Forthcoming Events

The MIC in partnership with other agencies organises forums and activities for communities on areas of interest. Forthcoming events riare listed below:

Sing and Grow Playgroup

The Migrant Information Centre is facilitating a Sing and Grow Playgroup for families from refugee backgrounds with young children less than 4 years.

Sing and Grow is a national early intervention music therapy program that aims to improve interactions and relationships between parents and their children who are experiencing marginalisation.

In Term 3 the playgroup will be held at 1pm to 2pm from Monday 19th July 2010 at the Ringwood Uniting Church, Corner Station Street and Greenwood Avenue, Ringwood (opposite Ringwood railway Station).

For further information or to register, please contact Lorraine Busuttil on 9285 4888 or Email lbusuttil@miceastmelb.com.au.

Hannah Kinross Multicultural Cup

The Migrant Information Centre in partnership with CMY and Action Indoor Sports Ringwood is holding an indoor soccer competition which will commence on the 15th July and be held over a 10 week season.

The event is being held in memory of Hannah Kinross who tragically passed away in 2009. Hannah worked tirelessly to promote healthy eating and activities for newly arrived refugees including adults, youth and children.

The event will be held at 4.15pm to 6.15pm at Action Indoor Sports, 160 New Street Ringwood. The cost is $2 per game - $20 for the season - payable in full on registration day which will be held on Thursday 8th July.

To register your team or for further information, please contact or Dure at the MIC on 9285 4888 or mobile 0451 469 296.

Migrant and Refugee Employment Focused Network

The aim of the Employment Focused Network is to assist migrants and refugees with employment related issues and for service providers to share and improve knowledge and understanding to better meet the needs of the target group.

The network meetings are a regular forum to encourage sharing of information with an employment focus and to facilitate relationship building between service providers with the aim of better assisting and understanding the needs of newly arrived migrants and refugees.
The network also plans and promotes activities such as employment expos, forums, workshops and training sessions to increase opportunities for collaborative partnerships.

The next meeting is on the 10th August at 9.30am to 11am in Meeting Room D at the Box Hill Town Hall Hub, 27 Bank Street, Box Hill. Grace McQuilten, from the Social Studio will be the guest speaker. The Social Studio is a dynamic space where clothing is created from the style and skills of the young refugee community, empowering young people to achieve their dreams through social enterprise. The social studio creates jobs, provides education, encourages community engagement and social inclusion. Grace will give an overview about the Social Studio Social Enterprise.

For further information or to RSVP please contact Niquita Meyers or Rebecca Dunsdon on phone 9285 4888 or Email nmeyers@miceastmelb.com.au or rdunston@miceastmelb.com.au.

Cultural Briefings and Training

The Multicultural Equity and Access Program (MEAP) and Community Partners Program (CPP) provide cultural awareness training and briefings for aged care service providers in the Eastern Metropolitan Region. Our training calendar and registration form is available on our website at http://www.miceastmelb.com.au/meap.htm under "Training".

The second half year training calendar has been finalised and is also available on the website. Sessions include:
" Working Effectively with the Polish Community
" Working Effectively with the Chinese Community
" Understanding Vietnamese Culture
" Understanding the cultures of Communities from the Regions of Former Yugoslavia
" Introduction to Cultural Awareness and Effective Communication
" Tips on Cultural Planning and Promoting your service to CALD communities
" Exploring Cultural Festivals

MEAP also provides in-house training for HACC funded organisations. Training can be tailored to meet your organisation's needs.
For further information and to receive a registration form please contact Wanling Zhang on 9275 6904 or Email wzhang@miceastmelb.com.au (priority is given to HACC funded agencies).

Dementia Awareness and CALD communities across the Generations

The Migrant Information Centre has received funding from the Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing 2010 to work with:
" Secondary schools (students from ESL classes)
" CALD senior citizen clubs
" Aged care service providers

The aim of the project is to increase awareness and understanding about dementia including intervention, risk reduction and support available, for members of culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities across the generations.

For further information please contact Robyn Clark on phone 9275 6902 or Email robync@miceastmelb.com.au.

Chin Women's Group

The Migrant Information Centre facilitates a Chin Women's Group that aims to increase women's understanding of Australian culture and services as well as provide an opportunity for women and children to socialise and practice English.

In Term 3 the group will include a Hakha interpreter and topics will include migration, Australian culture, door to door sales and telemarketing, how to vote and the three levels of government, how to make a will, diabetes and funeral plans.

The group will meet at 1.30pm to 3.30pm on Tuesdays from the 27th July to the 7th September at Anglicare Victoria, 22 Croydon Road, Croydon. Childcare is available. On Friday 14th September, the group will catch a train from Box Hill station to visit the Victoria Market.
In Term 4 the group will include a Tedim and Matupi interpreter and in Term 1 2011 a Falam interpreter.

For further information, please contact Tial Hnem on telephone 9285 4888 or email thnem@miceastmelb.coml.au.

Southern Sudanese Women's Group

The Migrant Information Centre facilitates a group for Southern Sudanese women that meet every Tuesday during school terms. In Term 2, sessions will cover women's and children's heath, healthy eating and cooking demonstrations.

The group will meet every Tuesday from 20th April to 22nd June 2010 at 12pm to 2.30pm at the Town Hall Hub, Room D, 27 Bank Street, Box Hill.

For further information, please call Nyadang Dei Wal on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays on phone 9285 4888 or Email ndeiwal@miceastmelb.com.au.

Boroondara Chinese Parenting Program

The City of Boroondara and the Rotary Club of Balwyn has provided funding to the Migrant Information Centre to facilitate parenting and information sessions for Chinese families living in Boroondara.

The next sessions will be held on 10th and 17th August 2010 on understanding mental health and well being and how emotions affect parenting and the 24th and 31st August on understanding couple relationships and how it impacts on parenting. The sessions will be held at the Boroondara Sports Complex, 271C Belmore Road, Balwyn North.

A cross cultural training session on understanding Chinese culture will be held for youth and family support workers. The session will be held on 5th August at the Balwyn Library, 366 Whitehorse Road, Balwyn.

Further details will be provided in the next Eastern Multicultural News. For further information please contact Liyue Jiao (JJ) on phone 9275 6903 or Email liyuej@miceastmelb.com.au

Mobilising Communities - Social Inclusion Initiative

The Mobilising Communities Project is working with the older Cambodian Community to explore and develop ways of increasing community connections for potentially isolated Cambodian seniors. Currently the group is exploring ways of reducing social isolation for members of the senior Cambodian community through regular gatherings and activities. The project targets Boroondara, Manningham, Monash, Whitehorse and Knox. New participants or volunteers to support this initiative are welcome.

For further information, please contact Geraldine Jeremiah on 9275 6907 or Email geraldinej@miceastmelb.com.au.

Telstra Connected Seniors Project

The Migrant Information Centre has received funding from Telstra for 2010 to assist older people from CALD backgrounds to stay connected with their family and friends in Australia and overseas through use of the internet and mobile phone technology.

The Project will deliver mobile phone and internet training to CALD Seniors from Cambodian, Chinese, Filipino, Indian, Lao, Polish, Sri Lankan and Vietnamese backgrounds.

For further information, please contact Geraldine Jeremiah on 9275 6907 or Email geraldinej@miceastmelb.com.au.

Homework Support Program

The Migrant Information Centre facilitates two homework support programs for migrant and refugee secondary school students.
Volunteer tutors, specialising in a variety of secondary school subjects, are at hand to help students. The program offers assistance with homework, accessing computers and internet, language difficulties, research assignments, meeting other students and connecting with other agencies and support services.

The programs run weekly during school terms at 4pm to 6pm. On Tuesdays the program is held at the Croydon library, Civic Square, Croydon and on Wednesdays at the Knox Library, Knox City Shopping Centre, Wantirna South.

For further information, please contact Lorraine Busuttil on 9285 4888 or Email lbusuttil@miceastmelb.com.au.

Karen Group Meetings 2010

The Migrant Information Centre facilitates information sessions for the Karen community every second Wednesday at 5pm to 7pm during school terms at the Ringwood Uniting Church, Greenwood Avenue, Ringwood (opposite Ringwood Train Station). The first session for 2010 was held on Wednesday 3rd February on family planning.

During Term 3, information sessions will cover a range of topics inlcuding the forthcoming State and Federal elections. For further information, please contact Robyn Kilpatrick on 9285 4888 or Email rkilpatrick@miceastmelb.com.au.

Community Partners Program

The Migrant Information Centre has received funding from the Department of Health and Ageing for three years to provide aged care information sessions, service tours, cultural celebration days, service expos and cultural briefings to communities and service providers in the Eastern Region of Melbourne.

Resources for individuals and service providers have been developed as part of the program in 2009 including translated respite information and palliative care resource for workers.
Go to the MIC website at http://www.miceastmelb.com.au/agedcare.htm and click on http://www.miceastmelb.com.au/culturalresources.htm.

As part of the Community Partners Program 2008-2009, a respite information kit was developed and is available in English, Arabic, Chinese, Khmer, Sinhalese, Tamil and Vietnamese. They are available to download on the MIC website at www.miceastmelb.com.au - see Aged Care section. In addition, resources for service providers to assist palliative care workers to provide culturally appropriate care are available on the website.

EMR HACC CALD Network

The next meeting of the EMR CALD Carers Working Group will be held on Thursday 24th June at 9.30am in Meeting Room B, Town Hall Hub, Box Hill Town Hall, 27 Bank Street, Box Hill. Any workers or carers interested in participating in the CALD Carers Working Group should contact Sharon Porteous on 9275 6905 or Email sporteous@miceastmelb.com.au.

The next meeting of the EMR HACC CALD Volunteering Working Group will be held on Monday 12th July at 9.30am at the Town Hall Hub, Box Hill.

The next meeting of the EMR CALD Aged Care Network is scheduled for Thursday 22nd July 2010 from 10am to 12pm in the Whitehorse Room, Box Hill Town Hall, Whitehorse Road, Box Hill.

For further information contact Sharon Porteous on 9275 6905 or email sporteous@miceastmelb.com.au.

Mooroolbark East Primary School LINC Program

Living in a New Country (LINC) in partnership with the Mooroolbark East Primary School and the Migrant Information Centre are providing homework support for children and their parents.
LINC is a volunteer program that assists parents to increase their language skills and learn about a range of topics such as computers, Australian culture, schools and community support services. Volunteer tutors will assist children with their homework.

The LINC program will be held weekly on Thursdays during school terms at 5pm to 7pm at Mooroolbark East Primary School, Taylor Road, Mooroolbark. Light refreshments will be available.
New volunteers are welcome.

To apply to be a volunteer or for further information, please contact Mervat Dahdoule at the Migrant Information Centre on 9285 4888 or Email mdahdoule@miceastmelb.com.au

Living Healthy in Australia Booklet

The Migrant Information Centre has a produced a 44 page pictorial guide to living healthy in Australia. The booklet has been designed as a guide to assist people living in Australia lead a healthy lifestyle. This resource is based on foods readily available in Australia to assist newly arrived community members as well as the broader community, make healthy food choices in the Australian context. The resource or sections of the resource can easily be adapted by professionals to include cultural foods of individual communities that also provide healthy food choices. The guide covers a range of topics including breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, dental care, physical activity and much more. The booklet is available is in Arabic, Chin (Hakha), Chinese, English and Karen.

A5 copies of the booklet can be order for $3.30 each. Plus an additional $8.50 for postage of the package. The English copy of the booklet can be downloaded on the MIC's website http://www.miceastmelb.com.au/research.htm. Translated copies of the booklet will be available on the website from the middle April.

For further information or an order form please contact Virginie Charoux Mindiel on 9285 4888 or email vcharouxmindiel@miceastmelb.com.au

Migrant Settlement Committee

The Migrant Settlement Committee (Eastern Region) which is convened by the Communities Council on Ethnic Issues (Eastern Region) meets monthly (on the first Friday of the month) to discuss and identify settlement issues that impact on newly arrived migrants and refugees settling in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne.

The committee has working groups that plan and facilitate activities for service providers and CALD communities on employment, family violence, youth issues and refugee week. As part of the meetings, guest speakers are invited to make presentations and topics are highlighted for discussion.

The next meeting will be held at 9.30am to 11.30am on Friday 6th August at the Community Resource Centre, Level 3, Forest Hill Chase, 270 Canterbury Road, Forest Hill.
For further information, contact Sam Navarria on Email navarria@ames.vic.edu.au.

Youth Settlement Workers

The Migrant Information Centre provides settlement support to young refugees and migrants aged 12 to 25 years. Saturnino Onyala and Jacquie Arulanandam can provide individual support and group programs including homework support groups and outreach services at Croydon Secondary College, Maroondah Secondary College and Rignwood Secondary College.

To make an appointment or for further information contact Dure or Jacquie at the Migrant Information Centre on telephone 9285 4888 or Email dmorrell@miceastmelb.com.au or jarulanandam@miceastmelb.com.au.