Drumming was a popular part of the Festival

Students and guests joining in the festive spirit at Harmony Festival

Harmony Festival Launches Creative Community Connection between International House and SCARF.

Harmony Festival was held on Friday 20 March at International House officially launching the project SCARF, a joint Creative Community Connection (CCC) project between UOW’s International House and Strategic Community Assistance to Refugee Families (SCARF).

Forty community entrants, from parts of Africa and Burma, visited International House to share music and food. The festival commenced near International House's globe with entrees and African drumming, followed by main course and rap in the Courtyard, and dessert in the Games Room. Later this month, community entrants will visit International House to receive ongoing coaching in IT skills.

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.

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:

The project launch, Harmony Festival held on Friday, 20 March.

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.”