Communities InterConnect project

Our community in Hills Shire has a rapidly changing demography and residents have a wide diversity of backgrounds.

Did you know that 30% of the population is born overseas?

Out of this group, 21.8% comes from non English speaking backgrounds while only 8.2% comes from English speaking backgrounds

Do you remember your first day at school?

For most of us, it was pretty scary. Now imagine it again where no-one speaks your language and everything is different from what you know - that is an extremely daunting prospect, but represents what life is like in Australia for a newly arrived CALD family.

All of these newly arrived migrant families need a support system to be inclusive.

To address these needs, The 'Communities InterConnect Project' has just been launched by Baulkham Hills Holroyd Parramatta Migrant Resource Centre. The Interconnect Project aims to create an environment where every person will have equal opportunities to pursue their expectations, while respecting social norms and cultural diversity; to establish a balance between diversity and unity.

We are all diverse in some way and we should recognise and appreciate the diversity on both cultural and individual level. The project strives to make this happen by welcoming migrant families to the Hills, who are from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds (known as CALD) and help them connect with the wider community and culture.

It is our responsibility to make them feel welcome and like the school buddy system the Interconnect Project will have a mentoring program to support the newly arrived families and help them get connected to the wider community.

The project will address barriers face by newly arrived families such as social isolation and lack of understanding and knowledge of the Hills diverse community and services through connecting and providing information and referral for the services and help provide equal opportunities for all communities irrespective of their different cultural backgrounds.

The project will establish an interactive program to welcome, guide and support newly arrived CALD families in the Hills Shire.

These migrant families come from different parts of the Globe, Europe, Asia, Africa, Middle East etc. They bring with them a very rich culture and different languages.

The other important aspect of the project is to resource these families. They are skilled migrants and our community assets, we have to protect them.

The project will;

• Provide opportunities to enhance their skills relate these skills to Australian employment market
• Provide opportunities to improve their communication skills, English Language
• Connect them with Service providers
• Provide opportunities to understand the Australian Legal and Government systems
• Information and connecting them to relevant agencies such as Centrelink, Education, Health, Universities/TAFE
• Connect them with the Australian Heritage, History and the social norms
• Increase opportunities to participate equitably in the Hills and to understand the rights and responsibilities that we share as part of Australian society.
• Assist them with the Citizenship Test Project Implementation

'Communities InterConnect Project' is a three year project funded by NSW Department of Community Services through Western Sydney Area Assistance Scheme. For further information, please phone 9899 5163.