Australia wide
Australian Government Department of Home Affairs
This Australian Government Department is responsible for visas, immigration and refugees. It runs the following programs to help people settle in Australia:
- Community Support Program (CSP) – this program helps people in humanitarian need find employment.
- Adult Migrant English Program (AMEP) – this program offers free English classes for eligible migrants and humanitarian entrants.
Federation of Ethnic Communities’ Councils of Australia (FECCA)
FECCA is the national peak body representing Australians from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds. The website has resources and publications on multicultural issues.
Health Translations
Health practitioners who work with CALD communities can use this directory to find reliable translated health information. It’s a Victorian Government initiative, but the health information is relevant to all Australians.
National Ethnic Disability Alliance (NEDA)
NEDA advocates for the rights and interests of people with disability from CALD backgrounds. NEDA also supports the families and carers of these people.
Refugee Council of Australia – Service directories for refugees and people seeking asylum
Search your state or territory in this directory to find services for refugees and people seeking asylum. You can get help with money, employment, housing and legal advice.
Services Australia – Information in your language
This Australian Government Department provides information about its payments and services in a range of languages. The website has multilingual publications and information about the interpreting and translating services. The Centrelink Multilingual Call telephone number is 131 202.
Services Australia – Refugee Servicing Network
The Refugee Servicing Network helps newly arrived refugees, humanitarian entrants, or people with Permanent Protection visas to find and use translators, government payments and health care.
Migrant resource centres are community-based organisations that provide settlement services for migrants and refugees. Try an internet search to find one near you.
Australian Capital Territory
Migrant and Refugee Settlement Services of the ACT
This organisation provides settlement and related services for migrants, refugees, humanitarian entrants and asylum seekers in the Australian Capital Territory.
Multicultural Hub Canberra
Multicultural Hub helps migrants, refugees and asylum seekers to find services, resources, jobs and accommodation in the Australian Capital Territory. The Hub offers counselling services and can also help people make social connections.
New South Wales
Multicultural NSW
This state government agency promotes cultural diversity in New South Wales. As well as interpreting and translating services, it provides grants for multicultural initiatives and holds annual events that promote social cohesion and inclusion.
NSW Multicultural Health Communication Service
This service is funded by NSW Health. It helps health workers to communicate with non-English speaking people. The website has health information translated into a large selection of languages other than English.
Settlement Services International
This community organisation helps refugees, asylum seekers and migrants find employment and settle in Australia.
Northern Territory
Northern Territory Government – Office of Multicultural Affairs
The Office of Multicultural Affairs promotes cultural and linguistic diversity in the Northern Territory by sponsoring grants and awards programs and providing community information. Its website has religious factsheets and community profiles relevant to the Northern Territory, as well as links to multicultural organisations.
Multicultural Council of the Northern Territory
This organisation represents people from CALD backgrounds in the Northern Territory. It runs programs and classes in Darwin and supports newly arrived migrants and refugees.
Queensland
Queensland Department of Communities – Multicultural Resource Directory
This is a Queensland Government directory that lists more than 1500 organisations with an ethnic community focus in Queensland. These include ethnic media outlets, schools, community groups, consuls and migrant service organisations.
Refugee Health Network Queensland
The Refugee Health Network Queensland provides information about refugee health in Queensland, including referral points, services, clinical guidelines, mental health, asylum seekers, training opportunities and translated health information.
Refugee and Immigration Legal Service
This not-for-profit organisation provides free immigration advice, legal assistance and legal education to immigrants, refugees and asylum seekers in Queensland.
South Australia
Move to South Australia – Settlement Support Services
This website from the Government of South Australia has information to help people migrate to South Australia. It has information about visa options, state nomination, skilled occupation lists and support services.
Multicultural Communities Council of SA
This is a non-government organisation advocating for CALD communities in South Australia.
SA Department of the Premier and Cabinet – Multicultural affairs
This government department develops policy on multicultural affairs and promotes cultural diversity in South Australia. The website has information about grants for multicultural organisations.
Tasmania
Migrant Resource Centre Tasmania
The Migrant Resource Centre helps migrants and refugees to settle in Tasmania. It provides services that help people find jobs and accommodation and connect to their local communities.
Multicultural Access Point
This Tasmanian Government website has information for migrants and former humanitarian entrants in Tasmania. Find out about interpreting services, housing and accommodation, health, community services and groups, education, money management, transport and settlement support.
Multicultural Council of Tasmania
This organisation advocates for CALD communities in Tasmania.
Victoria
Action on Disability within Ethnic Communities (ADEC)
ADEC is a Victorian organisation that helps people with disability from CALD backgrounds to be independent and participate in their communities.
AMES Australia
AMES offers education and training in English and other skills to help migrants prepare for further education or work.
Asylum Seeker Resource Centre (ASRC)
ASRC provides food, health care, education, legal advice and other support services to people seeking asylum in Victoria.
Centre for Multicultural Youth
This is a not-for-profit organisation that works with young people from diverse cultural backgrounds in Victoria. It provides support services and runs programs to help young people find work and succeed.
Victorian Government – About Multicultural Affairs
The Victorian Government’s Multicultural Affairs unit promotes diversity and inclusion in Victoria. It consults with community organisations, offers grants to Victoria’s multicultural and multifaith communities, and works on improving language services to Victorians.
Victoria Legal Aid – Help in your language
Victoria Legal Aid helps people with legal problems. You can find information about what they do in a range of languages on their website. They also arrange interpreters and give information about the law in languages other than English over the phone.
Western Australia
Ishar Multicultural Women’s Health Service
Ishar provides counselling and health checks and runs classes and support groups for vulnerable women and families from refugee and migrant backgrounds in Perth’s northern suburbs.
WA Office of Multicultural Interests
The Office of Multicultural Interests promotes multiculturalism and improves services to Western Australians from diverse cultural, linguistic and religious backgrounds.
Find raisingchildren.net.au articles, picture guides and videos translated into Languages other than English.