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St
John the Apostle ~ Kippax
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CANBERRA,
AUSTRALIA |
| Our Priests | Parish Pastoral Council | Neighbourhood Communities | Refugee Resettlement | St Vincent de Paul | Catholic Women's League | Bookstore | Our Stories |
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Our Mission is to undertake activities that facilitate the settlement of refugees* and their families into Australian society, with dignity and hope. Our goals are to:
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| OUR COMMITMENT |
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RRC volunteers are committed to the provision of direct practical assistance to refugees from arrival until they can meet their own material and social needs, independently. Our volunteers advocate for:
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WHO DO WE HELP?
The RRC's activities are restricted to assisting refugees living in the North side of Canberra , Australia. Within our resources, including geographical limits, we assist refugees in need whether they are under permanent resident visas or other humanitarian visas issued to asylum seekers pending resolution of their status. [back]
HOW DO WE HELP?
Potential refugee clients may be referred to us by our current clients, women refuges and providers of emergency accommodation, such as the YWCA, as well as local settlement agencies including Companion House, Migrant and Refugee Settlement Services, Catholic Care and the St Vincent de Paul Society. In helping to provide settlement services to refugees , our volunteers offer to help and liaise with settlement, welfare, and community organisations as well as with ACT and Federal Government Agencies and Departments. These include Companion House, Migrant and Refugee Settlement Services, Catholic Care, St Vincent de Paul Society, Multicultural Youth Services, Community Centres and Centrelink. In helping to provide settlement services for the refugees clients, whom we accept, RRC volunteers liaise with the above organisations and other settlement, welfare, community and multicultural orgamisations, including local Community Centres and Multicultural Youth Services. The RRC also liaises with the ACT and Federal Government Departments and Agencies including Centrelink and Medicare. Some of these organisations provide information, training and support for our volunteers. We help them seek long term accommodation and in dealing with Housing ACT.
The practical face to face services that RRC volunteers may provide to newly accepted clients may include welcoming them and helping them with shopping and settling into new living arrangements. RRC volunteers provide transport , company and support in dealing with banks , Medicare and Centrelink. We help them access schools or child care for their children and English classes for the adults. We help them access libraries and community services. We help these refugee clients seek long term accommodation and in dealing with Housing ACT.
We visit them in their homes and help them understand how to operate appliances: We provide them with local information, help them understand letters from government agencies and schools and pay bills. We offer friendship and social support and take them on outings to help them avoid social isolation or social exclusion We provide transport and support in keeping health related appointments and accessing chemists, pathologists , etc. We help them to learn to use buses and understand bus timetables and in their search for more permanent accommodation. We then assist with their relocation. Settlement may take several years and we help them meet their changing needs by accessing specialist services." [back]
Our Committee has operated since 1979 under several different Government arrangements.
For almost 22 years we provided direct practical assistance to refugees through the Community Refugee Settlement Scheme (CRSS). We were registered by the Immigration Department as a CRSS group and received limited government funding to assist refugees in specified ways. We operated to a very large extent by seeking donations from the public.
In 1997, our Committee was awarded Austcare’s National Paul Cullen Award for outstanding services to refugees. In 1999, to mark the 20th Anniversary of CRSS, the Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs awarded our Committee a Certificate of Appreciation for providing invaluable and continuing assistance in the settlement of refugees in the ACT.
CRSS ceased to operate from 1 July 2001. To that time we had provided a full range of settlement assistance to 45 families (175 persons) from 9 different countries to settle in the ACT, mainly in Belconnen. We also provided some assistance to humanitarian entrants from Kosovo in this period
Between 1 July 7 2001 and 1 September 2009, our Committee functioned as a Community Support for Refugees (CSR) - a group of volunteers registered through the Immigration Department under its Integrated Humanitarian Settlement Strategy (IHSS).
We assisted a number of different contractors in the IHSS which provided initial intensive settlement support for short periods, usually about 6 months. Our Committee continued to provide settlement support on a needs basis for humanitarian entrants who had been exited from IHSS. We also supported people with humanitarian needs, who had arrived outside the IHSS arrangements and who had Temporary Protection Visas. In 2004, we joined ACT Government coordinated arrangements to assist a number of Afghanistani asylum seekers recently released from detention on Nauru. In just over 4 years, we provided various forms of settlement assistance to 53 families (165 persons) from 8 different countries.
Since 2 October 2005 our Committee has operated as a community not - for - profit organisation. Since that date there has been no Government provision under its new form of IHSS for registering our Committee and we receive no Government funding. We now rely solely on donations from the public and the Church covers our insurance requirements. Under this new form of IHSS, there is one contractor in the ACT, a consortium of Catholic Care and Companion House. The RRC has remained willing to deliver settlement services for which IHSS contractors are responsible, however Catholic Care decided during 2008 not to request help from RRC volunteers. We do have a Working Agreement with Companion House. The end result is that an increasing proportion of the settlement services RRC provides is directed to humanitarian entrants who are outside the short term IHSS provisions.
Since October 2005, RRC has provided various forms of settlement assistance to 38 families (134 persons) from 7 different countries. We anticipate providing assistance to a number of other families in the near future.
In over 30 years of operation, the RRC has helped 136 families (474 persons) from 17 different countries. These people have come from many different cultures and many religious faiths, Christian and non- Christian. Many of them are now making outstanding contributions to Australia.
The current Government arrangements are due to change in October 2010.
CURRENT POSITION
We are expecting that in the 2010-11 financial year, there will be some reduction in the numbers of IHSS entrants from Africa and some increase in entrants from Myanmar (Burma) and Southern Asia and from the Middle East. We also anticipate that there will be some additions and improvements in the government services being made available to new entrants and those still in the settlement process. A high continuing demand for our services is expected and we are always keen to attract new members.
The practical face to face services that we provide are described in the previous section on “How do we help” and details on how to become a member are to be found in the membership section below. [back]
MEMBERSHIP
An Executive of usually 7-9 members is elected annually. The Executive provides leadership and develops policy to identify and help meet the needs of members and refugees. In addition to dealing with all administrative matters associated with the operation of the Committee, including the distribution of Newsletters and general information, the Executive arranges meetings of the general membership as well as organising training and mentoring as necessary.
Registered members can choose to undertake those settlement tasks which best suit their talents and available time. Mentoring can be arranged and general training provided by way of a combination of internal sessions addressed by guest speakers and external sessions provided by various settlement and community organisations.
As many of the appointments and functions for refugees occur within business hours we have a special need for volunteers available during those times- eg part time workers and retirees. Other activities can be effectively performed in the evenings or at week ends.
Registered membership of the Committee is subject to formal interview and an orientation program. Because of the sensitivity of the activities of registered members, volunteers will be required to make a formal undertaking with regard to the Settlement Service Principles and the Privacy and Confidentiality Agreement under which the group operates. Prospective members will also be required to undertake a police check. In addition members are required to sign undertakings which include one to work within the RRC to support and assist RRC clients to gain the knowledge to particiapte actively in social, cultural, economic and recreational activities of the Australian community and use opportunities to generate community support for them.
Executive Membership:
From April 2010 there are six members as follows: Marie McKie (Acting President/Vice President), Robyn Erickson (Treasurer), Heidi Zajac (Secretary), Sarah Watters (Minutes Secretary), Adolfo Moran (Membership Officer), Bevil Purnell (Community Liaison Officer). Vacancies on the executive are expected to be filled in May 2010.
For further details please contact us by email at RRC.Secretary@stjohnkippax.org.au or through the Parish Secretary on 6254 3236. [back]
LINKS TO FURTHER INFORMATION.
You may be interested in learning more about refugees, their settlement in Australia and some other organisations involved in refugee settlement in the ACT and other parts of Australia. The RRC is in a large network of church, community and government organisations. The following is a small sample of some of the websites that you may wish to access.
The Australian Catholic Migrant and Refugee Office
Mercy Refugee Service
Jesuit Refugee Service
International Catholic Migration Commission
National Council Of Churches in Australia
The Migrant and Refugee Settlement Services of the ACT Inc.
The Multicultural Youth Service (Canberra)
ACT Multicultural Council
Canberra Multicultural Community Forum
ACT Department of Disability,Housing & Community Services
Refugee Council of Australia
Federation of Ethnic Community Councils of Australia
Department of Immigration and Citizenship
United Nations High Commission for Refugees
Settlement Council of Australia (www.scoa.org.au)
sted text for a proposed new section. It is a useful list for us, particularly in our advocacy role, but may be too much for this website. My main idea in proposing it was to help interested people understand that the RRC is part of a large network of church , community and government organisations. What do you think? Is it too much and need trimming to a smaller number of examples ?
LINKS TO FURTHER INFORMATION.
You may be interested in learning more about refugees, their settlement in Australia and some other organisations involved in refugee settlement in the ACT and other parts of Australia. The RRC is in a large network of church, community and government organisations. The following is a small sample of some of the websites that you may wish to access.
The Australian Catholic Migrant and Refugee Office
www.acmro.catholic.org.au
Mercy Refugee Service
www.mercyworks.org.au/programs/refugee_services
Jesuit Refugee Service
www.jrs.org.au
International Catholic Migration Commission
www.icmc.net
National Council Of Churches in Australia
www.ncca,org.au
The Migrant Resource Centre of Canberra and Queanbeyan Inc
www.mrccanberra.org.au
The Multicultural Youth Service (Canberra)
www.CMY.net.au
ACT Multicultrural Council
www.actmc.org .au
Canberra Multicultural Community Forum
www.cmcf.org.au
ACT Department of Disability,Housing & Community Services
www.dhcs.act.gov.au
Refugee Council of Australia
www.refugeecouncil.org.au
Federation of Ethnic Community Councils of Australia
www. fecca.org.au
Department of Immigration and Citizenship
www. immi.gov.au
United Nations High Commission for Refugees
www.unhcr.org.au
INKS TO FURTHER INFORMATION.
You may be interested in learning more about refugees, their settlement in Australia and some other organisations involved in refugee settlement in the ACT and other parts of Australia. The RRC is in a large network of church, community and government organisations. The following is a small sample of some of the websites that you may wish to access.
The Australian Catholic Migrant and Refugee Office
www.acmro.catholic.org.au
Mercy Refugee Service
www.mercyworks.org.au/programs/refugee_services
Jesuit Refugee Service
www.jrs.org.au
International Catholic Migration Commission
www.icmc.net
National Council Of Churches in Australia
www.ncca,org.au
The Migrant Resource Centre of Canberra and Queanbeyan Inc
www.mrccanberra.org.au
The Multicultural Youth Service (Canberra)
www.CMY.net.au
ACT Multicultrural Council
www.actmc.org .au
Canberra Multicultural Community Forum
www.cmcf.org.au
ACT Department of Disability,Housing & Community Services
www.dhcs.act.gov.au
Refugee Council of Australia
www.refugeecouncil.org.au
Federation of Ethnic Community Councils of Australia
www. fecca.org.au
Department of Immigration and Citizenship
www. immi.gov.au
United Nations High Commission for Refugees
www.unhcr.org.au
United Nations High commission for RefugeesNKS TO FURTHER INFORMATION.
You may be interested in learning more about refugees, their settlement in Australia and some other organisations involved in refugee settlement in the ACT and other parts of Australia. The RRC is in a large network of church, community and government organisations. The following is a small sample of some of the websites that you may wish to access.
The Australian Catholic Migrant and Refugee Office
www.acmro.catholic.org.au
Mercy Refugee Service
www.mercyworks.org.au/programs/refugee_services
Jesuit Refugee Service
www.jrs.org.au
International Catholic Migration Commission
www.icmc.net
National Council Of Churches in Australia
www.ncca,org.au
The Migrant Resource Centre of Canberra and Queanbeyan Inc
www.mrccanberra.org.au
The Multicultural Youth Service (Canberra)
www.CMY.net.au
ACT Multicultrural Council
www.actmc.org .au
Canberra Multicultural Community Forum
www.cmcf.org.au
ACT Department of Disability,Housing & Community Services
www.dhcs.act.gov.au
Refugee Council of Australia
www.refugeecouncil.org.au
Federation of Ethnic Community Councils of Australia
www. fecca.org.au
Department of Immigration and Citizenship
www. immi.gov.au
United Nations High Commission for Refugees
www.unhcr.org.au
United Nations High commission for RefugeesNLINKLINKS TO FURTHER INFORMATION.
You may be interested in learning more about refugees, their settlement in Australia and some other organisations involved in refugee settlement in the ACT and other parts of Australia. The RRC is in a large network of church, community and government organisations. The following is a small sample of some of the websites that you may wish to access.
The Australian Catholic Migrant and Refugee Office
www.acmro.catholic.org.au
Mercy Refugee Service
www.mercyworks.org.au/programs/refugee_services
Jesuit Refugee Service
www.jrs.org.au
International Catholic Migration Commission
www.icmc.net
National Council Of Churches in Australia
www.ncca,org.au
The Migrant Resource Centre of Canberra and Queanbeyan Inc
www.mrccanberra.org.au
The Multicultural Youth Service (Canberra)
www.CMY.net.au
ACT Multicultrural Council
www.actmc.org .au
Canberra Multicultural Community Forum
www.cmcf.org.au
ACT Department of Disability,Housing & Community Services
www.dhcs.act.gov.au
Refugee Council of Australia
www.refugeecouncil.org.au
Federation of Ethnic Community Councils of Australia
www. fecca.org.au
Department of Immigration and Citizenship
www. immi.gov.au
United Nations High Commission for Refugees
www.unhcr.org.au
United Nations High commission for RefugeesS TO FURTHER INFORMATION.
You may be interested in learning more about refugees, their settlement in Australia and some other organisations involved in refugee settlement in the ACT and other parts of Australia. The RRC is in a large network of church, community and government organisations. The following is a small sample of some of the websites that you may wish to access.
The Australian Catholic Migrant and Refugee Office
www.acmro.catholic.org.au
Mercy Refugee Service
www.mercyworks.org.au/programs/refugee_services
Jesuit Refugee Service
www.jrs.org.au
International Catholic Migration Commission
www.icmc.net
National Council Of Churches in Australia
www.ncca,org.au
The Migrant Resource Centre of Canberra and Queanbeyan Inc
www.mrccanberra.org.au
The Multicultural Youth Service (Canberra)
www.CMY.net.au
ACT Multicultrural Council
www.actmc.org .au
Canberra Multicultural Community Forum
www.cmcf.org.au
ACT Department of Disability,Housing & Community Services
www.dhcs.act.gov.au
Refugee Council of Australia
www.refugeecouncil.org.au
Federation of Ethnic Community Councils of Australia
www. fecca.org.au
Department of Immigration and Citizenship
www. immi.gov.au
United Nations High Commission for Refugees
www.unhcr.org.au
United Nations High commission for RefugeesKS TO FURTHER INFORMATION.
You may be interested in learning more about refugees, their settlement in Australia and some other organisations involved in refugee settlement in the ACT and other parts of Australia. The RRC is in a large network of church, community and government organisations. The following is a small sample of some of the websites that you may wish to access.
The Australian Catholic Migrant and Refugee Office
www.acmro.catholic.org.au
Mercy Refugee Service
www.mercyworks.org.au/programs/refugee_services
Jesuit Refugee Service
www.jrs.org.au
International Catholic Migration Commission
www.icmc.net
National Council Of Churches in Australia
www.ncca,org.au
The Migrant Resource Centre of Canberra and Queanbeyan Inc
www.mrccanberra.org.au
The Multicultural Youth Service (Canberra)
www.CMY.net.au
ACT Multicultrural Council
www.actmc.org .au
Canberra Multicultural Community Forum
www.cmcf.org.au
ACT Department of Disability,Housing & Community Services
www.dhcs.act.gov.au
Refugee Council of Australia
www.refugeecouncil.org.au
Federation of Ethnic Community Councils of Australia
www. fecca.org.au
Department of Immigration and Citizenship
www. immi.gov.au
United Nations High Commission for Refugees
www.unhcr.org.au
United Nations High commission for Refugees
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