina is part of the SALA Festival's "Women of Our Neighbourhood" exhibition at Side Gate Cafe until October 1. The exhibition showcases work from "Women Together" - a diverse group of local women who meet up at MarionLIFE Community Services Inc. The group is a joint initiative by MarionLIFE and ARA, using art as a medium for connection, self discovery and healing. Check out the link for opening times: https://www.salafestival.com//4/women-of-our-neighbourhood City of Marion

18.01.2022 Summer in Australia can mean bushfires, floods, heatwaves and water danger. SBS Australia has a series of safety guides in 38 languages on these topics and more. Click on the link below and then click on "Find Your Language" to access the safety guides. https://www.sbs.com.au/language/summersafety

18.01.2022 Join us tomorrow night for this free online event. Discover the extraordinary true story of the 'Father of the Lost Boys" - Mecak Ajang Alaak - as told by his son and author, Yuot in his new book. ARA CEO Deb Stringer will speak with Yuot about this incredible, dangerous and life affirming story. Register via the link below. Co-presented with City of Marion Libraries and Fremantle Press.

17.01.2022 Coming up next: 12:50 pm City of Salisbury - Library Services... 12:55 pm New Beginnings - Dr. Yaseen Al-Zubaidy 1:45 pm Artist and Certified Life Coach 1:55 pm Trauma Informed Yoga 2:20 pm Closing Statement & Thanks - ARA's CEO *Times are approximate*

17.01.2022 For four nights only, writer and performer Tracy Crisp revives her first Adelaide Fringe show, Pearls. It's a story about the power of art to help us through difficult times..Tracy is kindly donating proceeds from Pearls to our "Art at ARA" school holiday program. You can see Pearls from September 9-12 at Holden Street Theatres -book now! "This is a tale of love and forgiveness, of parents and children, of taking chances, of growing up, moving out, moving on, coming home, and looking back, without letting grief triumph over us. The emotional significance of the title will only become fully apparent by the end, when it delivers a remarkable impact." - Anthony Vawser, Adelaide Theatre Guide

17.01.2022 Two days to go before our first online Oration. Register now via: https://bit.ly/3ieH0dV The panel will discuss the key steps we can take in our homes, schools, workplaces and communities to become more interculturally competent.

17.01.2022 Curious about volunteering and don't know where to start? Check out this article from Alice Brooks, about her rewarding experience helping Mariam settle into a new life in Australia. We're always looking for new volunteers!

16.01.2022 Part of the SALA Festival, "Women of Our Neighbourhood" is an art exhibition featuring the work of a diverse group of women who meet regularly at MarionLIFE Community Centre. The group, called Women Together, is a joint project of MarionLIFE Community Services Inc and the Australian Refugee Association. You can view their art at the Side Gate Cafe from August 31 - October 1. Check the weblink below for opening times.

16.01.2022 ARA's CEO Deb Stringer recently featured on the Ecstra Foundation's podcast, the Consumer Coach. Deb spoke about the disproportionate effects of the COVID19 pandemic on the financial and digital literacy of new arrivals and CALD communities. The Ecstra Foundation has supported ARA with a grant for 40 laptops, tablets, and internet dongles for new arrival individuals and families experiencing financial hardship. The grant also helps us train people in how to use the equipment and access online platforms such as MyGov, Centrelink, Medicare and the ATO.

15.01.2022 Fancy making kibbeh,falafel or baklava this weekend? Check out the recipes and tips from ARA's community caterers, Ratiba and Iman, as they cooked up a storm for World Refugee Day at the Migration Museum. As ARA clients, Ratiba and Iman undertook our food safety training course and now have catering businesses of their own. You can book Ratiba or Iman for all your catering needs! Search on Facebook for Ratiba Kitchen or IH Adelaide IH and send them a message.

15.01.2022 One of the nominees for Senior Australian of the Year 2021 is Bich Cam Nguyen, a former refugee who helped to found the Vietnamese Friendly Society - it enables fellow refugees to find their feet. "I think it's important that new arrivals feel that they are welcome, being taken care of and helped, and that way they feel that they are part of the community, ready and able to contribute." - Bich Cam Nguyen. #AusoftheYear

14.01.2022 We recently celebrated the graduation of our 2020 Youth Ambassadors! It was a wonderful night, featuring singing performances, a spoken word poetry piece and an inspiring speech from a young Afghani man who started his journey at Adelaide Secondary School of English 5 years ago and is now a Law student and Peer Leader with ARA. On the night, 9 students received certificates for achieving their 3 challenges, 5 students completed their SACE Stage 1 10 credit points and 8 stude...nts received participation certificates. The Peer Leaders and supporting staff from each school were recognised and thanked for their voluntary and invaluable contribution to the program. One of the best parts of the program is seeing students who start as Youth Ambassadors then take the opportunity to become peer leaders, guest speakers, workshop presenters, performers and even ARA staff members. Congratulations to all involved, you are an inspiration!

14.01.2022 If you're aged between 12 and 25, live in the Salisbury area and want to shape what your local youth centre can be, then this is the perfect opportunity for you!

13.01.2022 Thank you everyone for your overwhelming response to our urgent call to help asylum seekers who were given 3 weeks to find a job and a place to live. Thanks to your kind donations, ARA has helped people with food and transport vouchers, and the cost of removalists for 3 families. If you would like to help, you can donate here: australianrefugee.org/donate If you can offer a place to stay, or other support, you can register at bit.ly/stepuptosupport If you are not in a position to donate, please feel free to share this post with your friends. Thank you again.

13.01.2022 Our Southern Outreach office operates every Wednesday 9AM - 2PM from MarionLIFE Community Services Inc. For enquiries please call Hind on 0418331424 or the ARA Office on 83542951.

13.01.2022 Learn bike safety and confidence in our new Bike Workshop, July 17 in Salisbury. Numbers are limited - register now! See flyer for details. Supported by the wonderful volunteers at the Adelaide Community Bicycle Workshop, and the Australian Government Department for Social Services.

12.01.2022 One of ARA's first Youth Ambassadors, artist Murtaza Hussaini, has had his work featured on the ABC/Netflix show, Stateless. Murtaza was also an ARA Peer Leader, then the Youth Art Group facilitator, and one of the key artists to participate in our portrait exhibitions. Congratulations Murtaza, you continue to amaze us! You can follow Murtaza on his Facebook page or via Instagram. ... Filmed in South Australia with a cast featuring Cate Blanchett, Stateless is a drama about four strangers in an immigration detention centre in the Australian desert. Stateless Netflix ABC TV + iview Screen Australia Matchbox Pictures South Australian Film Corporation NBCUniversal

12.01.2022 Did you know that the skills you gain from volunteering can help you find a job? Find out how at our workshops for CALD new arrivals - November 2 and 9 at The Junction Community Centre and November 6 and 20 at Kilburn Community Centre. For more information and to book, contact Bryan [email protected] or 08 8354 2951. Funded by City of Port Adelaide Enfield and supported by Northern Volunteering, The Junction Community Centre and Kilburn Community Centre.

12.01.2022 Homework Clubs and Youth Hangouts are back face-to-face for term 3, with extra COVID19 precautions in place. If you can't make it in person, there is also an online Homework Club every Thursday. These program are available to high school students from refugee backgrounds who have been in Australia 5 years or less.For more information and registration, head to our website. https://www.australianrefugee.org/hwcreturned/ Youth In Salisbury Adelaide Secondary School of English Islamic Society of South Australia City of Salisbury, SA, Australia City of West Torrens Hamra Centre Library

12.01.2022 Have you seen "New Land, New Hope" at the Migration Museum yet? This exhibition shares the remarkable personal stories from the first wave of refugees from the Horn of Africa region. It's on until February 28th. Other great temporary exhibitions at the Migration Museum include Expressing Ourselves: Being Deaf in South Australia and Tangitja Etlarintja Ekarlta: The landscapes of Central Australia in the tradition of Namatjira. New Land, New Hope was made possible with kind su...pport from the City of Adelaide. https://www.australianrefugee.org/new-land-new-hope/

12.01.2022 "If they are hungry, they cannot learn. As an educator, as a school leader, I cannot stand back and be silent on this issue. - Woodville High School Principal Meredith Edwards. Families on temporary visas or seeking asylum are being left with no support, even if they have no work. Children are going to school hungry and parents are struggling to pay rent. #NoChildLeftBehind

12.01.2022 Earlier this week, ARA urgently distributed translated audio warnings to our clients about the new COVID19 cases in Adelaide’s northern suburbs.These audio files are available to download from our website in Arabic, Dari, Hakha Chin, Nepali and Swahili . https://www.australianrefugee.org/covid19-alert/ Please share in your communities.... ***If you were in the Salisbury Downs, Blair Athol or Kilburn locations at the times listed in the health alert on our website, please immediately self-isolate for 14 days and seek COVID19 testing even if you don’t have any symptoms.*** African Women's Federation of South Australia - Awfosa Community Centres SA Inc. Sttars Bhutanese Martyrs Memorial & Torture Survivors Society Bhutanese Australian Association of South Australia Human Services SA

12.01.2022 Join us in this free online event on building healing communities. There will be three one-hour sessions of learning and discussion across late July and August. Topics covered include building trauma-informed healing communities, developing trauma-responsive practice and leadership, governance and evaluation. Human Services SA University of South Australia The Salvation Army South Australia Uniting SA Playgroup SA Save the Children Australia Lutheran Community Care SA/NT

11.01.2022 --- SOLD OUT! --- Adelaide writer and comedian Tracy Crisp is restaging her first Fringe show "Pearls", with proceeds going to the ARA Art Program for Youth. Congratulations Tracy on your sold out shows, and thank you to everyone who spread the word and bought tickets. Enjoy the shows this Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday at Holden St Theatre.

11.01.2022 Join us online on August 4 as Yuot A. Alaak discusses his life-affirming memoir, Father of the Lost Boys, with the Australian Refugee Association CEO Deb Stringer. Thanks to City of Marion Libraries and Fremantle Press.

11.01.2022 An overheard conversation on a bus led to creation of the Adelaide Community Bicycle Workshop, which has been helping new arrivals gain their first set of Aussie wheels for 17 years. Check out this article about the workshop's long running partnership with ARA, and find out how a bike can transform someone's life. https://www.australianrefugee.org/arabikeworkshops/

11.01.2022 Conventional psychology does not suit some survivors of trauma and torture. The Bhutanese Martyrs Memorial & Torture Survivors Society, together with Bhutanese torture survivors and Sttars, has developed a holistic intervention program that focuses on trauma recovery and pain management. This includes trauma informed therapeutic yoga, mindfulness practices, psychoeducation, storytelling, Bhutanese Nepali folk music, dance and social outings. This video shows the powerful healing effects the program has had on the people participating.

10.01.2022 Another fantastic workshop in our partnership with Latin American Society SA - LASSA. Check out the next event on Sunday, November 8.

10.01.2022 Check out the Latin American Society SA - LASSA 's great video about ARA's programs and services for people within their communities. Collaborating with communities is a key part of ARA's work in helping new arrivals settle into a new life in Australia. We never cease to be amazed at the resourcefulness, energy and commitment of refugee and migrant communities.

08.01.2022 Our Bike Safety workshop is coming up soon - July 17 in Salisbury! Register your interest now.

07.01.2022 Check out this video of our"How to Lodge a Tax Return" workshop that we held together with the Latin American Society SA - LASSA. 34 refugee clients from Latin America attended and told us they found the session very helpful in understanding the tax system in Australia.

06.01.2022 Get your soccer team together and register for the 6th Dragon Cup multicultural soccer tournament by October 31. Female teams welcome!

06.01.2022 Yesterday, ARA's Syrian Women’s Group had their second digital literacy session. The sessions are designed to increase the women’s confidence and skills in using digital platforms like Zoom to stay safe during COVID19. They discussed the COVIDSafe app and ways to access accurate information and updates on COVID19 in different languages and audio recordings. And they learned good techniques for wearing a mask. The Syrian Women's Group is supported by the Australian Government's Settlement Engagement and Transition Support (SETS) Program.

04.01.2022 Do you have a small piano keyboard you could donate to Soraya? 5 year old Soraya is in a wheelchair, struck down with a degenerative disease that has left her with only the use of her eyes and hands. You may remember Soraya, her sister Alima and her mum Mara from earlier this year, when our Emergency Support Service helped them flee an abusive home. Soraya's one great wish is for a piano keyboard - she wants to sit it across her wheelchair and play it all day! If you have a ...portable piano keyboard for Soraya, please message us or call 08 8354 2951. And please feel free to share this post with your friends. You can read more about how Soraya's family escaped from abuse here: https://www.australianrefugee.org/mara/ *We have changed the names of Soraya, Alima and Mara, and used stock images to protect their safety and privacy.

04.01.2022 The next online conversation session for the African Women's Federation of South Australia - Awfosa is around how women have been feeling and coping during this challenging time. ARA is helping to deliver the session, with the aim of providing guidance and support for African women living in SA for less than 5 years. To register your interest, please call 08 8161 3331 or 0406 702 041 or email: [email protected]

04.01.2022 Homework Clubs begin again next week! Face to face sessions are returning in Salisbury (Mondays), Marion (Tuesdays) and Hilton (Thursdays). Plus there is an online session on Thursday afternoons. For more information, contact Amber on [email protected] or 8281 2052. Homework Clubs are a safe and supportive space for young people to engage in education with our volunteer tutors, while also building confidence and emotional stability.

03.01.2022 We’ve had over 500 registrations for our first online ARA Oration! Register now for this Zoom broadcast on September 24.

03.01.2022 Rodrigo and Claudia* should be rejoicing in their time as new parents. Instead, they face a huge hospital bill after the recent birth of their first baby. They arrived in Adelaide on a temporary working visa just before the pandemic hit. Rodrigo lost his job shortly after, and has searched high and low for work, fruitlessly. All he wants is a job to feed his new baby and pay off his debt. Their story is one of many right now. We are confronting the impact of the COVID19 pan...demic on a particular cohort: those on temporary and bridging visas. We have not seen anything like this before. Many have lost their jobs and cannot find work. Under the conditions of their entry into Australia, they are not entitled to Medicare or Centrelink. They are turning to ARA for urgent help. We know through our casework that many landlords are not budging on rent. People are becoming desperate: they are foregoing health insurance, medical checkups, bill payments and groceries to try and keep a roof over their heads. The demand for ARA’s Emergency Support Service escalated by 200% in the last 3 months. The amount of people who cannot pay their rent, utility bills or buy food has tripled. Can you please give urgent, practical help with a tax deductible donation today? https://secure.artezpacific.com/registrant/startup.aspx ARA case managers are working hard to address the immediate and long term needs of everyone who needs our help: food vouchers, rent payments, bill payments, employment training, volunteer training, counselling, parenting support. If you are not in a position to donate, it's still easy to help - just like and share this post with your friends. From everyone at ARA thank you so much. Stay safe. *We have changed names and used stock images in order to protect our clients’ identities.

02.01.2022 If you missed our 20202 Oration "The Future Is Intercultural" you can catch up here: https://youtu.be/2IcfYsdMpQQ Thank you to our wonderful panel, our supporters and The Bob Hawke Prime Ministerial Centre.

02.01.2022 Homework clubs and Hangout are back in 2021! Both programs will be starting in the 1st week of February. If you can't make it in person, there is also an online Homework Club every Thursday. For more information or to register, contact Amber on [email protected] or call 08 8354 2951

01.01.2022 Congratulations to all the participants of the 2020 Dragon Club soccer tournament! ARA is a proud sponsor of the event, made possible by funding from the Adelaide Refugees and New Arrivals Program by Adelaide PHN Check out the trophy presentation in the video below.

01.01.2022 We have not seen anything like this before. Demand for emergency relief has tripled in the last 3 months. People like Zeb, who were once self-sufficient have been hit hard by the COVID19 fallout. Zeb fled persecution and arrived in Adelaide with his family on a temporary work visa, ready to start a job in a city firm. But COVID19 restrictions hit, and he was made redundant before he even began. Under the visa’s conditions of entry into Australia, Zeb and his family cannot a...ccess Medicare or Centrelink. There is no Jobkeeper or Jobseeker option for Zeb. He and his family have no choice but to try and buy food and pay bills on the single income of their sponsor, who is a pensioner. Zeb feels like a burden; it’s far from the new life that was at his fingertips three months ago. Zeb’s story is all too common for people on temporary and bridging visas. We know through our casework that we are facing a new era of chronic homelessness. Many landlords are not budging on rent. People are becoming desperate: they are foregoing health insurance, medical check-ups, bill payments and groceries to try and keep a roof over their heads. And still they are struggling. ARA’s emergency relief is providing people in need with food vouchers, bill payments and rent payments. And wherever we can, we also help people like Zeb with upskilling and searching for a job. We know that this holistic approach is the best way to stop people from falling through the cracks in the system. But with a 200% spike in demand, funds for our emergency relief efforts are stretched thin. Will you please chip in this Tax-Time and help stop a family like Zeb’s from becoming homeless? https://secure.artezpacific.com/registrant/startup.aspx All donations $2 and over are tax-deductible. If you're not in a position to donate, we would be grateful if you could please share this post. On behalf of Zeb, his family and many others like them thank you. *Names have been changed to protect privacy