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VMC | UPDATING | Financial support for workers, RAC deadline extended, Storytelling competitions | Tuesday 27 July 2021

[Edited extract from public address]

Lockdowns don't get easier each time, but it's been touching to see a continued display of compassion and care. 

Message from the Chairperson

I've noticed people are reaching out to each other, particularly when significant cultural and religious events could not be celebrated in the usual way. I am grateful for the leadership and commitment shown by each of us when following the public health directions.

If the recent lockdowns or personal orders to quarantine have stopped you from working, please look into the COVID-19 Disaster Payment and the Pandemic Leave Disaster Payment. You may be eligible to receive one or both of these Australian Government payments.

For anyone that missed it last week, please note that the nominations for this year's Victorian Multicultural Awards for Excellence are now open. The call for entries will close on 5 September.

Elsewhere in this week's Community Update, entries are now open for the 2021 Premier's Spirit of Anzac Prize. This generous bursary gives older high school students added motivation to explore Australia's war and peacekeeping history.

For storytellers, we have some exciting competitions. First, there is Homespun, which will give people the chance to share a short tale from their lives at the Melbourne Writers Festival. Along with that, we have an opportunity for writers from the Australian South Asian Centre.

All of us have our own story to tell, and it's a great thing to be able able to share it ourselves, in our own words. These competitions allow people to do just that.

We also have some important resources on family violence. Next week, the Department of Home Affairs is running information sessions for visa holders who are experiencing domestic and family violence. And we share some in-language family violence education videos in Dari, Hazaragi, Hindi, Punjabi and Tamil.

The Scanlon Foundation’s Annual Community Grants 2021 are now open for application. These important grants can help many migrants work towards finding meaningful employment in this country.

And lastly, some good news for people hoping to join our Regional Advisory Councils – expression of interests have just been extended. We saw some late enquiries come through, so we would like to hear from anyone else who wants to be a part of these important groups.

There are eight Regional Advisory Councils from across the state providing critical, on-the-ground insights as well as solutions for issues affecting multicultural communities – including migrant and refugee settlement services, employment, education, housing, citizenship and connection to culture.

Click here to express your interest in joining. Applications will now close on 8 August.

Take care and stay safe.

Viv Nguyen AM, Chairperson, Victorian Multicultural Commission

You may be eligible for financial support if restrictions have affected your work

You may be able to get the COVID-19 Disaster Payment if you can’t work due to a restricted movement order or lockdown.

You also may be able to get the Pandemic Leave Disaster Payment if you can’t work either because a state or territory health official has told you to isolate or quarantine because you’re a close contact of a confirmed case or have COVID-19, or you’re caring for someone with COVID-19.

Victorian Multicultural Awards for Excellence​ | nominations now open

The Victorian Multicultural Awards for Excellence recognise the outstanding achievements of people and organisations who strengthen multiculturalism across 15 categories.

The awards are proudly coordinated by the Victorian Multicultural Commission, and are now open for nomination. To learn more about the program, browse the categories and nominate someone, click the button below.

Spirit of Anzac Prize competition | applications now open, closing Tuesday 31 August 2021

Entries are now open for the 2021 Premier's Spirit of Anzac Prize .

The competition offers students in Year 9, 10 and 11 the opportunity to explore Australia’s proud and significant war and peacekeeping history, and enter to receive a $2,500 scholarship to support their education.

Through the program, students are asked to express their perspectives and understanding of experiences of those who have served. This can be presented in a range of formats, including essay, artwork, video, audio, music, webpage or poem.

More than 500 students have been awarded the prize since the program started in 2005.

Got a story to tell? Share it with Homespun | entries close 11.59pm Sunday 1 August 2021.  

The Homespun storytelling competition is back, and ABC Radio Melbourne and Melbourne Writers Festival want you to share your true tale with them. Entering is as easy as recording a voice note on your phone. Just make sure you include the line, 'I have been meaning to tell you'.

Winners will work with ABC Radio producers to craft their story to tell on stage in front of an audience at the Homespun storytelling event on Saturday, 4 September.

During the event, Winners will be sharing the stage with hosts Virginia Trioli and David Astle and a special Guest Storyteller from Melbourne Writers Festival. It promises to be a night of laughter, love and homespun yarns.

Domestic and Family Violence: Home Affairs information session for workers

Preventing domestic and family violence (DFV) is a whole-of-government priority. The Department of Home Affairs will be hosting two information sessions next week about their role in assisting temporary and provisional visa holders who are experiencing DFV.

Both sessions will cover the same topics:
  • the Family Violence Provisions (for Partner visa applicants)
  • sponsorship limitations
  • resolving visa status
  • assisting people to return to their home country.
Individual queries will not be addressed during these sessions and should be directed to professionals authorised to deliver immigration assistance.

The Department of Home Affairs invites everyone who works with visa holders experiencing DFV (including volunteers) to join them via videoconference at either of the two sessions by following the links below.

In-language videos for family violence prevention

As part of the Safer and Stronger Communities Pilot, South East Community Links (SECL) have helped develop a select range of multilingual resources for Dari, Hazaragi, Hindi, Punjabi and Tamil speaking community members.

The culturally adapted videos have been created by the community, for the community. They provide insights into how gender inequality is experienced by some Afghan and Indian people. The voices you hear are those of SECL's co-design community members speaking in their languages.

The SECL hopes you will share these links far and wide with your networks, community groups and others so that more people are aware of the importance of gender equality and the little steps they can take towards creating greater gender equality in their homes, lives and communities.
View on SECL website

Scanlon Foundation Annual Community Grants 2021 | applications now open, close on Friday 17 September. 

The Scanlon Foundation’s Annual Community Grants 2021 will support projects that demonstrate contribution to social cohesion by building pathways to employment or increasing applied English literacy.

Projects should consider the experience of migrants and aim to nurture positive outcomes. All submissions are expected to empower new arrival communities and develop cross cultural connections.

The Foundation will be holding an online information session on Wednesday 11 August to to provide more details on the Annual Community Grant round, the application process, and to answer any questions. Further details are available here.

Opportunity for emerging South Asian female writers

The Australian South Asian Centre (ASAC) wants to give talented, ambitious and undiscovered writers the opportunity to share their story.

ASCA would love to see more South Asian female authors and writers publishing books and articles that reflect the diaspora's shared experiences, culture and diversity.

So, ASAC are calling for writers to send in examples of their writing. The talented winner will:
  • Receive feedback about their work and have a one-on-one zoom call with an established writer or author.
  • Have their work (or an excerpt) published on the ASAC blog and social media. 
  • Have their work sent to a range of our community partners to share across their social media network. 

Coronavirus hotline


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Victorian Multicultural Commission (VMC)
Address: Level 3, 1 Macarthur Street, Melbourne VIC 3000
Tel: (03) 9651 5901
Email: contact@vmc.vic.gov.au
Website: www.multiculturalcommission.vic.gov.au

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