This week, the VMC is proud to acknowledge and celebrate the achievements and contributions of refugees in Victoria, in honour of Refugee Week 2022.
Message from the Chairperson
Refugees and people seeking asylum are an important part of the multicultural fabric of our state, and the VMC will continue to work closely with and advocate for these communities.
On Saturday, myself and VMC Deputy Chairperson Bwe Thay attended the Connecting Community festival and Refugee Week celebration organised by the Refugee Communities Association of Australia. It warmed our hearts to hear a powerful address from newly arrived refugees from Ukraine to our Federal Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs, Andrew Giles. It was a reminder to all of us that everyone has a right to seek safety.
To continue the Refugee Week celebrations, on Monday 20 June 2022 the VMC was delighted to host the Victorian Refugee Awards and honour an outstanding group of Victorians who arrived in Australia as refugees or asylum seekers. We honoured recipients for being leaders in their communities, whether through a business, community service, personal achievement or youth engagement.
As a refugee myself, it is a great privilege to recognise others in the community who have overcome significant barriers and are now using their platforms to serve others. It was especially exciting to honour both 2022 and 2021 recipients of the Awards - the latter who unfortunately missed out on an in-person ceremony last year due to COVID-19 restrictions.
On the topic of restrictions, please read the important changes to COVID-19 restrictions which take effect from Friday 24 June 2022. The Acting Chief Health Officer has advised that masks must still be worn on public transport, taxis, ride shares and planes. I encourage everyone to take the time to understand changes to COVID-19 health advice, to ensure we keep our fellow Victorians safe this winter.
Finally, I'd like to thank our Regional Advisory Council members who spend the last few weeks attending and collaborating in meetings across the state. We are grateful for the time you have put into this commitment, and are looking forward to sharing your insights and feedback with relevant stakeholders.
To those attending Refugee Week celebrations this week throughout the state, or spending time with loved ones - take care, keep warm, and stay COVID safe.
Viv Nguyen AM, Chairperson
VIC | RCA | CELEBRATING | Refugee Week | 19-25 June 2022
Refugee Week is Australia's peak annual activity to celebrate positive contributions made by refugees to our country.
The aim of celebrations this week is to educate, create a better understanding between different communities and encourage successful integration to enable refugees to live safe and empowered lives.
This Refugee Week, we encourage you to:
- Learn about the recipients of our 2022 Refugee Awards
- Download social media templates, classroom resources, and educational videos from the Refugee Council of Australia
- Follow the VMC on social media for facts about refugees and people seeking asylum
ERM | CELEBRATING | Eastern Region Refugee Week | Saturday 25 June 2022 | 11am-1.30pm
This Refugee Week event has been organised to strengthen relationships and understanding between multicultural and refugee communities, Traditional Owners, and the wider community of the Eastern Region of Melbourne (ERM).
Included in this celebration is an Indigenous Smoking Ceremony, stories from refugees about their journey to Australia, an art competition and other performances.
A light multicultural lunch will be provided.
VIC | VMC | EXHIBITING | photography exhibition | open until Sunday 26 June 2022!
The VMC is proud to invite you to attend our photography exhibition, Capturing Culture: Multicultural Victoria in Focus, now open at the Immigration Museum.
Following a competition, shortlisted entries from four categories were selected to form this exhibition. Winners of the competition were announced on 9 June at a special event hosted by the VMC in the Immigration Museum Atrium.
In addition to enjoying the work of talented multicultural photographers, visitors to the exhibit this week will have the opportunity to vote online for the entry they believe should win a People's Choice Award.
Follow the VMC on social media to see who wins the People's Choice Award!
MELB | OTM | ENGAGING | School holiday music program | 27 June-1 July 2022 | registrations now open
On Track is an exciting hands-on music program that gives students a rare opportunity to work with some of Australia’s leading music education artists and industry specialists.
The carefully curated 5 day program engages students through a series of creative workshops. Students will learn the skill of storytelling through writing song lyrics, beat making and film clip production.
Students don’t need any song writing or musical experience – just a passion for music and an eagerness to learn and express themselves.
- Where: Melton Indoor Recreation Centre.
- Register
CCV | HEARING | Your say: share your experience of cancer during the COVID-19 pandemic | survey submissions close 23 June 2022
Were you treated for or diagnosed with cancer during the pandemic? Or did you care for someone with cancer during the pandemic?
A new survey from the Cancer Council Victoria (CCV) seeks to understand how COVID-19 affected cancer patients, their loved ones, and their healthcare.
By drawing on people’s lived experience we can learn what worked well, what didn’t work well and make recommendations for improved cancer care for all Victorians.
VIC | GOV | ASSISTING | $250 power saving bonus | two weeks left
Eligible concession card holders have two weeks left to access the current Victorian Government Power Saving Bonus
Visit the Victorian Energy Compare site to find a better deal on your power, and you may be eligible to apply for the new bonus payment from 1 July 2022.
User data shows that seven out of 10 users can save money by switching energy offers, with typical annual savings of $330 in the first year of switching alone. Combined with the two Power Saving Bonuses, Victorian households could be up to $830 better off.
VIC | GOV | GRANTING | Promoting regional startups | expressions of interest close 21 July 2022
Expressions of interest are now open with grants of up to $300,000 on offer for programs that promote startup entrepreneurship to regional Victorians.
Local councils, business chambers and regionally based innovation hubs are encouraged to apply with the aim of creating more startup activity in regional communities.
The programs should champion regional innovation, consider the challenges and opportunities that exist for regional startups and also look at ways to build and connect with local communities.
VIC | CCV | OFFERING | New bowel cancer screening for linguistically diverse people
Cancer Council Victoria (CCV) has developed new online resources in simple English to support linguistically diverse Victorians learn about bowel cancer screening.
The resources were developed to target people with low English language proficiency and people who speak English as a second language.
One of the resources is a 10-minute video, uploaded to the Cancer Council YouTube channel. You can watch the video now, to learn from experts about bowel cancer screening tests.
VIC | CSV | TRANSLATING | How to Report a crime - videos in 11 languages
Crime Stoppers Victoria (CSV) is proud to share a video on how to report a crime, now available in our 11 priority languages: Arabic, Simplified Chinese, Dinka, Farsi, Greek, Hindi, Italian, Punjabi, Somali, Spanish, and Vietnamese.
The How-To Report Videos have been developed through Ethnolink, a third-party multicultural translation service.
Crime Stoppers Victoria is committed to accessibility, and will continue to provide accessible safety advice and crime prevention tips to multicultural communities.
AUST | AGMC | HEARING | Your say: on end-of-life care for the multicultural LGBTQIA+ community | submissions open until Friday 15 July 2022
A survey delivered by the Australian GLBTIQ Multicultural Council (AGMC) and Palliative Care Victoria seeks to learn how they can improve their services to support clients, families, carers and communities during end-of-life care.
End-of-life care is a time and a service that creates extra anxiety and sadness for multicultural & multifaith (MCMF) LGBTQIA+ people. Many people feel existing services do not understand their needs, concerns, and how to support their various overlapping identities.
Multicultural and multifaith LGBTQIA+ people who are receiving or thinking about end of life care, as well as providers of care to these communities, are encouraged to complete the survey.
Coronavirus hotline
- Coronavirus hotline: 1800 675 398 (24 Hours).
- Interpreting service: If you need an interpreter, call TIS National on 131 450.
- Testing locations: Find a testing location near you.
- Triple Zero: Please keep Triple Zero (000) for emergencies only.
- Coronavirus in-language information
MORE:
Victorian Multicultural Commission (VMC)
Address: Level 3, 1 Macarthur Street, Melbourne VIC 3000
Tel: (03) 9651 5901
Email: contact@vmc.vic.gov.au