By CAMERON LUCADOU-WELLS
VOLUNTEERS are regarded as the lifeblood for “turning disadvantage into advantage” at the Asylum Seeker’s Resource Centre.
The centre had grown out of “talk in a pub”, and is supported by an annual $3.6 million of philanthropy without a scrap of federal funding.
It officially opened its Dandenong office on Human Rights Day last Tuesday, three months after opening the office’s doors.
In that time, it has provided 181 new arrivals with job-training services and English language classes.
The office runs on the good-will of a battalion of 28 volunteers – described by ASRC empowerment director Gavin Ackerly as “the coal-face of the community”.
“Without them the world would be a darker place,” Mr Ackerly said.
One of the volunteers Suralini works as an employment adviser, helping up to five asylum seekers to get “job ready”. She trained as a commercial lawyer but wanted to do “something more in line with my values”.
“I believe asylum seekers have the right to asylum. I want to be involved in the solution.”
She speaks highly of her clients’ resilience.
“Just starting life in a country without the language is a first act of courage.”
Many people at ASRC speak highly of Ali, an ever-smiling translator-IT whiz-administrator who is ever-ready to help from the front-of-house.
He speaks Hazaragi, Urdu, Farsi and Persian, a handy skill for helping clients fill in their forms and settle into the centre.
Ali is a trained computer programmer hoping to find paid work. He can well relate to asylum seekers’ desperate plight.
“A lot of people come here and look lost. They don’t have the language. I can predict their problems, what they’re going through.
“If I can help them a little bit, that’s good.”
At the opening, Greater Dandenong mayor Jim Memeti said the ASRC was targeting two major hindrances for asylum seekers finding work – limited English language skills and a lack of access to employment services.
This targeted job-seeking help was a first for the region’s asylum seekers. So far, three clients on the program have found work.
Mr Ackerly finds inspiration from asylum seekers as “the people who lead me”.
“They are the people who go out to find a job on the back of a 10-week English language course.
“These people know real challenges, real difficulties yet front up every day.
“They have a smile on their face and knuckle down and try to make the world a better place,” Mr Ackerly said.
“If they can maintain that in the face of this, then we have no excuse”.
ASRC chief executive Kon Karapanagiotidis said it was possibly the worst of times for asylum seekers in the past 30 years.
Still he is inspired by asylum seekers for their resilience, entrepreneurship and willingness to “risk everything” to save themselves and their families.
“They are the true heroes of the ASRC and the community.” He said.
Many were settling in Dandenong – a “home of hope”, thriving with multiculturalism and community spirit.
“That’s the story we never get told.
“We get told our way of life is being threatened… whose way of life?
“The 47 per cent born overseas?
“Our way of life is this diversity in our community. Our multiculturalism is what makes us the most liveable country in the world.”
