Ms Sharyn Mackenzie, Secretary, SCARF talks about the work...

Mr Steven Lalchhuanliana from Burma

Creative project for Refugee Families in the Illawarra supported by UOW’s International House and SCARF

The joint project, Creative Community Connection (CCC) between UOW’s International House and Strategic Community Assistance  to Refugee Families (SCARF) was recently announced at International House’s regular event, Global Visions.

At the event, Mrs Sharyn Mackenzie, Secretary of SCARF explained, “SCARF is an Illawarra based organisation that aims to provide assistance and/or referral for refugee entrants in the Illawarra who have come to Australia under the Federal Government’s Humanitarian Visa program.  The main focus of SCARF is to promote awareness of issues affecting refugee entrants; and undertake activities and projects that will enhance education and employment opportunities for refugee entrants locally.”

Sharyn told an audience of more than 50 students and staff at International House how SCARF came to be established which was in response to the needs that were evident when she and her husband first befriended one of the Sudanese families who arrived in the first intake of Humanitarian Visa refugees.  This was after Wollongong had been designated a “Welcoming City” in 2002.

The work of SCARF continued to expand in response to expressed community needs which included a range of services:  Home Tutors for Primary School students and for housebound “mums” , Homework Help programs for High School and TAFE students, an employment program advocating personally for job seekers with prospective employers, provision of IT packages to households, assistance for Learner Drivers, small enterprise initiatives  eg sewing circle for women to develop skills and create products for resale.

Accompanying Sharyn were three community members who represented something of the diversity of those arriving in Wollongong under the Humanitarian Visa program.  Ms Eugenia Pyne (Liberia), arrived as a sole parent with five children, Miss Gracia Ngoy (DR Congo) , arrived with her parents and seven of her siblings and Mr Steven Lalchhuanliana (Burma) arrived with his parents and brother and has since been joined by his sister and her family.

Each spoke of their appreciation of the personal assistance they had received from SCARF volunteers and of the way the various programs had benefited them and their families.

International House recently won a Community Engagement Grant (CEG) which will be used to fund the project with SCARF and assist refugee families in the Illawarra.  Dr Lindsay Oades, Student Residence Manager for International House said, “this project is designed to commence CCC as an ongoing strategic alliance between International House and SCARF.  Funds will be used from this grant to publicly launch the relationship and build early capacity for an ongoing relationship.

“The project itself will involve four key components:

An interactive food and music function where 150 International House residents and 40 predominantly African refugee entrants aged 18-25 come together in the International House for an evening of mutual music performance, including African drumming, and a feast. This will be the launch of the Creative Community Connection

Computer skills coaching where new computers and language learning software available in the International House computer labs are made available to refugee entrants  to receive computer skills coaching, with a focus on software based language learning, from IT savvy student volunteers

International friendship and mentoring program where refugee entrants and International House student volunteers pair up for general English conversations and meetings.

Periodic transport assistance to refugee families.  Back to basics, new community entrants need help to get around. International House will provide a bus and drivers.”

International House is a residential community of UOW, housing 220 residents from 34 nations. The vision of IH UOW is Global Wellbeing Starts Here! The mission of IH UOW is to promote global wellbeing by enabling its residents to be intercultural leaders. The iLIVE Program at International House, designed to achieve this mission, was recently awarded a Vice Chancellors Award for Outstanding Contribution to Teaching and Learning.  The CCC project is a further extension of iLIVE, focussing particularly on the community engagement consistent with the strategic plan of UOW.