Our Geelong Settle Well team have been busy at work with a range of events held over the past few months!
The Geelong Settle Well program is a school-based service providing counselling, employment and education help, opportunities for community participation, and other essential supports to help refugees mums and young people settle well in their new community.
Geelong Settle Well is proudly supported by AccessEAP, the Geelong Community Foundation, and the Give Where You Live Foundation.
With Refugee Week just around the corner, we’ve spoken to Education Support Worker, Chrimoo – who spent 18 years living in a Thai refugee camp and now works at North Geelong Secondary College, supporting mums and students in our Settle Well program.
We’ve also got some lovely photos to share from recent events our Settle Well participants have been involved in!
Chrimoo’s story
In 1991 at the age of nine, Chrimoo fled Burma with her mother and younger sister in search of safety.
They travelled one week to reach the Thai-Burma border, where they arrived at a Thai refugee camp and were reunited with Chrimoo’s father.
We’re so grateful to Chrimoo for sharing her story and her hopes and dreams with us! Listen to Chrimoo’s story above.
Leadership and Public Speaking workshops for young people
Pictured: Students from North Geelong Secondary College and Northern Bay College in Geelong participating in Settle Well workshops, with CatholicCare Victoria and school staff.
Throughout the month of April, our Geelong Settle Well team organised multiple training workshops for CALD (culturally and linguistically diverse) students from North Geelong Secondary College and Northern Bay College in Geelong.
Students put their leadership and public speaking skills to work in these interactive workshops!
Our Geelong Settle Well program empowers CALD students to become more engaged in their education and extracurricular activities, and to take control of their future.
Welcome to Geelong event
Pictured: Settle Well families and CatholicCare Victoria staff at the Welcome to Geelong event.
On Sunday 15 May, our Geelong Settle Well families attended the Welcome to Geelong event for local multicultural communities.
Participants had a go at a range of fun activities including handballing and kicking footballs. This was a great opportunity for CALD families to have an exciting day out together!
We thank AFL Victoria and Geelong Cats for hosting this event and for inviting our Settle Well families to come along.
Mindfulness and Art at The You Yangs Regional Park
Pictured: Settle Well CALD Women’s Group doing yoga (left) and making an art mandala out of twigs and leaves (right).
On Wednesday 25 May, our Geelong CALD Women’s Group (part of our Settle Well program) visited The You Youngs Regional Park for a session on mindfulness and art in the bush!
The women participated in meditation and yoga, and went on a mindful walk collecting twigs and fallen leaves to create a beautiful art mandala.
We thank Drummond Street Services for supporting this session.
Visit to the Geelong Food Relief Centre
Pictured: Settle Well CALD Women’s Group and CatholicCare Victoria staff at the Geelong Food Relief Centre mini-mart.
Yesterday on Wednesday 15 June, 19 mums from our CALD Women’s Group visited the Geelong Food Relief Centre (GFRC) to use food vouchers at GFRC’s mini-mart.
Our CALD Settle Well families would like to thank Narelle from the Salvation Army Doorways program for providing food vouchers to 10 mums.
And a special thanks to Annie from our Emergency Relief program for organising Coles food vouchers and Kmart gift cards for all mums who attended the GFRC mini-mart!
Want to learn more about our Geelong Settle Well program?
Visit our webpage below!
Geelong Settle Well
Liz Gellel | Marketing Coordinator – Digital Lead