CMRC’s Research & Service Delivery Program in the Settlement Space
CMRC has diversified its service base over the last five years, and social inclusion sits front and centre as one of the most critical needs facing newly arrived refugee families. Holroyd and Ryde LGAs have again welcomed new Australians on to our shores, from two regions affected by protracted conflicts: Syria/ Iraq, Afghanistan.
Service planning and sector development has focused on social inclusion outcomes underpinning programming decisions around: language acquisition, education pathways and tailored employment support. A large number of Syrian women with children have presented to our service in West Ryde, and Syrian and Iraqi families around Merrylands and Greystanes have connected through purposeful program design and individualized casework support. CMRC’s Community Connections initiatives support our newly arrived communities and the ongoing dispersed communities across the broader Sydney metropolitan area, as we have partnered across key calendar events such as International Womens Day, Harmony Day and Refugee Week.
We have created spaces for our COMMUNITY Voice to be shared at a number of regional and state-wide forums, to help drive important advocacy work across the sector to affect meaningful change at policy levels.
Funded by The Department of Home Affairs – SETS (Settlement Engagement & Transition Support Program )
NSP Consortium partner – SSI
Expert Panel meets Community Influencers ( Who has the Inside Track…….. you decide )
CMRC ‘s weekly topical interview series on subjects that matter to our Syrian, Iraqi, Afghan, Sri Lankan Tamil, Iranian and African communities during COVID-19. Youth / isolation /sports/mental health/navigating parents&home- we have it covered.
CMRC has been collaborating with our partner Creating Chances, and together we are launching BUILDING RESILIENCE! for Term 2 at our partner schools. Curated mix of online resources and facilitated sessions keep young people thinking positive and looking forward, as they retune their coping mechanisms and negotiate the government regulations while learning in very compromised home environments.
It’ s not just about Google Hangouts. It’ s about providing a safety net for children, for the other side of COVID-19, a pandemic which will have the greatest impacts on our youth, the next generation.
Young people who have been preparing for media careers through a CMRC training and internship program have transitioned over to online tuition. Thanks to the skills of media specialist Tamara Voninski, participants have been socially distant but honing their content and photography skills by capturing life under COVID-19 through their home isolation cells / their neighbourhoods / through interviews with frontline health workers.
E & E Unit’s mission statement is to BELIEVE & ACHIEVE through shaping a future, setting life and careers goals through family friendly work / life solutions.
The E & E Unit is leading the way in pivoting to wellbeing support and tech upskilling, re-flexing new jobseeking muscles. For our new Syrian families living in Guildford and Merrylands, this has given time to reflect on skillsets and identify opportunities in the COVID-19 job market. Clients are now preparing for an economy and society that will look very different on the other side – where TECH skills and agile workers are premium assets.
Tamil Youth initiative. Delivering online homework support to Sri Lankan Tamil refugee parents who have children in need of support with the pivot to online school curriculum and resources.
Tamil parents are relieved of being DEFACTO Teachers, and can see the inter-generational support of their youth supporting the younger children.
CMRC has proud record of supporting ethno-specific community associations. During COVID-19, we have stepped in to support the Karen Community through Online ZOOM group meetings, consultations with elders, partnering with key health providers to reinforce health messaging
Support for youth during restrictions on sports and movements
