Due to the arrival of Syrian and Yazidi refugees in Armidale, Settlement Services International (SSI), an organisation assisting newcomers/refugees settling in Australia, were forced to open a new office in the city.
Samantha Airs is the Community Engagement Coordinator in Armidale told SBS Kurdish that there has been an “overwhelming response” from the Armidale community to welcome and support the newly arrived Yazidi families to the town.
In May 2018, the not-for-profit organisation opened its new office in Armidale, providing essential settlement services to the newly arrived refugees including Yazidis in the area.
“The new office was to provide an opportunity to connect with the community as a new service to the area,” Ms Airs said.
“It was a really exciting event. We had a lot of people from local services present, the community volunteers and the local politicians.
“So, for us it was an important phase for local community to come together and be part of the settlement process.”
The organisation’s Humanitarian Settlement Program (HSP) team provides essential support and information to assist and empower refugees to gain independence and build strong connections in their new communities.
New England MP Barnaby Joyce flanked by SSI CEO Violet Roumeliotis and Humanitarian Settlement Program Manager Yamamah Agha with other participants at the opening of SSI’s Armidale office Source: SSI
SSI’s case management model is an integral part of HSP it includes case managers, bilingual workers, volunteers and the wider community. Each group takes pride in delivering services to refugees and humanitarian entrants.
“We help provide the initial settlement for the first twelve to eighteen months and then after that there is a process where they continue to receive support through Northern Settlement Services for an additional five years,” Ms Airs said. “As part of HSP they do receive intensive case management support and orientation.”
Currently there are 22 Yazidi families in Armidale with another 16 families expected by the end of August.
“A number of Syrian refugee families have arrived but most of those families have made the decision to relocate to another area where they may have family and friends”, Ms Airs said.
Ms Airs said the community support has been fundamental in helping refugees settle in the town - with tremendous support from locals to schools and charities.
“I have been overwhelmed with the number of initiatives and projects that have been discussed to me to support the newly arrived Yazidi families,” she said.
“Some of those programs range from arts and culture programs, gardening, horticulture, sporting activities and employment.”
Ms Airs said the organisation has been really fortunate to have a volunteer program which so far has 12 members with another 10 soon to be inducted.
“They provide a lot of ongoing support to the families when it comes to orientation, helping to attend appointments, navigating ways to TAFE and school and helping find housing.
Armidale TAFE provides an Adult Migrant English Program to support adults in learning English.
Ms Airs said the volunteers who are from the local community want to be part of the settlement process.
“They are very active members in helping with settlement.”
The coordinator said the leadership of the local schools has also been tremendous, as well as local charities who have been providing donations.
“There is a lot going on in Armidale when it comes to future programs because the response to supporting the families has just been amazing.”
SBS Kurdish has also interviewed SSI's Nabaz Al-Qadhi HSP Team Leader in the Kurdish language.
