Perhaps the most significant aspect of our Circle is the established relationships we have with the families we support.
Lyn Kerkham writes about the long term-commitment of the Effective Living Centre Circle to supporting refugee families in settling into Adelaide.
The Effective Living Centre Circle of Friends (number 111) was set up in 2011 by members of the Uniting Church of Christ at Wayville who were visiting refugees at the Inverbrackie Detention Centre. In 2014, when Inverbrackie was closed, our Circle continued to visit and support families who had been released into the community.
Our Circle now provides social and financial support to about 50 families. As the families we support do not have extended family support in Adelaide, and many are single parent families, our members have stepped in during difficult situations – deaths in a family, separations, divorces, hospitalisations. Walking alongside the families in these times has allowed our relationships to deepen.
We run various social events through the year with the help of Young Mercy Links. These outings have allowed friendships to be extended and new connections made. In the past year a three-day ‘camp’ at Narnu Farm, two holidays in a house in Victor Harbor, and a day at Adelaide Zoo gave families and Circle members unforgettable experiences.
Our Circle runs various fundraising events to cover the financial support we provide. In past few years the majority of support has been to cover cost-of-living expenses (rent, utility bills and medical bills). Many of our families struggle with cost-of-living, especially if they are on Centrelink benefits or are unable to get regular employment. Finding employment is hindered for some by their overseas qualifications not being accepted in Australia, for others by their limited English skills, and sometimes they are severely disadvantaged by the never-ending struggle of short length visas. At the moment we are trying to source further funds to help families who have recently received permanent visas and want to move towards attaining citizenship. If you can help, make a donation to the Effective Living Centre here.
Perhaps the most significant aspect of our Circle is the established relationships we have with some of our families. We know them well enough to sometimes anticipate what they need when they are reluctant to ask. We endeavour to give them a sense that someone cares about them in spite of being so far from their home and their loved ones. Every one of our refugees deserves to feel that others care and are mindful of them and their often unspeakable worries.
And we celebrate. The young people in these families are accomplishing great things as school leaders, scholarship winners, university graduates, and fully qualified professionals in a number of fields. We are as proud of them as their families are.