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'Bringing Us Together' Project

Community_Building

“If you want to succeed in the world you must make your own opportunities as you go on. The man who waits for some seventh wave to toss him on dry land will find that the seventh wave is a long time a coming. You can commit no greater folly than to sit by the roadside until someone comes along and invites you to ride with him to wealth or influence.”

John B. Gough

‘Bringing Us Together’ is an exciting new project which endeavours to create an inclusive and more supportive community in the Warringah Local Government Area by building bridges between the local Australian community and Chinese and Indonesian communities.

The ’ Bringing Us Together’ project will build a stronger, more self-reliant and well-connected community by providing the means to link those of Indonesian and Chinese backgrounds with the broader community.

The aim of this project is to build a more resilient community by developing stronger links between community members and to give a sense of belonging to various groups by encouraging a diversity of ideas and opinions whilst ensuring that alternative views are respected. The project will give Chinese and Indonesian community members an opportunity to be involved in areas of community life and decision making.

Participants will learn to access and use a variety of resources whenever the need arises and to respond or adapt to change. They will be encouraged to develop trust in other groups and in the institutions of the general community.

Selected “Mentors” from the Warringah local community will provide connections for Chinese and Indonesian participants to gain information and familiarity with the local community. Some of the services ‘Bringing Us Together’ is expected to provide are:

Free English classes (with child care facility)
Introduction to services available in the Northern Beaches area
Workshops to inform and teach participants tools and skills which will be helpful to find jobs, suitable accommodation , child care, setting up a business, etc.
Meetings with Federal, State and Local members of Government.
Taking part in cultural events, festivals and various activities.
Meeting for morning tea with a speaker from health care services (or any other area of interest) who will present and discuss information participants are likely to need.
Mentors from the Australian local business community who will guide participants to establish ties within the Warringah business area.
Field trips to various community institutions, such as art galleries, historical buildings etc. to increase knowledge about Australian history and the arts.

My name is Guven and I am the Co-ordinator in charge of the ‘Bringing Us Together’ project. When I was asked to be involved, my mind was cast back to my early days as a new migrant in Australia. Immigrants face many challenges in a new country. Language is of course at the top of the list followed by a multitude of everyday problems made more difficult as information is often hard to obtain. Knowledge empowers the individual and enriches the community as a whole. Renting a house or a flat, buying a car, looking for employment and knowing your rights as an employee are some of the challenges that need to be faced. We expect that involvement in our ‘Bringing us Together’ project will not only help newcomers but also immigrants who may have been here for some time who have not as yet connected with the wider community. We will also strive to include a sense of fun and entertainment for participanst . We will organise outings such as fishing, sailing, barbecues, visiting museums and art galleries etc. Our English classes will be tailored to relevant everyday situations for maximum benefit to everyone.

Bringing Us Together Project - Warringah Community Resources Click Here