Migrant and Refugee
Settlement Services
of the ACT Inc. (MARSS)
ANNUAL REPORT 2014
Second Floor
Theo Notaras Multicultural Centre
180 London Circuit
Canberra City,
ACT 2601
GPO Box 697
Telephone: 02 6248 8577
Fax: 02 6257 7655
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.marss.org.au
Print Post Approved, Publication No. MARSS2014
Migrant and Refugee Settlement Services of the ACT Inc.
(MARSS)
Annual Report 2014
Contents
Acknowledgements ........................................................................................................................................................ 3
Agenda for the Thirty Third Annual General Meeting .................................................................................................... 4
MARSS History and Mission ............................................................................................................................................ 5
MARSS Board of Management 2013-2014…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………6
Current MARSS Staff ....................................................................................................................................................... 7
Volunteers and Friends .................................................................................................................................................. 9
Minutes of 32nd Annual General Meeting .................................................................................................................... 13
Chairperson's Report .................................................................................................................................................... 17
Chief Executive Officer’s Report ................................................................................................................................... 18
Humanitarian Settlement Services (HSS) Report .......................................................................................................... 19
Settlement Grants Program (SGP) Report .................................................................................................................... 22
Migrant Support Services (MSS) Report ....................................................................................................................... 27
Community Development Program (CDP) Report ........................................................................................................ 30
Program for After School Studies (PASS) Report .......................................................................................................... 39
MARSS Members 2013-2014 ........................................................................................................................................ 44
Annual Financial Report................................................................................................................................................ 45
Acknowledgements
The Migrant and Refugee Settlement Services of the ACT Inc. (MARSS) gratefully acknowledge
the assistance and support of:
ACT Office of Multicultural Affairs
ACT Community Services Directorate
ACT Education and Training Directorate
ACT Government Economic Development
Directorate
ACT Government Health Directorate
ACT Government Territory and Municipal
Services
ACT Libraries
ACT Multicultural Arts
ACT Office of Women
ACT Shelter
ACT Chamber of Commerce
ACT Chinese Dance Group
ANU Law Reform and Social Justice
Australian Federal Police
Australian International Education Academy
Basketball ACT
Burgmann Anglican School
Canberra Ethnic Community Groups
Canberra Institute of Technology (CIT)
Canberra Toyota
Capital Football
Care Financial
Centrelink
CISAC
Department of Social Services
Department of Immigration and Border
Protection
Dickson College
Havelock Housing Association
Hellenic Club
Hodgkinson Real Estate
Kazar Slaven
KidSafe
Legal Aid
Lennock Motors
Libraries ACT
National Driving Academy
Office for Children, Youth and Family
Support
Rahula Lodge
Ready Real Estate
Real Estate Institute of ACT
Real Estate Institute of Australia
Scouts ACT
Sierra Leone Dance Group
Soccer Canberra
South Sudanese Dance Group
St Pauls Manuka
Telstra
Tenancy Advice Bureau
The Canberra Times
Turini.com
Volunteering ACT
White Nile
Agenda for the Thirty Third Annual General Meeting
Time: 5:30 pm for 6pm
Date: Tuesday, 16th September 2014
Location:
Function Hall
Level 2, Theo Notaras Multicultural Centre
180 London Circuit, Canberra City, ACT 2601
1. Welcome and acknowledgement by the Chair, Raewyn Bastion
2. Guest Speaker – MLA Ms Joy Burch
ACT Minister for Multicultural Affairs
3. Minutes of the Thirty Second Annual General Meeting
4. Business arising out of the Minutes of the Thirty Second Annual General Meeting
5. Annual Report by the Chair
6. Audited Annual Financial Report presented by the Treasurer
7. Appointment of Auditor for 2014-2015
8. Other Business
9. Close of Meeting
MARSS History and Mission
Our History
The Migrant and Refugee Settlement Services of the ACT Inc. (MARSS) was established in 1980,
and incorporated in 1983. It is funded largely by the Department of Immigration and Citizenship
(DIAC) and the ACT Community Services Directorate (CSD). Financial support has also been
provided to MARSS by Commonwealth and ACT Governments since 1990.
Since its inception, MARSS has been managed by a Board of Management comprising elected
nominees from Canberra’s ethnic communities, and nominated members representing local
territory and Commonwealth Government and community organisations. MARSS has grown to
become a vibrant service-oriented organisation, incorporating programs for migrants of all ages
to assist with language, welfare, employment, and access and equity for people from diverse
cultural and linguistic backgrounds.
Our Clients
Our clients are migrants, refugees and humanitarian entrants who are in the process of settling
in the ACT and the surrounding region. MARSS recognises that in providing services to migrants,
our organisation is involved in providing information and support to a broad cross-section of
community organisations. As such, our relationship with communities as well as
Commonwealth, State and Territory Governments is crucial to our success in assisting clients.
MARSS values the co-operative arrangements that our organisation has established with other
support services and all levels of Governments.
Our Mission
MARSS’ mission is to be a leader in the provision of settlement and related services for migrants,
refugees and humanitarian entrants in the ACT and region in a caring, supporting and enabling
way.
Our Values
The following core organisational values are imbedded in our organisation to establish a culture
capable of achieving MARSS’ mission. They include:
Accountability
Open communication
Confidentiality
Integrity
Professionalism
Respect
Sensitivity
Objectivity
Inclusiveness
Flexibility
Continuous improvement
Innovation
These values help to shape and guide MARSS, whilst also providing an effective way in which to
measure the organisation’s success.
MARSS Board of Management 2013-2014
Ms. Raewyn Bastion
Chair (elected)
Mr. Ebenezer Banful
Deputy Chair (elected)
Ms. Nim Osborne
Treasurer (elected)
Mr. Tetteh Dugbaza
Assistant Treasurer (elected)
Mr. Andrew Alwast
Secretary (elected)
Mr. David Ng
Public Officer (elected)
Mr. Khawar Saleem
Committee Member (elected)
Mr. Juan de la Torre
Committee Member (elected)
Mr. Borhan Uddin Ahmed
Committee Member (elected
Mr. Simon Kwan Kit Ng
Committee Member (elected)
Members of the MARSS board with our recently appointed Patron,
the Honourable Lady Cosgrove
Current MARSS Staff
Dewani Bakkum - CEO
Niran Karaen Receptionist
Anne Mann – Human
Resources/ Finance Officer
Katy Lambert – Executive
Assistant (part time)
Warren Jansen – HSS
Program Manager
Sandra Elhelw – Executive
Assistant (part time)
Yepeng Wang - Accountant
Skye Stranger – HSS Case
Officer
Kaitlin Saunders – HSS Case
Officer
Tapelo Manduku – SGP
Case Officer
Leanne Pattison – MSS Case
Officer
Chris Jones – Sports
and Driving Program
Officer
Chris Finnigan –
Community Development
Program Officer
Rajib Paul – SGP Case
Officer
Andrew Kazar PAS & EET Project
Officer
Kari Pahlman - HTP
Program Coordinator
Volunteers and Friends
The MARSS Board of Management and staff would like to acknowledge the contributions made by
volunteers in a variety of fields ranging from teaching, mentoring, computer technology, and other
services provided by MARSS.
Abby Rajendra
Abdi Mohamed
Abuk Ayom
Agnes Tzimos
Agot Ayuel Deng
Aina Struder
Ainsley Glassford
Alan Chan
Alana Kearns
Alec Gray
Aleksandar Misev
Aleksandra Sladojevic
Alex Maskiell
Alex Turini
Alexander Hodder
Alexandra Davies
Ali Mehrabi
Ali Reaz Edalat
Ali Yusuf
Alice Halpin
Alice Reynolds
Alina Lim
Alireza Edalat
Alison Brewster
Alison Farquhar
Alison Robinson
Alix Biggs
Allan Tarry
Allirra Selkirk
Amanda Edmonds
Amanda Neilson
Amaya Currasco
Amber Deveridge
Amy Hamilton
Amy Neve
Amy Peters
Amy Roberts
Anahita Surya
Andrea Conti
Andreas Sherborne
Andren Katherine
Andrew Chau
Annabelle Fife
Anita Dwyer
Anita Ghaemi Tehrani
Anita Tehrani
Anna Desimone
Anna Gruen
Anna Friedewald
Anna Stevenson
Anne Bryant
Anne Gunn
Anne O’Keefe
Anne Wong
Anneke Myers
Annette Hughes
Annette Taylor
Anni Chilton
Aqel Odah
Ashleigh McArthur
Azadeh Abbasi
Barbara Jesiolowski
Barbara Mummery
Barry Avery
Bec Thornberry
Ben Ansell
Ben Harris
Ben Ye
Benjamin Power
Benjamin Tait
Ben Wicks
Bernard Forjoe
Bethany Dowe
Bettina Buehnert
Beverley McLeod
Bevil Purnell
Bianca Hennessy
Blandine Machozi
Bonn Maguire
Brenda Hartley
Brendan Tonson
Briana Ganesharajah
Bridget Martin
Brian Bycroft
Brian Mcmanus
Briana Ganesharajah
Bridget Martin
Bronte Corcoran-Ward
Bronwyn Collins
Brooke Copland
Brooke Holland
Banyar Roijid
Bridget Martin
Brooke Seccull
Bruce Jnani
Brygita Luton
Caitlin Winter
Caleb Biffant
Cameron Winnett
Caroline Tan
Casey Hill
Charles Coker
Charli Scott
Charlotte Barclay
Charlotte King
Charlotte Wallin
Chene Robinson
Cherie Robinson
Chris Bergin
Chris Burt
Chris Killick-Moran
Christine Burt
Christine Davies
Christine Stewart
Christine Yee Ching Tay
Chung-Linh Tran Chau
Claire Baddeley
Claire Brown
Claire O'Sullivan
Claire Wilson
Clare Baddeley
Cleo Fleming
Clifford Lawson
Colleen O’Sullivan
Cristan McCusker
Cuneet Chehl
Daayna Marsh
Daniel Esayas Belehu
Daniel Loudon
Daniel Jones
Daniel Tibbits
Danny Bravo
Dave Watson
Dawn Doherty
Dawn Michelle
Debbie Lee
Debra Speldewinde
Deng Garang
Deng Thon
Denice Paton
Denis Appel
Edit Adamis
Ehsan Abbasi Shavazi
Elisabeth Patz
Elise Thomas
Elizabeth Mountain
Elizabeth Muller
Elizabeth Patz
Elizabeth Proctor
Elizabeth Richards
Elizabeth Thangpueh
Ella Rosso
Elle Greet
Ellen Poels
Eloise Menzies
Emdad Haque
Emi Seino
Elizabeth Le Bas
Elizabeth Patz
Emilie Adlide
Emily Grey
Emily Obrien
Emily Wetton
Emma Cook
Emma Cumming
Emma Madsen
Emma Vaughti
Emma Welsh
Emmanuel Makur
Engy Salah
Eric Sheck
Erin Thorpe
Eugene Fletcher
Es Alfreds
Eva Rishan
Farzaneh Pashmfondosh
Farzin Jamatlou
Fay Grafen
Fay Khaw
Fay Padarin
Fessehaye Haileselassie
Fiona Hoggart
Francis Ingwersen
Frederic JeanJean
Freya Ziwei Hu
Gabi Burke
Gabby Yatse
Gabrielle Burgess
Gabrielle Ho
Genna Hegyeshalmy
Geoffrey Swete Kelly
Georgia Majoribanks
Georgina Clough
Grace Bannister-Tyrell
Gretta Lawrence
Graceman Abakah
Greg Foster
Guleilma Paton
Gulfam Hussain
Gulielma Paton
Guneet Chehl
Hadas Haileselassie
Haidiee Barrenger
Hannah Leake
Hannah McInnes
Hannah Neumayer
Hashmatullah Sahfaq
Heather Domaschenz
Heather Randall
Helen Aveyard
Helen Sutherland
Helen Wilson
Henry Bowyer
Hilary Neville
Hina Raval
Huang Huu Do
Hussain Skari
Ian Gould
Ian Rayner
Ingo Kleinert
Irene Harvey
Irene Mills
Iris Lowe
Isaac Maluk
Isabella Stephens
Isam Saadeh
Jack Williams
Jacky Fogerty
Jacqueline Elliott
Jacquelyn Fogerty
Jae-Gon Yoo
James Hassall
James Taylor
James Ward
James Weatherly
Jamie Cole
Jamil Shibli
Jan Cashman
Jan Fuhrman
Jan Morgan
Jan Trask
Jan Wyrell
Jane Farr
Janelle San Juan
Janette Gray
Janette Petre
Janice Fuhrman
Janina Kruger
Jaroslav Kaczerepa
Jasmine Cernovs
Jeane Bicket
Jed Bartlett
Jeechun (Lydia) Kwak
Jennifer Haigh
Jennifer Kabangu
Jennifer Lowe
Jennifer McKay
Jennifer Nixon
Jeremaia Gakau
Jeremy Jones
Jessica Anderson
Jessica Bromhead
Jessica MacKay
Jessica Phillips
Jessica Stone
Jessie Coronakes-Read
Jessie Maroya
Jill Causer
Joan Talent
Joella Sanson
Joey Yuen
Johanna Castles
Judith Johnson
John Bakkum
John Moro
John Patfield
Josephine Chu
Juanita Gabriel
Junaina Jalil
Julia Martin
Julie Colbran
Julie Mangos
Judith Bongiorno
Judith Johnson
Juleigh Langenberg
Justine Gilbert
Kaitlin Sarah Young
Kangan Chel
Karen Burraston
Karen Marton
Karen Pui wah Shih
Kate Chalmers
Kate Ornsby
Kate O'Shaughnessy
Kate Rogers
Kate Smyth
Kate Sollis
Kate Waterford
Katherine Colebatch
Katherine Johnson
Kathryn Arnold
Kay Chee Lance
Keelan Goodisson
Ken Hughes
Kent Brown
Kerri Ng
Kerry Buik
Kerry Silock
Kieran Harris
Kieran Browne
Kieran Harris
Kim Andren
Kim Kingston
Kimberley Street
Kristen Wade
Kirsty Avantharajah
Kishwar Rahman
Kristin Rashmi Galla
Kun Jiang
Kyle Beutel
Kylie Jackson
Kylie Sutherland
Lachlan Mackenzie
Larry Larmour
Laura Healy
Laura Pound
Laura Rohan-Jones
Lauren O'Rouke
Lauren Renshaw
Le Tran
Leah Winnett
Lee Fuller
Leigh Cox
Lin Marjovic
Lincoln Young
Lindy Ross
Lisa Martens
Lisa Reading
Livi Arora
Liz Bayer
Liz White
Lizy Mejais
Lorna Stansfield
Louisa Yasukawa
Louise Parrott
Lucas Pender
Lucy Bechtel
Lucy Nelson
Lucy Sutherland
Lydia Kwak
Lyn Rainforest
Lyn Wilson
Lyndon Shapcott
Lyndsey Vivian
Lynette McGuinness
Lynn Walker
Lynne Johnson
Lynne Thompson
Mabel Say
Maddison Kane
Madeleine Miller
Madeleine Wiley
Madeline Winterbottom
Madelaine Howard
Maguerite Castello
Mahsa Seyedi
Maithili Mahalingasivam
Maneerat Pinyopusarerk
Manny Zhang
Maragaret Lancaster
Margaret McCullock
Margaret McDonald
Mardie Troth
Margaret Dunkley
Margaret Lancaster
Maria Rojas Pineda
Marie Joly
Marie Ngiam
Marie-Alice McLean-Dreyfus
Max Liddle
Maria Rojas Pineda
Mark Fraser
Marilyn Ong
Mark Gilbert
Mark Kulasingham
Mary Good
Mary Milne
Mary Patton
Maryam Azizi
Marie Joly
Marylyn Board
Mathew Blunt
Mathew Dove
Mathura Sinnappurajar
Matilda Elder
Matthew Gill
Maureen Scott
Megan Lingafelter
Megan Flynn
Megan Thompson
Megan Williams
Mel D’Souza
Merran Peisker
Merid Eyasu
Mi Aimon
Michael Rhydderch
Michael Toussaint
Michael Stark
Michael Woodward
Michelle Groeneveld
Michelle Tang
Miles Gantey
Mirna Deeb
Mohammad Al-Ani
Mohammad Saleem Khan
Alisherzai
Mollie Anderson
Moo K’Lue Di Gay
Munashe Rusamo
Murtaza Haq
Myo Aung
Nadia Krivetz
Nadine Ashton
Nagalaxmi Lyengar
Nancy Clarke
Nadita Dutta
Naomi Wootton
Natalie Chia
Natalie Sullivan
Nejat Ali
Nicholas Crofts
Nicola Knackstredt
Nicole Reaper
Nicole Seifert
Omar Aransah
Owen Mcnamara
Padma Lal
Pamela Bakkum
Parima Panpruet
Pat Boldra
Patricia Worth
Patrick Jones
Paul Fernon
Pete MacLeod
Peter Akachili
Peter O’Keeffe
Peter Wilson
Pia Walker
Priscilla Phommaly
Rachel Gregson
Rachel Murphy
Raegina Taylor
Raina Singh
Ramya Ranjan
Reagan O’Neill
Rebecca Beutel
Rebecca Higgins
Rebecca Singe
Rebecca Walker
Rebecca Young
Redemtor Saavedra
Renata Grossi
Richard Bakkum
Rita Murray
Robert Spry
Robin Hudson
Robyn Pearson
Robyn Rutherford
Rose Dillon
Rose Roxburgh
Rose Tsen
Rose Nuttall
Rosie Done
Rosie Rayns
Rosemary Oxer
Roslyn Henderson
Roxanna Lane
Ruimin Gao
Ruth Bader
Ruth Henderson
Ruth Lin
Ruth Stone
Sabrina Chin
Sally Nelson
Samson Massey
Sanjiva de Silva
Santhi Jagthan
Sarah Dobbie
Sarah Logan
Sarah Louise McKenna
Sarah McCook
Sarah Norgrove
Sarah Peet
Saraswathy Bhaskaradas Sathya
Chitturi
Scott Charu
Shahrin Mohammad Ariff
Shamsuddin Shafi
Shane Harrison
Sharon Crisp
Sharjeel Mujahid
Shin Thu Gay
Shirley Daniels
Shruthisri Sridharan
Shukur Beshkerem
Shyamala Durvasan
Sian Wolloughby
Snowy Haiblen
Sonia Loudon
Sooshiant Kiafar
Sophie James
Sowan Hong
Sowpakiakowri (Kowri)
Perampalam
Stana Culjak
Stella Park
Steph Black
Stephanie Bostock
Stephanie Cox
Stephanie Hadobas
Stephanie Katzer
Stephen Currie
Steve Mewburn
Steven Dawson
Suellan Leelawardana
Sophie Buchorn
Sugar Masangcay-Guillena
Susan Andrews
Susan Buckle
Susan Manning
Susan Nicholls
Susan Walters
Suzanne Phipps
Suzanne Russell
Sylvia Townsend
Taddele Berhe
Tahlia Toth
Tamie Balaga
Tamsyn Caruso
Tanya Jurado
Tathira Fatema
Terence Bakkum
Tha Wah K'Hser
Thea Cowie
Thein U Maung
Thomas Allen
Thomas Phelan
Tim Brewer
Tim Fernando
Timothy Lindsay-Clarke
Tina Pahlman
Tinsae Tsegaye
Tishen Baleabn
Tom Allem
Tony Comisso
Tony Jones
Tori Bree Marshall
Tori Marshall
Trish Gerritsen
Ursula Cliff
Verna Mackintosh
Victor Surkus
Vilayphone (Ruth)
Boudsingkhone
Vimon
Vincent Gwese
Veronica Wright
Violet Inati
Viraji Wijekoon- Mudiyanselage
Waleerat Foran
Wallace Macindoe
Warwick Miles
Wendy Pham
Wendy Trethaway
Will Crossing
Willie Sananayake
Yogi Lal-Parks
Yvonne Tobin
Zahra Ayat
Zid Mancenido
Zimnako Rayidjelal
Zoe Morton
Zohara Lucas
Minutes of the 32nd Annual General Meeting
Migrant and Refugee Settlement Services of the ACT Inc.
Date:
Venue:
Opened:
11 September 2013
Theo Notarus Multicultural Centre
5.55 p.m.
1. Welcome by Deputy Chair Nim Osborne
Apology from the Chair Raewyn Bastion who is ill. A full list of apologies can be found on the
attendance sheets.
Thank you to all for attending and I acknowledge the traditional landowners and their ancestors.
I acknowledge the representative from DIAC Angela Gomez.
Unfortunately our Guest Speaker MLA Mary Porter AM sends her apologies.
2. Minutes of the 31st AGM held 25 September 2012
The minutes were printed in the Annual Report 2013.
Motion: “That the minutes of the 31st AGM be confirmed.”
Moved: Khawar Saleem
Seconded: David Ng
CARRIED
3. Business Arising from the Minutes
a. Migration Bridge. No update was available for this project, but the Board will look into this.
b. Correction to the spelling of Senator Kate Lundy’s name that was incorrectly listed in the
previous minutes (top of page 14).
4. Annual Report by the Chairperson
The report as printed in the Annual Report 2013.
Motion: “That the Chairperson’s Report as printed be accepted.”
Moved: Ebenezer Banful
Seconded: David Ng
5. Chief Executive Officer’s Report by Dewani Bakkum
CARRIED
Roughly 5000 clients come through our door, and I am really proud that this agency believes that
no one should be turned away. We have had some very successful projects such as the ‘Learn to
Drive’ project. Our Easter function for new arrivals was also a very successful event.
The staff have done a great job. I am so proud of the level of work and their professionalism.
Thank you to all the funding bodies especially the Dept. of Immigration & Citizenship, and the
ACT Government. Thank you to the Board for the opportunity to work at MARSS, and thank you
to all the Board Members, with their support we have been so successful. Thank you to all the
staff and the volunteers – their dedication have made the programs really succeed.
Motion: “That the CEO’s report as printed be accepted.”
Moved: Andrew Alwast
Seconded: Juan de la Torre
CARRIED
6. Audited Annual Financial Report
Presented by the Acting Treasurer Ebenezer Banful
This year has been a very good year for the organization. The written report is in the Annual
Report 2013. Our activities have been going on, and run according to time. We have met
everything required under the Constitution and the Financial Act and the Audit Act – everything
has been done according to law and the organization. Our organization is in the black, and we
have paid all fees and liabilities.
Motion: “That the Treasurer’s Report be adopted.”
Moved: Ebenezer Banful
Seconded: Andrew Alwast
CARRIED
7. Appointment of Auditor for 2013/2014
Motion: “That MARSS continue to engage the current auditors for the 2013/2014 financial year.”
Moved: Ebenezer Banful
Seconded: David Ng
CARRIED
8. Other Business
Nil
9. Election of new Board of Management
Returning Officer – Kanti Lal Jinna
Comments from the Returning Officer
Having looked at the Constitution, there is a quorum present. The election of office bearers
require at least ten nominations. There were 12 nominations received, ten were valid, one
withdrew, and one was invalid as they did not provide a statement.
All remaining nominations are in line with the constitution and all papers are in order.
10. Announcement of new Board of Management
As there were ten nominations for ten positions, all nominations have been declared elected.
Raewyn Bastion
Borhan Uddin Ahmed
Nim Osborne
Simon Kwan Kit Ng
David Ng
Andrew Alwast OAM
Tetteh Dugbaza
Ebenezer Banful
Khawar Saleem
Juan de la Torre
Kia Ora Te Whanau Social Club
Canberra Muslim Community Inc.
Thai Media and Cultural of Canberra Association, Inc.
The Canberra Academy of Cantonese Opera, Inc.
National Australian Chinese Association Inc.
The Council of Polish Organisations in ACT
Ghana Australia Association Inc.
African Australia Association Inc.
Pakistan Cultural Association
Canberra Multicultural Community Forum Inc.
The new Board then retired and selected the new executive committee.
11. The new Executive Committee for 2013/2015 was announced:
Chair:
Deputy Chair:
Secretary:
Asst. Secretary:
Treasurer:
Asst. Treasurer:
Public Officer:
Raewyn Bastion
Ebenezer Banful
Khawar Saleem
Andrew Alwast
Nim Osborne
Tetteh Dugbaza
David Ng
Deputy Chair Ebenezer Banful
Thank you all for coming and thank you to all the outgoing board for their support and help. It is
good to have such hardworking people to manage the affairs of this organization.
There is lots of work ahead of us, and we need to look at how we can make something that is
already good, better.
Thank you to the staff and I look forward to working with you in the same cooperative manner
and I can count on your hard work and support.
We are going to be reviewing a few things such as the Procedures Manual and the Constitution to
bring them up to date.
A big thank you to Dewani for managing the organization and making it as healthy as it is and
helping with the development of the community of people who need the help of MARSS.
On behalf of each and every one of you, thank you. Do you have any issues you would like to
discuss or have some ideas that can be looked into? We will also be looking into the Strategic
Plan.
The Board meets on the 2nd Wednesday of the month. We have very good discussions.
Some things we would like to look into – Policies and Procedures, like an induction kit, a Board
Manual, training sessions for all board members, looking at roles and responsibilities, as well as
issues and duties.
Under our Constitution, we can conduct work out of meetings. Every committee will also have a
period of working together and looking at how each other operates.
Thank you again to all for attending tonight.
12. Close of Meeting
6.35 p.m.
Chairperson’s Report
Migrant and Refugee Settlement Services of the ACT Inc. (MARSS) aims to be a leading
organisation in the provision of settlement and related services to migrants and refugees, who
are in need of assistance. MARSS plays an important role in the effective settlement of migrant
and refugees. It is essential MARSS continues to adapt and enhance its services to the needs of its
clients.
We are very grateful to Federal and State funding departments especially the Department of
Social Services, the Community Services Directorate, Office of Multicultural Affairs and the
Department of Education for their financial support.
I believe that we at MARSS are lucky to have a dedicated and caring team of people, who are
drawn from a range of countries, who have very different backgrounds and who together form a
professional and enthusiastic team.
I take this opportunity to express my sincere thanks to each and every member of staff and also
to the many volunteers who help MARSS achieve its objectives – without them MARSS would
simply not be able to function.
I also want to thank members of the MARSS management committee, both elected and exofficio, who have all shown a great level of commitment and co-operation during the past twelve
months. It has been a pleasure to work with all members of the committee. They are all
volunteers and have dedicated much of their personal time to provide the oversight and guidance
needed for MARSS to operate effectively.
My thanks to Ms Dewani Bakkum MARSS CEO, and her team who consistently ensure that a high
quality service is provided to all clients.
Raewyn Bastion
Chairperson
Migrant Refugee and Settlement Services (MARSS)
Chief Executive Officer’s Report
It gives me great pleasure to present my report to the Annual General Meeting for the year
2013–2014. During this year, MARSS has continued to provide high quality settlement services,
which are supplemented by Community Development projects, youth programs and social
activities.
Our goal is to ensure that all our clients are provided with efficient and effective services to meet
all their settlement needs. We have maintained our focus and energies on this goal and have
ensured high quality service delivery. We are always looking for new and improved ways to
provide the services our clients require, and to further develop our ‘one stop shop’ settlement
hub.
We believe in an open door policy where no client is turned away without receiving assistance
first. This policy has seen over 6000 clients walk through our doors in the past 12 months, which
highlights the need for the settlement and community development services and programs
MARSS provides.
This year in May, we were excited to welcome Her Excellency Lady Cosgrove as our new Patron.
We feel very honoured to have her on board, and thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to show
her around our office and introduce her to the board, the staff and some of our clients. I look
forward to future opportunities to involve Lady Cosgrove in the work of MARSS, and thank her for
her support.
MARSS prides itself on being able to provide a range of settlement services to our clients. Our
settlement programs include Humanitarian Settlement Services (HSS) and Settlement Grants
Program (SGP) funded by the Department of Social Services.
These services focus on building self-reliance by assisting migrants, refugees and humanitarian
entrants in the ACT and surrounds to achieve sustainable settlement outcomes. This is achieved
through the provision of flexible, client centred casework, appropriate community and
mainstream public sector service referrals, accommodation and information services.
All migrants who are not eligible to access settlement services through HSS and SGP are provided
with assistance through the Migrant Support Services (MSS) program, which is funded by the ACT
Government.
This combination of settlement services ensures that no client is turned away, and all migrants
who walk through our door will have access to settlement services and support.
MARSS’ settlement services are supplemented with our Community Development Program,
youth programs, social activities, employment and training, driving, and education programs.
These programs are a hugely popular and have proven to greatly assist clients in making friends,
finding employment and becoming self-reliant.
MARSS values its staff and volunteers and the important role they play in delivering effective and
efficient services. MARSS aims to give staff and volunteers the maximum opportunity to develop
their skills and knowledge through training sessions run internally and externally by consultants.
We are also very grateful to the funding bodies that have provided specialised training to our
staff under certain projects we administer.
As an organisation we enjoy celebrating the cultural diversity of our clients and so hold events to
mark special occasions and cultural festivals.
In December we had a special celebration to both mark our 30 th Anniversary and to celebrate
Christmas. It was a great opportunity to acknowledge the contributions we have made to our
clients and the broader community, and to reflect on how MARSS has grown over the years.
Earlier this year we celebrated “International Women’s Day” which was attended by Senator Kate
Lundy and Nicole Lawder MLA. This included a showcase of MARSS’ women’s art and craft group
with a display of their art work and sewing skills.
Our annual Harmony Day Sports Tournament was held in May with a great turnout of local
competitive and community basketball and futsal teams. There were 13 sporting teams who
participated in the day and we were thrilled to have Christopher Burke MLA join us to present
MARSS Harmony players with medals to celebrate their achievements in local sporting
competitions.
In June we celebrated Refugee Week by hosting an event for our clients, staff, volunteers and
other stakeholders. It was a fantastic way to pay tribute to the millions of refugees worldwide,
and also to celebrate the contributions of those refugees who have made Australia their new
home.
MARSS hosted a special dinner in August to celebrate Eid Ul-Fitr which marks the end of
Ramadan. We were honoured to share the festivities of Eid Ul-Fitr with both our Muslim and nonMuslim clients and stakeholders. Approximately 150 people attended and it was great to see such
a big turn-out enjoying the professional catering delivered by MARSS staff.
We enjoy celebrating with our clients and exposing our community to a variety of different
cultures and encouraging harmony.
As you may have noticed through reading my report, MARSS is always a busy place striving for
excellence in service and positive settlement outcomes for our clients.
In conclusion, I would like to show my appreciation for the continued support from:
ACT Government
ACT Education Department
ACT Health Department
Community Services Directorate
ACT and Region Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Department of Social Services
Department of Immigration and Border Protection
Office of Multicultural Affairs
Real Estate Institute of the ACT
National Driving Academy
National Roads and Motorists Association
My special thanks to the Chair, Raewyn Bastion and the Board of Management for their support
throughout the year and my sincere thanks to the dedicated, professional and enthusiastic staff
who are committed to providing high quality services to all MARSS clients.
Finally, I would like to thank all our dedicated volunteers without whose contribution and
commitment we would not be able to deliver successful programs.
Dewani Bakkum
CEO
Migrant and Refugee Settlement Services of the A.C.T. Inc.
Humanitarian Settlement Services (HSS) Report
The Humanitarian Settlement Services (HSS) program is Australia’s flagship program for delivering
initial settlement support to humanitarian entrants upon first arriving in Australia. The program,
funded by the Department of Social Services (DSS), provides intensive settlement support
through a coordinated case management approach. HSS tailors its service delivery model to
ensure that humanitarian entrants gain all the skills and confidence needed to become
independent and fully participating members of the community.
Under the HSS program, MARSS assists humanitarian entrants who hold Refugee and Global
Humanitarian Visas. During the 2013-2014 financial year DSS referred nearly 100 cases to MARSS.
These cases consisted of individuals and families from a diverse range of countries and the HSS
team worked closely with these clients throughout the financial year to ensure their settlement
needs were met and a high level of service was delivered.
Case Management
During 2013-2014, HSS Case Officers coordinated the delivery of a range of different services to
ensure our clients have the best possible transition into life in Canberra. These services begin
right from the moment a client touches foot in Canberra. Some of the key settlement services
provided to HSS clients include airport reception, transit assistance, property induction, initial
food provision, registering with Centrelink, registering with Medicare, setting up bank accounts,
enrolment in education, and health appointment registration. HSS Case Officers were very
successful throughout 2013-2014 in ensuring the complex process of settling in a new country
was made as seamless as possible for clients.
New HSS clients arriving in Canberra
HSS clients reunite with family members
Orientation
The orientation process was one of the most important services the HSS team delivered to clients
in 2013-2014. The orientation involves teaching clients some of the key legal obligations and
cultural norms that are important for settling in Australia such as which side of the road cars drive
on and what to do at a pedestrian crossing, as well as more complicated things such as tenancy
obligations.
As part of this orientation, large group sessions are held every 6-8 weeks and guest speakers from
a range of organisations and government services are able to give vital information to our clients.
Topics covered include: tenancy rights and obligations, legal rights and responsibilities, rubbish
and recycling, schooling, employment, and many more. The HSS casework orientation model at
MARSS is constantly evolving with new initiatives being added onto the program. MARSS recently
engaged with the National Gallery in a bid to introduce newly arrived clients to Australian art and
culture. The first tour was organised by the Gallery in June and it was a excellent and memorable
experience for the clients.
Group orientation sessions
HSS clients at the National Gallery
Accommodation Services
During 2013-2014, the HSS Accommodation Team facilitated both short term and long term
accommodation for clients. HSS is grateful for the continuing support from Housing ACT, which
maintains a stock of houses to provide to MARSS under the Refugee Transitional Housing
Program (RTHP), ensuring that HSS clients are provided with transitional short term
accommodation until affordable/suitable long term accommodation can be sourced.
The Investors Can Help project, through which benevolent homeowners and investors can rent
their homes to newly arrived refugees, continues to grow with more and more benevolent
homeowners and investors renting their homes to newly arrived refugees. Thanks to the
combined efforts of MARSS, The ACT Chamber of Commerce and The Real Estate Institute of the
ACT (REIACT), the program has been very well received by the Canberra community with inquiries
being made by over 40 individuals wanting to rent their homes. MARSS has housed around 50
individuals through this initiative.
HSS clients in their new home
Local Area Coordination (LAC) meetings
HSS clients in long term accommodation
During the 2013 – 2014 financial year, a total of four LAC meetings were held including one in
Goulburn. The meetings feature presentations from key stakeholders involved in delivering
services to HSS clients (such as Centrelink, Care Financial etc.). These meetings continue to be
great platforms for the HSS team to increase their knowledge about services available for HSS
clients.
Canberra LAC participants
Goulburn LAC participants
Volunteer program
The services delivered through the HSS program could not be possible without a dedicated team
of volunteers who assist in the overall settlement of HSS clients. Around 50 volunteers are
currently registered with the HSS program and have assisted HSS Case Workers to develop
clients’ self-sufficiency and independence and promote their social inclusion. Volunteers are an
integral part of the HSS program and assist with a range of tasks including (but not limited to)
shopping for client arrivals, ensuring on arrival properties are homely and welcoming, helping
clients with appointments and understanding where things are in their local area, showing clients
how to use public transport, and being a general social support for clients. MARSS also conducts
regular training for volunteers in a bid to ensure HSS clients receive the best service outcomes.
MARSS volunteer training
MARSS volunteer workshop
Conclusion
The 2013-2014 financial year has been an extremely successful year for the HSS team at MARSS.
The HSS team looks forward to welcoming more humanitarian entrants in the ACT and surrounds
in the coming year and assisting them to settle in their new home.
Settlement Grants Program Report
Clients performing at the MARSS 30th Anniversary and Christmas Party held in
December 2013.
The Settlement Grants Program (SGP) which is funded by the Department of Social Services
assists migrants, refugees and humanitarian entrants in the ACT to achieve sustainable
settlement outcomes. This is achieved through the provision of flexible, client centred casework,
appropriate referrals to community and mainstream public sector service providers and
settlement focused group information sessions. The program also includes community
development, social participation and other activities.
Some of the challenging areas of settlement for clients include accommodation, employment,
finances and household management, education and training, income support and many other
related issues. Clients are from a variety of backgrounds and ages. Caseworkers within SGP also
perform a great deal of advocacy on behalf of clients, with independence and settlement the
ultimate goal.
The Settlement Grants Program for 2013-14 can be categorised in the following way:
1. Casework (Advocacy and Referral)
2. Information Sessions
3. Community Consultations
4. Outreach
Casework
During the 2013-14 financial year SGP caseworkers assisted a total of 180 clients. The
quantitative target for the period was 130 clients, thus, SGP caseworkers exceeded the target.
The target of 20 intensive cases (requiring more than 3 sessions) was also exceeded as 33 clients
required this level of casework.
A major component of SGP casework includes referrals. SGP caseworkers made a total of 1096
external referrals and 216 internal referrals, well exceeding the targets of 1000 and 100
respectively.
Chart 1.1 demonstrates the demographic of the clientele. The highest number of clients came
from Iran at 21% followed by Afghanistan and Burma at 20% and 10% respectively.
Top 5 countries of origin for SGP clients
25%
20%
15%
10%
21%
Clients from different countries
assisted through SGP
20%
5%
10%
6%
6%
Sudan
Sri Lanka
0%
Iran
Afghanistan
Burma
Chart 1.1 Bar graph shows the top 5 countries of origin for clients assisted by MARSS
SGP during 2013-14.
Information Sessions
Twenty one Group Information Sessions were held throughout the financial year, all of them
exceeding the minimum target of attendees set in the SGP Work Program 2013-14. The topics for
these sessions were “Health”, “Water Safety”, “Cross-cultural Training for Professionals”,
“Domestic Violence”, “Australian Citizenship”, “Job Preparation and Cultural Awareness
Training”, “Financial Management”, “Parenting”, “Legal”, “Housing” and “Emergency Services” as
well as three orientation information sessions specifically targeted at youth on “Life Skills”,
“Family, Relationships and Health” and “Education and Training”. For each of these sessions,
specialist guest speakers were present to provide important and relevant information and to
answer clients’ questions.
A Department of Immigration and Border Protection Representative presented information at the SGP Australian
Citizenship Information Session held on 25th September 2013.
On the 26th of June 2014, from 2:30 – 4:00pm the Cross-Cultural Training for Professionals was
held in the function room at the Theo Notaras Multicultural Centre. The panel consisted of key
members or community leaders of communities in the following countries, Sudan, Afghanistan,
Iran, Sri Lanka, Burma, Sierra Leone and Zimbabwe. There was a positive response to this event
from the wider community, with twenty-five professionals from government, local service
providers and the community service sector in attendance.
The community representatives, who spoke on cultural norms in each culture at the 'Crosscultural Training for Professionals' held on 26th June 2014.
Accommodation continues to be a prominent area of concern for a great number of clients. The
SGP Project Officers held the two Housing information sessions with an aim to address these
concerns and provide useful information regarding accommodation in the ACT. The sessions were
well attended by clients and utilised speakers from ACT Housing and ACT Tenants’ Union.
Adelaide Reif from Tenants' Union ACT discussing housing at an SGP information session held on 7th April 2014.
Community Consultations
To further engage with the community, SGP caseworkers organised a ‘Community Consultation’
on 3rd February 2014 with a number of community members and leaders. These included the
Canberra Tamil Association (CTA), Chinese Community ACT, ACT Sierra Leone Community,
Zimbabwean Community ACT, Hazara Community ACT, South Sudanese and Sudanese
Community ACT and Karen Community Association ACT.
The goal of the consultation was to collect opinions on settlement issues and concerns from
different community members and leaders, and ask suggestions on how MARSS can help to
address these issues.
The session was very successful in collecting valuable information from the participants. During
the session, each group was given time to discuss and identify concerns brought up by their
communities with the intention that MARSS can initiate future ‘Community Consultations’ as
follow-up with the same community members and leaders. The session was successful in
providing communities the opportunity to express their concerns and allowing MARSS to inform
the communities of the services already available to address the concerns raised. The
consultation ended with light refreshments.
Arts and Craft Classes
Senator Kate Lundy visiting MARSS Arts and Crafts stall on International
Women’s Day 2014.
This year’s International Women’s Day was Saturday 8 March. MARSS participates in this annual
celebration of women’s contribution to society every year, with this year’s event being held on
Friday 7 March. This year’s theme was the economic empowerment of women and children. With
this theme in mind, MARSS held a multicultural fashion parade and gave the opportunity to our
clients to display and sell their arts and crafts that they had been working on in their weekly class.
MARSS was honoured to have Senator Kate Lundy come and speak about how lucky women are
in Australia and how important it is to continue the discussion about the inequality women
experience and the contribution they make to society. The fashion parade was a wonderful
celebration of women and our diversity. There were models and fashions from Chinese
community, Karen, Sierra Leone, Ugandan, Ethiopian, Indian, Afghan and the Iranian community.
After the fashion parade our guests and models enjoyed a wonderful morning tea as they
browsed the lovely arts and crafts collections on display.
Outreach
As part of MARSS’ commitment to its clients, SGP caseworkers engaged their clients at a variety
of locations in the North of Canberra throughout the financial year. Outreach sessions were
conducted fortnightly at West Belconnen and Gungahlin family and children centres. These
outreach services are a valuable part of SGP as they allow clients to access assistance at a
convenient location.
The SGP stall at the MARSS Open Day
Conclusion
The Settlement Grants Program is a vital part of services offered at MARSS. SGP Project Officers
assisted a wide range of clients and provided a range of services. SGP met all stipulated targets
set forth by the Department of Immigration and Border Protection, and often exceeded them.
The SGP Officers were very present in the community in the 2013-2014 financial year, with
attending various local area service provider meetings, Multicultural Matters Meetings,
teleconferences with the Settlement Council of Australia, Community Services Expo , 2013
Multicultural Awards Gala Night, Panel Discussion Training organised by DV-Alert, ACT
Multicultural Leaders Reception invited by Katy Gallagher MLA, ACT Chief Minister. SGP Project
Officers also attended training at the Rural and Regional Conference in NSW, DSS Workshop on ‘A
New Way of Working: Grant Funding’ etc. This, coupled with the comprehensive casework
provided to clients, ensured SGP was an effective component of the settlement services offered
to clients by MARSS.
Migrant Support Services (MSS) Report
The program is funded by the Community Services Directorate-ACT Government and provides
settlement services to migrants and refugees in the Canberra region. MSS officers provide
referrals, advocacy, wide variety of settlement issues, including finding accommodation,
employment, training and education services, family support, financial stability and community
interaction. In providing these services, MARSS MSS officers endeavour to link clients with
mainstream service providers to provide a pathway to independence and a transition to life in
Australia.
The top 5 referrals given to MSS clients can be found at Chart 1 below.
Chart 1: Top 5 MSS Referrals from 1st July 2013 to 30th June 2014
180
165
160
133
140
120
110
100
82
80
60
37
40
20
0
Emergency Relief
Fund
Housing ACT
job search &
networks
Migration Agent
Health
As part of the MSS program the following information sessions were held during the 2013-2014
financial year:



Ageing and Aged Care Information Session
Youth information Centre Information Session
Housing and Emergency service Information Session
Program manager for transport at Belconnen Community Service, Graham McKerchar,
discusses the community transport program at the Ageing and Aged Care Information
Session on 25 June 2014.
South Sudanese community member Abuk Ayom interpreting in Dinka for clients at the
Ageing and Aged Care Information Session
.
Community Development Program (CDP) Report
The Community Development Program, funded by the ACT Community Services Directorate (CSD)
is an integral part of MARSS’ Settlement Services.
Clients can access free language classes, tutoring, information sessions, sporting teams (reports
on our sporting programs can be found later on in this report), consultation sessions and
computer classes. For a small fee, clients can now access driving lessons from Accredited Driving
Instructors and through this, gain their provisional and full licences.
The above programs are vital services that help families settle into Canberra & surrounding
regions, as well as promote social cohesion. There is a variety of nationalities throughout all the
programs here at MARSS, which helps clients learn about other cultures and communities here in
Canberra. MARSS makes the most of this diversity and celebrates it through organising end of
term gatherings where clients can bring their own cultural dish to share with other clients.
English for Living Classes:
English language classes remain the same as in recent years with their popularity still consistently
growing. Introduced last financial year was the “Everyday English” class which, since its inception,
has been a really smooth transitioning for newly arrived clients into English classes. This class was
created to help cater for students waiting to join the formal English classes, clients waiting for
enrolment into the Adult Migrant English Classes (AMEP) at CIT and also for students on bridging
visas looking to improve on their English.
Senior class celebrating their end of term
Christmas party
Advanced class practice some Australian
slang
There are 5 levels of English classes: Beginners, Elementary, Pre-intermediate/Intermediate,
Advanced and Seniors. The classes run over the ACT school terms. The Advanced,
Intermediate/Pre-intermediate, Elementary and Seniors classes are held twice a week for 2 hours
each. Beginners, Conversation, Communication, Pronunciation and Singing and Dancing classes
are conducted once a week for 2 hours for each class.
Teacher Helen (red top) and her
Elementary Class
Teacher Maneerat (red top) and her
singing class
Chart 1: EFL Clients’ years in Australia from January 2014 to June 2014
140
118
120
100
80
80
60
40
20
0
Less than 5 years
More than 5 years
Afghani
Algerian
Argentinian
Brazilian
Burmese
Cantonese
Chinese
Colombian
Filipino
Guinean
Indian
Indonesian
Iranian
Iraqian
Italian
Japanese
Korean
Kuwaitian
Laotian
Malaysian
Mexican
Pakistanian
Peruvian
Polish
Russian
Serbian
Sierra Leonean
Somalian
Spanish
Sri Lankan
Sudanese
Taiwanese
Uzbekistani
Vietnamese
Chart 2: EFL Client’s nationalities from January 2014 to June 2014
50
45
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
45
12
17
1
40
4
6
1
1
1 1 1
180
Male
3
15
8
3
1 2
5
1 1 2 1 2
4
17
6
9
13
1
Chart 3: EFL Client’s gender from January 2014 to June 2014
166
160
140
120
100
80
60
32
20
0
Female
7
1 2
3
1
Chart 4: EFL Client’s ages from January 2014 to June 2014
120
105
100
80
60
46
36
40
20
11
0
0
10 to 20
21 to 30
31 to 40
41 to 50
51+
Chart 5: EFL Client’s total attendances for each class from January 2014 to June 2014.
30
25
28
23
22
20
20
15
10
5
0
18
17
14
14
9
14
10
9
Learn to Drive Program:
The Learn to Drive Program is a popular program that offers clients the opportunity to gain their
driving license. The program was launched by the Hon. Joy Burch MLA Minister for Multicultural
Affairs in May 2013 with 128 clients registered. The program has now had 237 clients register,
125 are currently active with 22 gaining their licence, this is a major achievement for not only the
program, but for MARSS to date. Through this program it takes a client, on average, 17 lessons to
gain their license.
This program provides discounted practical driving lessons to migrants and refugees on low or no
income. The lessons are charged at $30 per hour and are taught in a dual pedal car by 1 of 4
Australian Accredited Instructors at MARSS. This program gives people the chance to achieve
greater independence, freedom and social inclusion, while also teaching students a much needed
skills to be an experienced driver on our roads.
Mazin Madhloom obtaining his full licence
Chart 1: Learn to Drive with MARSS client nationalities, as a percentage, May 2013 to June
2014.
35
Percentage of clients
30
32
25
25
20
15
15
12
9
10
7
5
0
Sudan
Sri Lanka
Afghanistan
Sierra Leone
Iran
Other
Chart 1: Learn to Drive with MARSS client gender, as a percentage, May 2013 to June 2014.
Percentage of clients
70
62
60
50
40
38
30
20
10
0
Male
Female
MARSS Sports Program:
The Harmony players program is a program that aims to promote social cohesion and equality
through basketball and futsal. The programs help bridge the gap between different communities
in order to create better understanding of different values, cultures and beliefs. The overall idea
is to promote harmony between emerging and local communities through sport.
Harmony Basketball Men’s:
There has been a good mix of players this season coming from various backgrounds including;
South Sudan, China, Vietnam, Afghanistan, south America, United States, South Africa, Kenya,
Sierra Leone and Australia. There has been a total of 16 players that have registered for the
men’s basketball team. This team is playing in the current season and are having quite an impact.
Last season they made it to the finals and lost by 1 point, this season they are playing a higher
grade of teams and are in the running to make it to the finals again. The team has been strong
and welcoming new players like true champions. The season is scheduled to end around
September 2014.
Harmony Basketball Women’s:
The girls basketball team played extremely well last season and finished first. Most of the players
were from South Sudan and have been with MARSS since their competitions in the under 19’s last
year. The girl’s season has finished with the plans to build a stronger and bigger team for next
season as interest has peaked.
Harmony Futsal Men’s:
There has always been a huge interest in our futsal program as this is a very popular sport
worldwide. MARSS has a total of 30 players registered for this current season and 20 players that
are actively playing in the competition. There are two teams for the men’s futsal, one in division 3
and one in division 5. Both teams are playing great and showing a lot of skill and potential to
develop further. Both teams are on track for a spot in the finals and if they keep playing like they
are, both have huge chances of successfully winning the competition.
Emergency Relief Fund (ERF) Report
The Emergency Relief Fund (ERF) provides support to individuals who require immediate financial
assistance. As part of the program clients have access to food vouchers and bus tickets. For many
clients the financial burden of transport prevents them from accessing services. Providing food
vouchers helps clients redirect their money to other bills helping alleviate financial concerns. The
provision of bus tickets enables clients to access services, attend appointments, or take their
children to school safely. Over the 2013-2014 financial year, 137 clients were assisted on 272
occasions. A total of 56 referrals were made to other services both internally and externally.
ERF Assistance
272
300
Clients
250
200
150
137
100
56
50
0
Number of clients
Times assistance provided
Number of referrals
Telstra Bill Assistance Program (TBAP) Report
The Emergency Relief Fund (ERF) officer at MARSS also provides bill assistance for Telstra phone
and internet bills. Many clients find themselves in financial hardship in cases where multiple bills
are due at the same time, or finances are stretched for other reasons. Over the 2013-2014
financial year, 35 clients were assisted with TBAP vouchers.
Home Tutor Program Report
The Home Tutor Program matches volunteer English language tutors with adult migrant and
refugee clients who are unable to attend formal English classes for a variety of reasons such as
work or family commitments and travel restrictions.
Along with English language tuition, tutors provide much needed support in helping students to
better understand Australian cultures and systems. Tutors also help clients prepare for the
Australian Citizenship Test where applicable.
The Project Officer matches clients with tutors appropriately, and provides support to volunteers,
including in the form newsletters and training workshops to share resources, materials,
information and tutoring strategies. The training workshops also provide volunteers with the
opportunity to network and seek advice and help from one another.
Home Tutor Program
Students' Years in Australia
July 2013 - June 2014
90
82
80
70
60
50
40
30
30
20
10
0
Less than 5 years
More than 5 years
Home Tutor Program
Students' Ages
July 2013 - June 2014
50
45
45
40
35
35
30
25
20
15
13
15
10
5
1
0
1
2
61 to 70
71 to 80
81 to 90
0
18 to 20
21 to 30
31 to 40
41 to 50
51 to 60
Home Tutor Program
Students' Gender
July 2013 - June 2014
100
88
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
24
20
10
0
Male
Female
Home Tutor Program
Students' Country of Birth
July 2013 - June 2014
40
38
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
14
9
7
5 4 4
3 3 3 2 2 2 2
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Sudan
Burma
Afghanistan
Iran
Iraq
China
Vietnam
Bangladesh
Sierra Leone
Thailand
Cambodia
Chile
Korea
South Sudan
Albania
Algeria
Burundi
Guinea
Hungary
Libya
Nepal
Peru
Romania
Russia
Somalia
Spain
Sri Lanka
Zimbabwe
0
Program for After School Studies (PASS)
PASS is a free tutoring service provided to clients between the ages of 12 and 25 from culturally
and linguistically diverse backgrounds. The aim of the program is to provide regular tutoring to
clients in high school, college, the Canberra Institute of Technology and university. The program is
held on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays between 3.30pm and 6.30pm. Each client receives
one-on-one support from a tutor in specific subjects and courses.
A volunteer tutor helps a client with his
homework
The clients and volunteers enjoyed the
movie night
Clients and tutors have busy lives and timetables that are constantly changing, making PASS very
fluid. Where possible the coordinator tries to match a client with a tutor on a regular basis once
or twice a week. These regular pairings allow the tutor and client to build a rapport, and for the
tutor to learn more about their client and their style of learning. This year MARSS held an
information session for clients and volunteer tutors from PASS during National Youth Week in
April 201. At the event the PASS coordinator explained to clients and the volunteers the
importance of celebrating achievements. Clients and volunteers enjoyed pizza and soft drinks
while watching the movie Cool Runnings.
Some unexpected achievements of the PASS program included being interviewed by a reporter
from The Chronicle for an article on PASS published in June 2014. The PASS coordinator also
registered 4 clients to complete a Certificate III in Disability Services and Certificate II in
Community Services. The courses were held on Saturdays so it did not interfere with clients’
attendance at school. These nationally-recognised qualifications allow clients to work in the
disability and community services sectors, and increase their employability.
PASS has continued to expand in 2013-2014. Over the past year PASS has provided tutoring
assistance to 93 clients, and 86 tutors have volunteered their time and expertise. This included 22
clients and 28 tutors actively involved in PASS Belconnen held in the upstairs meeting room in
Belconnen Library on Mondays from 4pm to 5pm. Below is a chart that demonstrate the
nationalities of participants involved in PASS during the past year.
PASS client demographics
January 2014 to June 2014
16
15
14
Number of clients
14
12
10
10
8
8
6
4
2
5
4 4 4 4
3
2 2 2 2 2 2
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Afghanistan
Kenya
Australia
Thailand
Sudan
Burma
Pakistan
Iraq
Sri Lanka
Sierra Leone
Yemen
China
India
Somalia
Solomon Islands
Iran
Eritrea
Ethiopia
South Sudan
Ghana
Vietnam
Bangladesh
Liberia
Rwanda
Germany
Nepal
0
Several PASS clients have gone on to study at university and CIT in areas of law and community
development. Some PASS students have completed work experience at MARSS as part of their
respective degrees. It is a pleasure to see the commitment of clients in attending PASS to receive
tutoring after a long day at school, and to see their improvement in their academic skills and in
their general confidence.
I would like to thank all of the tutors who have volunteered in PASS over the last year. The clients
are very grateful for all of the time volunteers give to them. I would also like to acknowledge the
Community Services Directorate and St Paul’s in Manuka which donates funds to keep PASS
Belconnen going.
Courses and employment
Migrant and Refugee Settlement Services of the ACT Inc (MARSS), together with registered
training organisation Reach for Training, are offering free course to eligible clients interested in
getting a head start on their career.
MARSS is offering a Certificate III in Community Services Work, and a Certificate III in Disability
and Aged Care, under the ACT Government funded Priority Services Program. As many as 35
clients have so far completed this training.
As many as 28 clients have obtained their Certificate II in Community Services Work and
Certificate III in Children’s Services qualifications through a separate registered training
organisation.
MARSS is working with a local aged care facilities to provide work placements for clients who
have completed their Certificate III in Community Services Work, and Certificate III in Aged Care.
MARSS also provides resume help and job seeker assistance to clients, and works with employers
to help place clients in employment.
Some of the students from the employment training course
MARSS MEMBERS 2013-2014
Africa Australia Association Inc
Australian Mon Association Inc
Canberra Academy of Cantonese Opera
Canberra Latvian Association
Canberra Multicultural Community Forum Inc
Canberra Muslim Community Inc
Canberra Saiva Temple
Council of Polish Organisations in the ACT
Ghana Australia Association Inc
India-Australia Association of Canberra
Kia Ora Te Whanau Social Club Inc
National Australian Chinese Association
National Ethnic Disability Alliance (NEDA)
Pakistan Cultural Association Inc
Philippine Cultural Society
Radyo Filipino Canberra-Australia Inc
Sierra Leone Community in Canberran & regions
South Sudan Australia Community Association
Thai Media and Culture of Canberra