Emergency Relief

On this page
Who may be able to access this service?
What does this service offer?
How to access the service?
What do I need to bring?
What other services could I try?

Who may be able to access the service?

The ASRC knows that many people seeking asylum are in crisis because they do not have work rights or access to mainstream social services in Australia. While we aim to support as many people as possible, the level of need we see always exceeds the resources we have available as a community organisation.

We therefore prioritise those who face the biggest barriers to accessing their right to basic needs, and provide equitable access to as many people as we can.

We continue to advocate for a broader safety net for people seeking asylum. Our emergency relief response is intended only to stabilise people in the absence of this safety net.

Who MAY be able to access this service	Who will NOT be able to access this service*
A person seeking asylum	A person not seeking asylum
No or very low personal household income	Personal or household income above a threshold
18 years or older	Less than 18 years old
Residing in Victoria	Not residing in Victoria
No accecss to SRSS support	Applicant or immediate family member in your household is accessing SRSS support
Able to participate in goal setting plan in collaboration with the ASRC	Unable or unwilling to participate in goal setting plan in collaboration with the ASRC
Never accessed ASRC services	Conditions exist around repeated access
Actively accessing other services	Not actively accessing other services

* If this is you, you may be able to access other services listed here

What does this service offer?

This service provides direct financial support via vouchers or an emergency relief payment (paid directly into the client’s bank account).

Costs that may be covered by this service by direct payments are:

Vouchers for immediate needs in an emergency – e.g. when escaping family violence
Utilities
Internet/phone costs
Essential furniture (if no other agency can help)
Wi-Fi installation costs
Essential expenses for children (e.g. school related costs that cannot be waived or covered externally)
Administration costs (if essential – e.g. Immicards or certificates/checks)
BUPA Visa Health checks
Specific unexpected expenses (evidence must be provided)

Costs that will NOT be covered by direct payments issued by this service:

Ongoing petrol costs or travel costs
Groceries
Car maintenance or home maintenance costs
Non-essential furniture or non-essential household items
New clothes (these can be sourced through referrals)
Fines
Medical bills (refer to the ASRC health program)
Prescriptions from GPs for medications (refer to the ASRC health program)
Recreational activities including holidays
Toys or stationery
Myki
School support/School costs
Vet bills
Private legal costs
Mortgage or loan payments
Rent payments

Services that we can assist with accessing through external sources or referrals:

Referrals to external agencies for food and petrol vouchers
Toys and stationery and (second hand and new) clothes through Material
Aid events or referrals
Referrals for second hand furniture/clothing
Referrals to legal centres or WDPS for fines
Waiving of medical bills and advocacy (in conjunction with ASRC Health)
Referrals for school support (CSEF, SSR, Smith Family and others)
Referrals for recreational activities and advocacy (in conjunction with other ASRC programs)
Referrals for pet care
General advocacy (through external agencies – e.g WestJustice)
Financial counselling,
Budgeting and other financial capability tasks or activities
Utilities advocacy (Payment plans, etc)
Utility Relief Grant Scheme (URGS)
Debt waiving or related referrals
Access to external funds (e.g. Queen’s Fund, Red Cross etc)

How to access the service?

Please call 03 9326 6066 or come to our centre and our workers can discuss your circumstances and the choices available to you.

Opening hours
Service hours may vary depending on staff capacity but these are the days and times we are open (excluding public holidays).
Please note, the service is paused during lunch times on the open days

ASRC Footscray
Level 2, 214-218 Nicholson St. Footscray

Monday: 10.00am to 3.30pm
Tuesday: 10.00am to 3.30pm
Wednesday: Closed
Thursday: 10.00am to 3.30pm
Friday: 10.00am to 3.30pm
Saturday: Closed
Sunday: Closed

What you need to provide:

Signed consent form including agreeing to ASRC’s Rights and Responsibilities agreement
Completed application form (completed alongside ASRC staff member/volunteer)
Bank statement for the last three months and other supporting documents, such as:
- Utility Bills
- Medical Examination (BUPA) cost
- Medical documents (if not able to work due to health challenges)
Visa document and, where needed consent to access your visa status
Proof or verbal confirmation (from the organisation) that you are actively accessing other services outside the ASRC and actively engaged with internal services. (Example: If there is a Red Cross payment shown on a recent bank statement. This is proof of accessing other agencies)