Community Connections July 2025
CEO Message
Elfa Moraitakis, CEO
Refugee Week Reflections
This year’s Refugee Week events, delivered through the Western Sydney Region Settlement Consortium, offered a powerful moment for reflection. We all now know that it is time to act.
While we have seen progress at a national level, the daily realities experienced by refugee and migrant communities in Western Sydney reveal that far more is needed. At SydWest Multicultural Services, we witness both the limitations of an overstretched system and the potential for genuine, lasting change. Symbolic gestures must now be matched with meaningful policy and that policy must be backed with the resources to make a difference.
We and our partners are calling for a coordinated national approach to refugee settlement and integration, grounded in community wisdom and led with purpose. Specifically, we urge the government to:
• Expand the Refugee and Humanitarian Program to at least 27,000 places, reflecting Australia’s values, capacity, and international responsibilities.
• Build a sustainable Community Sponsorship program, growing to 10,000 additional places per year beyond the existing program.
• Transition the Skilled Refugee Labour Agreement Pilot into a permanent program. It must not be allowed to end on 30 June.
• Develop a National Framework for Refugee Integration, co-designed with lived experience voices, to clearly define the roles of diaspora, community and service providers.
• Support diaspora organisations through a dedicated, accountable capacity-building funding stream delivered via experienced settlement providers.
• Invest in community engagement and social inclusion as core pillars of the settlement process. This includes properly resourcing regional and rural settlement strategies, where community infrastructure can be limited but the need for belonging is just as urgent.
Australia has the people, the experience, and the infrastructure to lead on this issue. What’s needed now is the political will to match that capability.
Let’s turn reflection into action. Let’s ensure that belonging is not just a theme but a commitment.
(L-R:) Madeline Gleeson, UNSW_Law, Dor Achiek, SSI, Adama Kamara, Refugee Council of Australia and Dima Alkaed, SBS at Refugee Week 2025 Conversations event, Rooty Hill.
Community Connections July 2025
Empowering CALD Women with Digital Skills
Earlier this month SydWest partnered with TAFE to deliver an 8-week Digital Skills course for women from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) backgrounds. By the end of the course, participants felt more confident using technology and more prepared for employment or further education. The program fostered independence and community connection — key steps towards economic empowerment and inclusion. For more information, contact our Women & Families team on 9621 6633
Mates for Mates
Our Mates 4 Mates program, a 20-week therapeutic group for men who have used violence, abuse, or controlling behaviours in their families, helps participants take responsibility and commit to change. We’re currently receiving referrals and expect to begin the next group in early August 2025. CLICK HERE to download the Mates 4 Mates community flyer.
Talent show celebrates our community of seniors!
“ We don’t stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.”
Recently, we held a very special Seniors Timeless Talent Event, featuring many of our clients performing and a huge audience enjoying the entertainment in Bowman Hall, Blacktown.
From singing and dancing to comedy, cultural instruments, and beautifully handcrafted work — our seniors proved that talent doesn’t fade with time. It wasn’t just a showcase. It was a celebration of
culture, creativity, and community spirit. The energy, pride, and passion in the room were truly contagious. To our incredible seniors and the amazing team who brought it all together: thank you for reminding us that passion has no age.
If you want to know more about how to connect with SydWest’s Aged Care services, contact us today on Tel 9621-6633 or info@sydwestms.org.au
