Centrelink helps provide new life on the new land for refugees
New South Wales Media Release
Wednesday, 13 January 2010
Refugees have begun working with the soil of their new home in Australia after completing a Centrelink-led course providing close support and primary industry training.
Centrelink has activated a community network of service providers in western Sydney and formed a partnership that has seen 13 refugees find employment, out of 17 in the course.
Students in the ‘New Land, New Life’ course at Campbelltown TAFE were from Karen, Sudanese, Sierra Leonean, Filipino and Colombian backgrounds.
The course is part of the Pathways to Primary Industry Project, begun by Penrith-based Centrelink Multicultural Service Officer, Najah Kerbaj, and run by Liverpool Centrelink Multicultural Services Officer, Audrey Lai and her Campbelltown colleague, Chris Manny.
"It’s designed to give refugees and others from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds the opportunity to develop skills in farming," said Najah.
The project is in partnership with TAFE NSW, Service for the Treatment And Rehabilitation of Torture and Trauma Survivors (STARTTS), local Migrant Resource Centres, University of Western Sydney College, Macarthur Diversity Services Incorporated and Job Services Australia.
Farmers and nurseries in the local Liverpool and Campbelltown region were contacted by Centrelink to see if they would take the refugee students for work experience placements.
Students who completed the course did 30 hours work experience at a farm or nursery.
Of those 17 students, 13 have found employment. Downes Nursery in Theresa Park has employed 9 of them after Warren Downes was impressed with their work experience.
"They are fantastic," said Warren of the Karen refugees from Burma that he employs. "Refugees have a bit of a stigma when you see them on the news, but these people have been through a lot to get here, and they really just need a chance.
"I would have kept more of them on if I could afford it. They have a really good work ethic, they don’t mess around, they are very pleasant to work with, they really enjoy what they are doing and there’s always plenty of smiles and laughter."
For more information, telephone the relevant Centrelink Media Contact.