Community Migrant Resource Centre

Everyone deserves the chance to live in safety, dignity and peace and seeing refuge is a fundamental human right. Let’s stand together in supporting refugees and ensuring our communities are places of welcome and hope.

CMRC’s Goodwill Olympic Team brought home GOLD - by winning our hearts with their NEVER GIVE IN attitude. Every step of the way – they checked in with each other to offer encouraging words, a last drop of water or banana. Even when sweaters were flying around and bibs falling off, Narayan ran over to help his colleagues.
“It always seems impossible until it's done.”
“I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. “
“After climbing a great hill, one only finds that there are many more hills to climb.”
Nelson Mandela

Smashed it!!

Only one more sleep to go! Huge cheers for CMRC’s Goodwill Olympic Team at City 2 Surf to Bondi! Go Team- you make us so proud!

Diana and Rima will be flying the CMRC Flag and creating connections as GOODWILL Ambassadors for our organization and the many refugee families that they support tirelessly day in and day out.

CMRC supports National Homelessness Week with Parramatta Mission and MP Donna Davis today. Many refugees and migrants are couch surfing and unable to secure a roof over their head. CMRC team members – Narayan, Adeeb and Parastoo- joined a coalition of housing services fighting to address this crisis. Thanks CMRC team for your unwavering commitment.

CMRC’s Goodwill Olympic Team is all set for their very first City 2 Surf run on 11 August, on the same day as the Olympic Games concludes in Paris.
Housing Officer Narayan and Youth Services Worker Adeeb share their thoughts on fundraising, Olympic values and the homelands they were forced to leave.

“I have never heard of the City 2 Surf. In Syria, my older brother and I wanted to see if we could beat my father’s record for a 20km walk from Aleppo to a village in the countryside. We only had one headset to share and we had to entertain ourselves somehow. But we did it. Now I will be walking possibly 14 km to Bondi, “says Adeeb.

Narayan has walked many miles in Sydney and shares the pride of his home country Bhutan fielding 6x athletes at the Olympic Games. “ Our national sport is archery and we hope for a good result. “

With mental health facing many refugee arrivals that Narayan and Adeeb support, where do non-sports people find their identity and safe space? “ The Olympics actually started as theatre. Sports only came later. Only art lets people jump in, pretend, say things without judgement and then return to real life. It is essential in our lives. Everyone has skills, on and off the sports field, “ shared Adeeb.

Narayan supports many refugee women with accommodation through NSW’s housing crisis. Women displaced due to conflict and division overseas. “ We hope that the Olympics is a platform for peace, that it would unite countries and build bridges.”

Let’s wish Narayan and Adeeb all the best as they train together and consider their fundraisers to support refugee youth with school uniforms. GO FOR GOLD – NARAYAN & ADEEB and all of CMRC’s Goodwill Olympic Team : Diana, Janki, Farzana, Parastoo, Conscila, Aurelia and Rima.

Community Migrant Resource Centre is a proud supporter of Pakistan Mango and Cultural Event. The event is organised by Pakistan High Commission Australia and Pakistan Consulate General Sydney. A vibrant celebration of Pakistan’s rich cultural heritage, exciting activities, diverse stalls showcasing cultural food, beautiful jewellery, traditional clothing, business and community services and of course delicious Pakistani mangoes!

CMRC Northern Region along with other community organisations and community representatives welcomed Ryde Police Area Command’s new Commander last week. It was a great opportunity to discuss important topics concerning community safety, crime prevention, and fostering stronger relationships between our community and law enforcement.

Last week representatives from local community organisations were given the opportunity to meet the new Commander of Ryde Police Area Command.

We look forward to continuing the strong partnerships between police and the organisations which service the area.

New Health Advice introduced by NSW Health !

New Trusted medical health advice in NSW ! Call this number if you need advice

About

Urgent Care Services have been introduced in New South Wales (NSW) to help reduce pressure on emergency departments.

These services give people the treatment they need quickly for an illness or injury that is not an emergency, without waiting in a busy emergency department.

Many of these services have medical practitioners and diagnostic equipment including ​x-ray, pathology, and can therefore treat a variety of conditions.​

Some examples of illnesses or injuries that are not usually considered an emergency include:

minor cuts
sprains or suspected fractures
sports injuries
​minor infections
​urinary tract infections (UTIs)​
minor burns
rashes
insect or animal bites
cough, cold or flu
mild asthma attacks
earaches
fevers or chills.
Eligibility

You may be eligible to access an Urgent Care Service if you are:

a resident living in a community located in NSW or near its border​
experiencing an acute injury or illness that is not an emergency
needing medical treatment in the next 2 to 12 hours; and
unable to get an appointment with your own General Practitioner (GP) or at nearby medical centres.
How to access

Please call healthdirect on 1800 022 222 for free at anytime (24 hours a day, 7 days a week).​

A registered nurse (RN) will answer your call and ask you some questions about your condition.

Depending on the assessment made by the RN, you may be referred to an Urgent Care Service.

If you are referred to an Urgent Care Service, the RN will provide you the details to access the service.

Depending on your condition, the RN may recommend an alternative treatment option for you.

Do you need additional support?

Call the Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS) on 131 450 for language support.
Hearing loss icon Contact the National Relay Service​​​ for hearing or speech support.
Fees and charges

If you have been referred to an Urgent Care Service, there will be no cost associated with your treatment if you:

have a valid Medicare card; or
are a community-based asylum seeker.
If neither applies to you, please be aware that you may be offered care at a different service and there may be a cost associated with your treatment. ​

Should you have any financial concerns, healthdirect can provide you with the most suitable treatment option for your circumstances.

Locations

Urgent Care Services are located in:

Metropolitan Sydney
Illawarra
Central Coast
Hunter Valley
New England
Mid North Coast
Northern NSW
Southern NSW
Western NSW
Urgent Care Services are also available via telehealth if you are outside these areas, or if the RN at healthdirect decides it is a more appropriate treatment option for you.

Opening hours

Urgent Care Services operate from 8:00am to 8:00pm daily, including public holidays. Alternatively, telehealth is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Community Migrant Resource Centre in partnership with Relationships Australia NSW delivered a talk at a local public school in the northern region. The presentation focused on the cultural differences between Australia, India, and Pakistan, particularly in educational contexts. It was wonderful to see the school and community embracing these cultural insights to better support and serve children from diverse backgrounds. Thank you Shikha Arora for presenting on behalf of the CMRC!
Farzana Farzana

From today, coercive control will be a crime punishable by up to seven years in prison.

It’ll cover any violent, intimidating or manipulative behaviours that take away another person’s freedom in a relationship.

97% of intimate partner domestic violence homicides were preceded by coercive control in some form.

I can’t tell you how crucial it is to catch this behaviour before the worst happens.

Laws like this will help do just that.

CMRC care delighted to partner with Landcom & The Hills Shire Dr Peter Gangemi - Mayor of The Hills Shire Council at a Harmony Event in Bellavista. We thank the organising staff , Hills Council Mayor , CMRC staff and Landcom.
Aurelia Rahman Upala Suntankar & Mansi Khanna Bhatia , Dr Peter Gangemi & CEO Melissa Monteiro

The Griffith Multicultural Council has tirelessly supported their multicultural communities over the years. They initiated an annual Multicultural Day event, which now draws large crowds from across the Riverina Region. Recently, they now are introducing a Multicultural Parade day to take place a week before the annual Multicultural Day event.

CMRC proudly supports the Griffith Multicultural Council's new Multicultural Market initiative, held monthly to help local small businesses thrive. At the recent market day, CMRC Business Services Manager Raj Raman and a Multicultural Business Advisor supported participating small businesses.

It is gratifying to see CMRC's role in integrating regional multicultural communities into the mainstream by assisting them with small business registration and support needs.

People familiar with Regional Australia will have noticed the recent rise of Leeton, NSW. This progress is largely due to the dedicated efforts of Leeton's mainstream leaders and Leeton council, who tirelessly promote multiculturalism in the region. The local leaders in Leeton know every member of their multicultural community settled in Leeton by name.

CMRC is proud to collaborate with the Leeton Multicultural Council, supporting locals in starting small businesses and fostering the growth of their multicultural communities. Raj Raman, Business Services Manager, and along with Multicultural Advisor in the recent Regional Small Business - Business Connect Workshop event in Leeton.

From Regional Temora to Wagga Wagga

When CMRC Business Services Manager Raj Raman met Felix at the Temora Multicultural event a couple of months ago, the Zimbabwean community was largely unaware of some services available to them from the NSW State government. Felix and his community team were in Temora for a cultural exchange program at the event.

Since then, CMRC has met with Zimbabwean community leaders in Wagga Wagga, who take initiatives and support their communities across the whole Riverina region. Over the coming months, CMRC will work closely with this community through its Business Services program to help the African community in the region thrive and grow.

Regional Australia needs all the support it can get to sustain and thrive. CMRC is expanding its regional coverage and collaborating with regional stakeholders in Wagga Wagga to support multicultural small businesses in the area. CMRC Business Services Program Manager Raj Raman along with CMRC Business Multicultural Advisor in the Riverina Region.

Global EmpowerHER
Uniting for Empowerment and Equality
Celebrating and Supporting Women’s Empowerment across borders event held at NSW Parliament House .

CMRC & IWE thank Renu Bhatia , Chairperson of the Haryana State Womens Commission for this partnership. We look forward to working closely with each other for better outcomes for Indian Women in Australia & overseas in India.

Thank you to Minister of State for Transport and Women & Child Development
Department (Independent Charge), Government of Haryana, Chandigarh for these wishes & collaboration.

Our gratitude to Chairperson Renu Bhatia & Indian Government for this opportunity to work together.
Thank you to Andrew Charlton MP

Andrew Charlton Federal Member for Parramatta
Hon Barry O Farrel , AO , Former Premier of NSW,
BK Anand, Representing Consul General of India in Sydney,
Julia Booth, Honorary Consul General Consulate of the Kingdom of Bhutan in Sydney
Donna Davis, MP Parramatta
Scott Farlow MLC
Mark Hodges MP
Tim Thomas
Sup Karen Cook NSW POLICE Joseph La Posta CEO MNSW Sonia Gandhi – CEO
Clr Emelda Davis City of Sydney
Clr Reena Jethi Hills Shire
Rahul Jethi – AIBTF
Andrew Kensy from Home Affairs
& Dr Astrid Perry SSI
Our chief Guest for this evening was Renu Bhatia , Chairperson of the Haryana State Women’s Commission.

Happy World Refugee Day!

This Refugee Week we’re the Celebrating Resilience and Diversity of our communities.

This special week is dedicated to celebrating the incredible strength, resilience, and contributions of refugees in our community.

At the Community Migrant Resource Centre, we believe in the power of diversity to enrich our multicultural communities. Refugee Week is a time to recognize the challenges faced by refugees and to appreciate the unique perspectives and skills they bring.

Last Friday, we held our Champions for Change Roundtable.

A huge thank you to our inspiring speakers, Adama Kamara from and Om Dhungel, and to Gunjan Pagare for hosting us at the Commonwealth Bank venue in Sydney CBD. The theme, "Bridging Cultural Divides: Communicating and Understanding," sparked incredible discussions, inspired change and assisted in building deeper connections.

All of our champions made a commitment to drive change within their roles, communities and daily lives and we are eager to journey with them.

CMRC Hills plays a pivotal role in raising awareness in our community, and we're delighted to share with you our Taste of Diversity event in partnership with Landcom, Sydney Metro Northwest place and Hills Multicultural Network.

We look forward to seeing you and your teams attending and supporting us.

Just a few more days left to grab your tickets to our empowering event on 21 June 2024! This event is a celebration of women's empowerment, co-hosted by IWE (Indian Women Empower) and the Women's State Commission from Haryana, India, with support from the Community Migrant Resource Centre (CMRC). We hope to see you there!

Grab your tickets here https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/global-empowerher-uniting-for-empowerment-and-equality-tickets-880515604877

Coercive control is when someone repeatedly hurts, scares, or isolates another person to control them.

It’s domestic abuse and it causes serious harm.

From 1 July 2024, there are new laws in NSW about coercive control.

Learn more at nsw.gov.au/coercive-control

If you, or someone you know, is experiencing coercive control, there’s help available. Contact NSW Department of Communities and Justice, 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732 or visit 1800respect.org.au.

This event is a powerful celebration of women's empowerment, co-hosted by IWE (Indian Women Empower) and the Women's State Commission from Haryana, India, with support from the Community Migrant Resource Centre (CMRC).

We're bringing together some of the most inspiring voices in the fight for gender equality, featuring keynotes, panel discussions, and success stories from empowered women. It’s an evening you won't want to miss! Julia Finn MP Andrew Charlton MP Melissa Monteiro Astrid Perry Joseph La Posta

Grab your tickets here https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/global-empowerher-uniting-for-empowerment-and-equality-tickets-880515604877?aff=oddtdtcreator

Dr Olayide Ogunsiji, CMRC Chair & Associate Professor at Western Sydney University is with Keith Hamilton , Deputy Chair at the ZEST Awards in Sydney, Keith Hamilton Olayide Ogunsiji

Delighted to speak at the ATCC “Encouraging Women in Business & Entrepreneurship” event by the Australian Tamil Chambers of Commerce.

Fabulous topics including- Balancing work & life, self care & mental wellbeing, motivation to start own business, Overcoming challenges faced by women , strategies to build own personal brand , Benefits/ services offered by Government CMRC,
Communication skills , addressing gender bias & stereotypes in business , Networking skills & building a supportive network of mentors & peers, motivation to start own business , Marketing , leveraging technology & innovation for business growth , motivation to start own business.

Poornima Menon Anton Fernando Raj Raman Community Migrant Resource Centre Vithya Thavapalan , Juliana Jamal