“Be the change you want to see in the world.” Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi
There are many different kinds of actions that you can take to help asylum seekers and refugees.
Support Jesuit Refugee Service
Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) Australia accompanies, serves and advocates for refugees and people seeking asylum and other forcibly displaced people in our own country.
With few staff and with funding always being tight, JRS always welcomes volunteers and you can also help through fundraising.
Given its mission, you may see an opportunity to provide pro bono support such as legal support.
Work with other refugee support organizations
Another organisation you may want to work with is the House of Welcome in Granville, run by St Francis Social Services.
The University of Sydney runs a Refugee Language Program which helps refugees learn English and build social networks in the Australian community. You can volunteer to join their team.
Shift attitudes and raise awareness
Nangami held a Table Talk to generate a conversation in the parish. If you have not already joined the Nangami group, please contact us to join.
As an individual, you can change the narrative, addressing schools, community groups and acting as an ambassador.
Offer welcome and friendship
Refugees Welcome Australia connects people who have a spare room in their house to refugees who need accommodation.
Share a meal with newcomers to Australia through the Welcome Dinner Project.
Join campaigns
Check the News and Events pages of this site for information on various campaigns that are being run in areas of Peace and Justice.
Join the community sponsorship program
Community Refugee Sponsorship Australia is running a pilot program to help local groups to welcome and support refugee families.
And finally…
Perhaps you can form a cricket team of asylum seekers to build for the future of Australian cricket?
A volunteer with the Blue Mountains Refugee Support Group founded a cricket team Ocean 12, composed of asylum seekers from Sri Lanka, and the team has won Australian competitions in T20 cricket.
In 2018 the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees reported that a French team (c’est vrai, une équipe de cricket française ) which includes refugees and asylum seekers, had won an international cricket championship.