Murraylands New Settlers Program
Support Services
Lutheran Community Care is funded by the Department of Immigration and Citizenship to support the settlement of refugee (humanitarian entrants) in Murray Bridge. Refugee settlers are assisted in the first weeks after arrival by the Integrated Humanitarian Settlement Services provider.
Lutheran Community Care then provides
- Casework
- Referrals to other services
- Special help for isolated migrant women
- Information about life in Australia
- Community capacity building
- Information to other services
- Coordination of settlement services in the area
- Community leadership development program funded by the Rural City of Murray Bridge
New Settler Services
(08) 8531 3644
New Settler’s Retreat
5 Marchand St, Murray Bridge SA 5253
Nayano Email: ntaylor-neumann@lccare.org.au
Karen Email: kahrens@lccare.org.au
New Settlers’ Retreat
The New Settlers’ Retreat was established in March of 2007 by Lutheran Community Care through a grant from Community Benefit SA. The Retreat provides 9 computers with broadband access, a sitting room with audio-visual equipment , and a teaching area for small groups.
It is available for volunteer tutoring of English and computers, for community meetings, for community language and culture teaching, for after school homework assistance, for study and for new settlers to use computers to contact relatives and friends overseas.
The New Settlers Retreat is open every Monday to Friday, 9.00 am to 5.00 pm, with Lutheran Community Care staff in attendance. It is occasionally open on weekends.
Volunteers
The Murray Bridge community has welcomed Afghan and Sudanese refugees with open arms. The latter part of 2005 heralded the arrival of hundreds of Chinese workers and their families. These migrants are not entitled to the same services as humanitarian entrants.
The community has rallied to help them, and Lutheran Community Care together with the Murraylands Multicultural project has trained dozens of volunteers to help them settle and to tutor them in English.
Would you like to lend a hand?
Helpers are needed with:
- Tutoring English
- Babysitting for classes
- Homework centre
- Befriending new settlers
- Helping with community events
- Handyman jobs
- Running a sewing or cooking group
Building On Success: Murray Bridge Settlement Into The Future
Lutheran Community Care New Settler Services Murray Bridge has been awarded a grant by the Department of Immigration and Citizenship’s Sustainable Regional Settlement Programto conduct a project from July 2008 to June 30 2009 to improve the sustainability of humanitarian settlement in Murray Bridge.
Nayano Taylor-Neumann is heading the project that will develop a Retention Plan based on an overview of Murray Bridge settlement to-date, findings from interviews with humanitarian entrants currently residing in Murray Bridge, and findings from interviews with industry, service providers and existing local settlement networks.
Lutheran Community Care New Settler Services And The Murraylands Regional Development Board
The Murraylands Regional Development Board supports the settlement of new migrants to the Murraylands through the Murraylands Multicultural Project, established 2006 to support the settlement of all new migrants, irrespective of visa class. New arrivals include settlers from mainland China, Afghanistan and Africa. The Murraylands Multicultural Project is one of a number of initiatives of the Board, all of which contribute to the attraction of new settlers and their retention in the Murraylands.
The Murraylands Multicultural Project was formed in particular to support migrants on 457 visas, including the 300 plus Chinese in Murray Bridge who arrived in the last two years. The Murraylands Multicultural Project provides tutoring in English language, information about life in Australia, and community events to encourage relaxation and integration into the wider community. These services are also made available to other new settlers. The services could not be provided if it were not for the generous efforts of volunteers.
Lutheran Community Care New Settler Services is mainly funded to provide services to migrants from refugee backgrounds, and as such cannot provide services directly to 457 visa holders. New Settler Services and the Murraylands Regional Development Board now have a memorandum of understanding, and so can work together to assist all migrants. This means that volunteers can use the New Settlers Retreat to meet their students, and some of the training is provided by Lutheran Community Care.
Nayano Taylor-Neumann is project manager for the Murraylands Multicultural Project and Rhonda Pascoe is the administrative assistant. They work from the Lutheran Community Care New Settlers Retreat at 5 Marchand St, and can be contacted during business hours on 8531 3655, or ntaylor-neumann@lccare.org.au.
|
