Safe Harbor pop-up installation in Whitmore Square

The Safe Habor project held a pop-up installation in Whitmore Square on Saturday. It was a busy day for the organisers with public engagement from the moment they set up. It was heartening to meet people who had came from Goolwa, Port Willunga and the Hills as well as from suburbs all around Adelaide. People were asked to sign a …

Safe Harbour Project: End offshore dentention

Safe Harbour A small group of Adelaide-based activists have devised a project aimed at persuading the government (whether it be the current Coalition, or, after the next Federal election, the ALP) to close the Manus Island and Nauru concentration camps and finally, finally, begin to treat all refugees and asylum seekers in the “care” of the Commonwealth with humanity and …

Ongoing collaboration with Adelaide University

A few years ago, Adelaide University commenced a program awarding scholarships to refugees to complete degree courses. Many have experienced great financial difficulties when their Centrelink payments were removed. Circle of Friends Australia was aware of this happening and drew it to the attention of the University. Since then a partnership has grown where we are working with the university …

Collaboration with Adelaide University

This is an exciting partnership with Adelaide University in assisting the refugee scholarship holders having difficulties in meeting living expenses once their Centrelink Student Allowances have been cut off. The University group of staff has asked whether COFA can also assist meeting accommodation needs as well. The COFA Committee met last Friday and discussed policy and administration requirements to present …

Scholarships aimed at supporting tertiary education leads to Centrelink Student Allowances being stopped

This year, Adelaide University provided 40 scholarships to Refugees and Disadvantaged People which provided all tuition fees and an annual stipend of $5,000. Once scholarship holders received the stipend, Centrelink ceased payment of Student Allowances. This put them under undue pressure to earn to survive and COFA has been supporting a refugee with his living expenses. COFA alerted the University …