By CAM LUCADOU-WELLS
DANDENONG Neighbourhood House has stretched itself across 15 off-site campuses to help keep a large band of asylum seekers active.
Its humble house-sized quarters in King Street has been stretched beyond capacity by a five-day-a-week program of English, computing, cooking, woodwork, gardening and volunteering lessons.
Manager Robyn Coslovich estimates that between 100 and 150 asylum seekers and refugees visit the neighbourhood house each week.
Its weekly client total is up to 450.
As its numbers have swelled, it has moved classes out to satellite venues such as Cornerstone Contact Centre in Dandenong.
“Because of those different sites, that’s creating an issue of managing what’s going on at each one.
“However, I don’t want to lose that community connection. We’ve had a lot of success going out to where people are.”
Ms Coslovich wants corporate sponsors to support the hive of programs with funding or volunteering staff for tuition.
“The thing we’re stretched in is with funding. The hard thing is you start a program and don’t have the funding to keep it going.
“The demand has become really high, which is a really good thing. We are always looking to put on new programs.”
She said it was important to offer engaging activities to help otherwise idle asylum seekers thwart depression and self-harming.
“Even the threat of being sent back home is horrifying to them.
“A lot of men are too proud to speak about what they’re going through.
“It’s like secret men’s business.
“But they will share with other men at our woodwork shed – it gives them an outlet.”
One of its latest options is to run sessions at a premises leased by Friends of Refugees in Leslie Street, Dandenong.
It is hoped that the site will be a hub of activity for up to 150 asylum seekers and refugees a day and that it will host homework tuition, English classes, men’s workshop and women’s craft groups.
Friends of Refugees member Sri Samy said, depending on funding, it would be a place for asylum seekers to socialise and to upskill to help land jobs such as child care, textiles, mechanics and forklift driving.
“We’re desperately trying to get tutors on-board and co-ordinators on board to run the show.
“We hope to get federal funding for asylum seekers to keep them engaged in meaningful activities.
“There’s not many activities for them to upskill, to make them job-ready if they have work rights.”
