PO BOX 3217 Broadmeadows VIC 3047 General enquiries: (03) 9351 3600 Email: info@lentarauc.org.au Website: www.lentarauc.org.au

LENTARALIGHT

SPRING 2016 NEWSLETTER The official newsletter of

Lentara UnitingCare.

UniteAsylum

Your bank account, your keys, your myki or a trip to your doctor are some of the things that make you feel secure.

People seeking asylum in Australia want the same things we sometimes take for granted: the basics.

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Meet AmandaFor an estimated 10,000 people living lawfully in Australia right now, who have no work rights, no access to safe housing, no access to healthcare and few friends or family, being an asylum seeker means being detained by despair. A quarter of these people are women and children.

We can’t tell you their names or show you their faces so it’s hard to communicate the full extent of their situation. Let us introduce you to someone who can.

Amanda is a Case Worker at Lentara UntingCare’s (Lentara) Asylum Seeker Project (ASP) in Brunswick. Amanda has a degree in social work.

How do you explain to people what your work involves?

A lot of people assume my job is miserable and we (caseworkers) spend a lot of time crying which is not the case. It’s actually the opposite; it’s an incredibly inspiring place to work. Sometimes there are moments that are dark but most of the time it’s joyful.

Yesterday I made a phone call to a client I’d never met before and got to offer him a house to live in. He’d been living in his friend’s car since February. He told me that in his home country, he had worked as a Manager. His job was “…to value people; to inspire people within his workplace”. Just before I met him, he had an appointment at immigration. He wondered how they could show so little regard for human life.

Even though we are powerless to give visas or change policies, we are able to value people. We get to say, ‘your life is important and your safety is important’.

How do Asylum Seekers end up with no work rights and no income?

Someone might start out on a BVA (Bridging Visa A) with work rights and study rights and Medicare, but the process of seeking asylum takes a number of years and if you are refused at the first two legal stages, you are no longer eligible for the government funded support agencies. There are still common and legal pathways (of appeal) that people

can go down to seek asylum. These are things that take years and most (people) are forced to live these years without basic rights including work and study.

I work with a client who was refused at the second stage in 2015 and she’s been given a judicial review hearing date for November 2017 so she has two years of no work rights and no income. The only support she receives is from us. This client has been in Australia 10 years; she completed her tertiary qualification here and worked full time before she lost those rights.

In that situation, if this person wasn’t your client, where would she be?

(Long sigh)… I have no idea. She… I don’t know.

There are a number of other agencies which work with asylum seekers but there are very few that work with clients past a certain point. As a service we recognise that the determination process is fallible, and that a refused protection application doesn’t mean clients don’t have well founded fears of persecution.

At the Asylum Seeker Project, we support our clients until the very end; until they have exhausted every legal avenue.

In that woman’s case, it could go on for years more – even after the hearing next year.

The process is arduous and drags on for a very long time.

What do you think is the impact of people having no work rights or no basic income?

When somebody lacks purpose it has a huge impact; it impacts both their mental and physical health. Having no income, no independence is horrible. A lot of people we work with are highly educated with degrees or diplomas and although they are grateful for our support, even going to access a food bank can feel horrible. Not being able to use

your skills, not being able to contribute in a meaningful way, has such an awful effect on people’s mental health. Clients start to feel depressed, people become physically unwell…it’s all linked. It means not being able to eat properly or engage with friends, it affects every part of somebody’s life.

What’s the average amount of time an asylum seeker will spend in and out of limbo?

It’s all limbo but the wait times can vary. Most people are referred to us when they have already been here for a number of years. I used to support a family who had been here at least 10 years when they went back to the beginning of the legal process (if there is an error in law, you can be sent back to the beginning of the process). It can take as little as a year or two to get a visa, but I’ve also heard of case that took 16 years, it’s rare but it’s possible. That can be somebody’s story.

Read the full interview on our website. Visit: lentarauc.org.au/meetamanda

“Once you know the truth about seeking asylum in Australia,

it lights a fire in your belly.”

Detained by Despair: The Story in Facts

The cover image and various images featured in this edition of Lentara Light are used with the permission of local artist Gianna Rizzo. The images are not intended to wholly represent Asylum Seekers but rather are a part of a street photography collection titled, This Is Footscray. The photography collection is intended to be a celebration of multiculturalism and diversity in Melbourne.

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The political issue is complex. The cost of that complexity is humanity. The social issue isn’t an issue, it’s an opportunity. The answer is simple, people helping people. Amanda’s story is a powerful one but how does it stack up against the facts?

We have gathered information from the Human Rights Commission, The Refugee Council, The United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), the Department of Immigration and Border Protection and from news articles by The Guardian and the ABC.

An asylum seeker is a person who has fled their

own country and applied for protection as a refugee.

A refugee is a person who is outside their own country

and is unable or unwilling to return due to a well-founded

fear of being persecuted.

In some cases, a person may not be a refugee, but may

nevertheless face significant human rights abuses, such

as torture, if returned to his or her country of origin.

Australia assisted 0.43% of the refugees globally recognised or resettled in 2014. It was ranked 22nd

overall, 28th per capita and 46th relative to total GDP.

If an asylum seeker is found not to be a refugee in

Australia, immigration will assess whether the person

meets ‘complementary protection’ criteria – that is, whether they are owed protection because if they were to be sent to another

country there is a real risk they would suffer serious harm.

People who are refused protection by the department

at the primary stage have access to an independent

merits review by the Refugee Review Tribunal (RRT),

or in some circumstances the Administrative Appeals

Tribunal (AAT).

Nearly 29,000 people live in Australia (2016) on a

temporary visa. An estimated one-third of these are on Bridging Visa E (BVE) and

do not have work rights, access to income or housing. BVE’s granted by Australian

Immigration and Border Protection can be valid for 28

days or up to three years.

In 2014 just 2,780 asylum seekers were recognised as refugees in Australia.

In 2013 The UN high commissioner for refugees found that those on bridging visas

without work rights in Australia “are unable to meet their basic needs

and are living in a state of destitution.”

In 2016, UNHCR reports that there are 65.3 million forcibly displaced people

worldwide. 33,972 people per day are forced to leave their homes. This figure is up from

51.2 million in 2013.

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About our Asylum Seeker Programs

Social Enterprise SuccessFresh Start wins a global award and is successful in securing funding from National Australia Bank’s (NAB) Community Grants.

Fresh Start Wins Global Award

Fresh Start Asset Services has won the International Partnership Network (IPN) Gold Global Best Award. The award was decided by a panel of international judges, for the category of Innovative and Creative Partnerships for the Australia & Oceania region. As a result, Fresh Start is in the running for two additional awards, including the single Global Best Overall Award.

CEO, Ann-Maree Colborne will travel to receive the award at the official Global Best Awards ceremony in Oslo, Norway on September 14th 2016.

A bi-annual event, the Global Best Awards celebrate outstanding and effective business, education and community organisation partnerships that have a significant impact on the communities in which they operate. They are awarded by the IPN in partnership with The Conference Board of Canada.

National Australia Bank Grant

Fresh Start was successful in securing funding from NAB under its Community Grants Program. The $50,000 grant will provide essential resources for capacity building and growth.

About Our Social Purpose

Fresh Start is a social enterprise established by Lentara that provides a range of professional cleaning and event services while creating employment opportunities and career pathways for vulnerable members of the community.

Find out more about Fresh Start Asset Services.

Visit: lentarauc.org.au/freshstart

Lentara offers support to people seeking asylum at both our Welcome Centre and the Asylum Seeker Project in Brunswick. The Welcome Centre offers a family friendly safe haven for asylum seekers and refugees to make connections, attend social groups and participate in learning activities, all of which are essential for health and wellbeing. The Asylum Seeker Project aims to empower people who are living lawfully in the community, who may not be eligible for government funded support, to live with independence and dignity by providing housing, a basic living allowance and material support.

There are 550 visits to the Welcome Centre every month.

The Welcome Centre facilitated over 400 social and learning activities attended by over 2200 people during 2015/2016.

In 2015/2016 the Asylum Seeker Project provided housing and intensive case

management to over 60 people.

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Stories from the Welcome Centre

“As we were packing up after a group activity, one of the women who had volunteered began singing. Everyone in the hall sat in captivated silence listening to her beautiful voice.”

When asked, the woman explained that the song was about a person who has lost hope, is alone and is asking for help. One of the lines was “drifting alone on the water like a piece of wood.”

She went on to explain that during her journey to Australia by boat, she went through some very treacherous weather and everyone on the boat thought they were going to die. She began singing the song and the whole boat joined in, singing together until the sea calmed down.

This courageous woman is from Iran and is seeking asylum. We aren’t able to tell you her name. We can tell you that coming along to the women’s group in a volunteer capacity has been very rewarding for her. We can also tell you that in her home country she was not allowed to sing publicly.

Support Staff at the Welcome Centre have referred this client to Mums4Refugees where she will have the opportunity to participate in a professional recording with Marina Prior and Debra Byrne.

Case Study: A Fresh StartVicki has been attending the Welcome Centre regularly for the past two years with her two sons, now aged 12 and 5. Since being in Australia, she has effectively been a single parent as her husband remains abroad, awaiting resettlement.

Case Study: Songs of Hope

Vicki is a person seeking asylum, on a bridging visa and has an uncertain future. During this time Vicki has sought considerable assistance and support from the Welcome Centre. Through her connection with the Welcome Centre and by attending English classes she has formed friendships and strong links with the community.

Vicki was nominated as a candidate for Lentara’s Fresh Start Social Enterprise Pilot in December. After discussions with Vicki about the benefits of employment, and the obstacles she faced in gaining a position, the Welcome Centre were able to support her with the application process. The process involved an expression of interest, the development of a resume and interview preparation.

Vicki’s application was successful and she commenced in a part-time role with Fresh Start at the Welcome Centre later in December.

As a single mother of two young children, Vicki has managed to balance part-time work with her parenting responsibilities and housing concerns in addition to the facing the uncertainties of seeking asylum.

The Welcome Centre team faced some challenges in balancing the changing dynamic of a client and volunteer becoming a Lentara employee. However Vicki had approached her work with such professionalism and poise that all have learned and benefited from the experience.

The names and specific details in this article have been changed.

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Unite to Fundraise Team fundraising is a great way to support Lentara and the ASP. You can now support a cause by creating your own fundraising page and sharing it with your friends and family. You can host your own event like a dinner or sleep out, or join a community event like the Melbourne Marathon. You can get your school, business or sports team involved and track your progress. You can also create your own personalised tribute page and ask your friends, family or colleagues to donate to Lentara in lieu of gifts or flowers.

Visit: lentarauc.org.au/fundraise

Volunteer With UsVolunteering is an excellent way to make a difference in your local community. Lentara offers a range of opportunities across a variety of programs, events and activities. Our volunteers support people across the Northern and Western suburbs of Melbourne.

We match your skills and experience with available roles in your areas of interest. During your volunteering experience you will meet great people and have a lot of fun!

Visit: lentarauc.org.au/volunteer

Why volunteer with us?

By volunteering with us, you will be helping us to make a real difference in people’s lives. In donating your time, skills, knowledge and networks you can assist in making a positive change by enabling people to overcome disadvantage and empower people to build better futures.

Who can volunteer?

Lentara encourages people of all ages, who have a broad range of life and work experiences, who may represent a diverse cross section of our multicultural community and have some time available, to become a volunteer. Join our amazing team of over 200 people!

How Can You Help?

Lentara’s Asylum Seeker Programs are wholly reliant on funding through individual donations, the support of trusts and foundations, partnerships with businesses or organisations and philanthropic grants.

Visit: lentarauc.org.au/asprogram

Houses – We currently manage 18 properties where we house individuals and families. We are looking to increase our support capacity and need houses in Melbourne and Geelong.

Repairs and Maintenance – We often need help painting and fixing up the houses where asylum seekers live.

Material Aid – Donate toiletries, blankets and household goods.

Food – Donate fresh and non-perishable food.

Volunteer – We are always looking for people to support our activities in a variety of ways.

Fundraise – Your school, business, colleagues and friends can raise funds together by hosting an event and creating a unique fundraising page on our website.

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About Lentara UnitingCare

Lentara is an agency of UnitingCare Victoria and Tasmania, which is the Victorian community services arm of the Uniting Church in Australia. Lentara currently employs over 500 staff and 200 volunteers across six local Melbourne government areas.

Celebrating 128 years of local history, Lentara supports some of the most vulnerable members of the community by providing resources that are critical for sound health, wellbeing and participation in local communities. The services of Lentara are provided to all people irrespective of cultural background, race, gender, sexual orientation, age, religion or disability.

For an update on the success of our Winter Appeal, Visit: lentarauc.org.au/winterupdate

What’s on!First Day of Spring1st September

Father’s Day4th September

School Holidays17th September

AFL Grand Final Public Holiday30th September

Universal Children’s Day 4th October

Melbourne Marathon16th October (see event details)

Week Without Violence17th October

Anti-Poverty Week19th October

Children’s Week22nd October

International Children’s Day 26th October (see event details)

Melbourne Cup Day1st November

Lentara Annual Community Meeting17th November

White Ribbon Day25th November

Emergency Relief GardenLentara has partnered with leading Melbourne landscapers, ‘Semken Landscaping’ to build a sustainable garden at it’s Broadmeadows location. The garden supplements the provision of fresh fruit and vegetables through the Emergency Relief Food Program accessed by around 500 people every month. Lentara will launch the garden on Thursday the 15th of September and call on the support of locals, businesses and schools to get involved. Register your interest.

Visit: lentarauc.org.au/communitygarden

International

Children’s Day Event

When: 26th October 2016Where: Broadmeadows Aquatic and Leisure Centre 41-85 Tanderrum Way, Broadmeadows What’s Happening: Craft, storytelling and information stalls. Organised by Communities for Children (CfC), in collaboration with Hume Early Years Partnership.

Early Learning Our Kindergartens and Long Day Care Centre’s are located across Melbourne’s North West and are now taking enrolments for 2017.

Visit: lentarauc.org.au/earlylearning

Call: (03) 9351 3600.

Melbourne MarathonAs an annual fundraising event our Asylum Seeker Program team will participate in this year’s Melbourne Marathon Festival on Sunday the 16th October 2016.

Visit: lentarauc.org.au/marathon

People seeking asylum in Australia face uncertainty, homelessness, displacement

and despair. While there is conditional and limited support, many people fall

through the cracks, including women and children.

Help us provide the basics.

Help us make homes.

Donate Online: lentarauc.org.au/asprogram

Donate by Mail

First Name: Last Name:

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Please put my donations towards: Asylum Seekers Emergency Relief Vulnerable Children Community Programs Lentara Programs

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Cheques should be made out to: Lentara UnitingCare

Lentara UnitingCare, Reply Paid 24154, Melbourne VIC 8060. Donations of $2 and over are tax deductible.