Refugees adopt creative ways to ease pressure of settling in Australia

Refugees are taking creative and innovative approaches to bridge language gaps and isolation as they integrate into Australian life.

Refugees have been showcasing their creative initiatives designed to ease the pressure of settling into a new country.

The forum in Sydney's West on Wednesday was organised by David Ajak Ajang from the Community in Cultural Transition Program.

"[The forum] is an opportunity for different communities in western Sydney, refugee communities, newly arrived and established communities, to come together and share their stories of success and to network and to inspire themselves about creative ways to solve many persistent problems that refugee communities struggle with," said Mr Ajang.

"They have lived with the issues that are affecting them for a long time. They are the best people to come up with the creative solutions to some of the problems we have."

One of the social enterprises highlighted on the day was Angkor Flowers and Craft - a program that was started by Sophea Chea from Cambodia to help refugee women who have few skills to learn English.

"First step is to bring them enjoyment, then when they are happy, they release the stress and can think about future employment," Ms Chea said.

"In their culture, [the women] have been educated to be homemakers and look after children, so when they have faced family violence or family neglect, they have nowhere to go because they don't have skills, they don't have the capacity to start up their new life. That is why my program is to enable them to start a new way.

"One of the students said 'to learn [how to use a] computer is very hard for me, but [...] now I'm thinking to start my career in flower arrangement."

Sport has also been an effective way to engage refugees, with South Sudanese man Abraham Ajok Kuol establishing the Nile Football Academy after playing the sport in refugee camps.

"Football was my hope. Without football I would have not reached where I am today because it made me meet so many people. It made me be healthy. I wasn't thinking about my parents. I was loved by many because of my skill."

With 60 registered plaers, Mr Kuol believes that he can one day produce the first Sudanese player to play for the Socceroos.

Forum organisers hope to stage the event again next year with more success stories.