For 60 years AMES Australia has helped new and recently arrived refugees and migrants to settle in to Victoria. AMES Australia offers much more than just teaching English – they not only work with new arrivals but also with the community, business and Government to develop sustainable and effective settlement solutions for the whole Victorian community.
AMES Australia partners with community organisations and volunteers to build awareness and develop strong community support networks. They have a network of over 2000 volunteers who work with over 1000 AMES Australia staff who speak over 55 languages.
They build partnerships with universities, TAFEs, migrant resource centres, health, real estate and community organsiations across Melbourne and Victoria so that they can meet each client’s individual needs. For more information on how AMES Australia works with the community and what help you can access, click
Just recenlty, Settlement Council of Australia (SCOA) organised the Triennial and International Conference of the Settlement Council of Australia in Melbourne from 5-7th May 2016 in which close to 600 delegates attended over the three days. Amongst those who attended was Amritpreet Kaur who was representing .
Listen to Amritpreet Kaur discussing migrant issues pertaining to Punjabi community in conversation with SBS Punjabis Preeti McCarthy.
Amritpreet Kaur talks to Preeti McCarthy Source: SBS Punjabi
About SCoA Conference
The Settlement Council of Australia (SCOA) is the national peak body for settlement. It represents settlement agencies across Australia providing direct services to people of refugee and migrant background. Their goal is to help ensure the best possible settlement outcomes for migrants and refugees settling in Australia.
SCoA organised the Triennial and International Conference of the Settlement Council of Australia in Melbourne from 5-7th May 2016 in which close to 600 delegates attended over the three days.
SCoA for the first time engaged beyond Australia’s borders to bring together a breath of exemplary presenters to contribute to the 2016 international conference.
The conference theme was ‘Settlement and Citizenship in Civil Society’ which acknowledged the impact of the global domain on communities, societies and active citizenship. The conference brought together the settlement sector, communities, service groups, academics, corporate and legal organizations, and individuals from across the globe to build on current settlement knowledge, practice and community participation within a globalized multicultural society. It provided a forum for sharing current thinking, research and good practice within international settlement context.
Some of the main aims of the conference were:
- To broaden understanding and responsiveness to migration, settlement and active citizenship within global context
- Increase and strengthen sectoral and intersectoral collaboration and support of settlement ,human rights and active citizenship
- Contribute to the development of a responsive and adaptive settlement sector by focusing on innovation and creative thinking in a globalized context
- Produce evidence-based advocacy tools with which to advise governments
- Shape the future work in building community capacity and belonging
- Give new settlers a voice in shaping their participation in Australia and their active citizenship
- Inform SCoA’s work in strengthening the sector’s impact on future settlement.
Source: SBS Punjabi
