The Asylum Seeker Resource Centre (ASRC) warmly welcomes the Victorian Government’s inclusion of people seeking asylum in the recently announced $500 million “Working for Victoria” Initiative, designed to provide employment to people who have lost work during the COVID-19 pandemic.
As part of the agreement designed to support Victorians into jobs, the ASRC will receive funding for 90 FTE positions, which will place up to 120 people into new roles within the organisation on a 6-month fixed term contract, of which 95% of these positions will be filled by people seeking asylum.
The Working for Victoria funding package will allow the ASRC to significantly increase its short-term capacity to provide meaningful work opportunities and Australian work experience to people seeking asylum, including those who have been seeking work and those who have lost jobs due to COVID-19.
The ASRC hopes the initiative will be an important first step in working with the State Government to address the long-standing structural barriers that currently deter many employers from hiring people seeking asylum, such as visa-based discrimination and poor understanding of peoples’ work rights and skills.
In a report published by the ASRC last year, the key recommendation for overcoming the barriers keeping people seeking asylum from economic participation is “joined up” thinking between State Government, community representatives, service providers and employers.
Abiola Ajetomobi, ASRC Director who oversees the Employment Program says, “We believe the Working for Victoria funding provides an incredible opportunity for people seeking asylum, helping to restore their income, build Australian work experience and improve their longer term job prospects. It also offers the ASRC a real-world opportunity to put the recommendations from our research report with Swinburne University Centre for Social Impact into practice in a transformational way, both for our organisation and our members.”
The ASRC’s Employment Program, a holistic and integrative program that provides pathways to employment for people seeking asylum, currently has over 600 active members on the database – people who are job-ready and have the skills and experiences relevant to perform the new roles provided by the State Government funding. Roles will be created across the organisation’s programs and service which will provide a breadth of opportunities and help in part to relieve the strain on the ASRC’s services caused by an increase in demand during the pandemic.
People seeking asylum are the only cohort of job seekers in Australia who are denied income support (Centrelink) while they look for work. During the pandemic, people seeking asylum who have lost work or income due to COVID-19 have also been excluded from the Federal Government’s safety net packages, Job Keeper and Job Seeker.
“There is arguably no group more vulnerable to the social and economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic than people seeking asylum and their families. Without an income or any safety net, people are unable to provide their families with the basics like food, healthcare and shelter. How are you meant to survive the pandemic without these things?” said Kon Karapanogiotidis, CEO.
“Restoring people’s income, particularly for those who had been working and living independently in the community before the pandemic began, is key to relieving their reliance on welfare and providing people with the dignity and means to protect themselves and their families during the COVID-19 crisis. Rapid employment into these new roles is their best possible ‘safety net’ right now,” said Karapanogiotidis.
Abiola Ajetomobi, ASRC Director adds “Through these new roles, people will be given a unique opportunity to work for the ASRC doing meaningful work and gaining local job market experience. These roles will help people to not only maintain their work skills but build new ones, improving their employability and developing career adaptability into the future. It’s about more than restoring income. It’s about restoring hope and transforming lives.”
To make a cash donation to support the ASRC, click here.
To become a monthly donor to the ASRC and provide security for the months ahead, click here.
To find out more about how to donate food and material items, click here.
Sign the petition calling on Prime Minister Morrison to extend Medicare and Centrelink to all people seeking asylum and refugees to help them survive the COVID-19 crisis.
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As you may be aware, there are changes occurring at the ASRC.
To plan for these changes to make the ASRC sustainable into the future:
The Footscray centre will close to all visitors every Wednesday.
Every Friday, some services will be closed but the Foodbank, Health, Legal and Hub services will remain open.
To access our services, you can phone 03 9326 6066 or come to the ASRC Footscray in person during opening hours.
The Reception Team will greet you and link you with our services.
As you may be aware, there are changes occurring at the ASRC.
To plan for these changes to make the ASRC sustainable into the future:
The Footscray centre will close to all visitors every Wednesday.
Every Friday, some services will be closed but the Foodbank, Health, Legal and Hub services will remain open.
To access our services, you can phone 03 9326 6066 or come to the ASRC Footscray in person during opening hours. The Reception Team will greet you and link you with our services.
The Government has announced it will provide pathways for TPV/SHEV holders and TPV/SHEV applicants to
be assessed for RoS visas. RoS visas are permanent visas that allow holders to live, work and study in Australia,
access government services such as Medicare and Centrelink, and sponsor eligible family members for
permanent residence.
Click here for Permanent Visa Pathways for TPV/SHEV Holders & Applicants Fact Sheet
The Fact Sheet is also available in: Dari – Urdu – Arabic – Tamil
Thanks for your interest in supporting the ASRC Telethon on World Refugee Day, Monday 20th June.
Complete this form with your details and we will send you an email reminder before the event as well as alerts throughout the day when key activities happen.
Please note: all requests submitted to the Marketing Services Model will not be worked on until 1 July 2022 to allow the team space to focus on projects such as the Winter Appeal and Telethon.
You are welcome to submit requests and we’d love to support – we ask that you please supply a reasonable due date, keeping in mind we will not tend to the request until July. Thank you!
We acknowledge the Traditional Owners across Australia and pay respect to their Ancestors and Elders, past and present. We acknowledge sovereignty of the lands upon which we work and live have never been ceded.
The centre is OPEN again from Tuesday 11th – Friday 14th (10am – 5pm).
We will return to normal operating hours (10am – 5pm, Monday – Friday), from Monday 17th of January onwards.
The centre is OPEN again from Tuesday 11th – Friday 14th (10am – 5pm).
We will return to normal operating hours (10am – 5pm, Monday – Friday), from Monday 17th of January onwards.
If you applied for a TPV or SHEV visa between 2015 and 2017 and have not already attended a Protection visa interview with the Department, please contact the ASRC urgently for legal assistance. CALL: Fast track hotline 0422035324 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm) or email legal@asrc.org.au
The application interview is your only chance to explain your case to the Department. Update your contact details with the Department to receive your Interview Invitation (the ASRC can also help you do this).
Click here to learn more (Info sheet Fast Track interviews).
Click here to read info sheet in other languages.
“I can’t erase racism by myself. It’s only if we all come together to accept that there is an issue and work together that we can make a change.”
Prudence Melom, founder and CEO of E-RACED
“Growing in a refugee camp and experiencing hardship from a young age I felt very misunderstood among my peers in Australia. Kids my age did not understand why my skin was darker, they didn’t understand why my accent was a little different and they didn’t understand why I came to Australia.
“I was inspired to start E-RACED after experiencing first hand the effects of racism in this country and the power of sharing my story to completely change people’s attitudes. Never underestimate the power of one-on-one interactions and sharing stories to change the world.”
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