Settlement Resources for Refugees South Australia
The following organisations provide services and support to Refugees in South Australia. For more information on what these services provide and how you can access them, click the link on each title. These include; Primary Health Services, Community and Settlement Support, Employment and Financial support, English Language courses and Education information, and more.
Sophia English Classes
These classes provide English tuition and practical life skills for refugee women and others not able to access alternative classes. Supportive environment with child-minding provided. Weekly during school terms, 10 am–12.30 pm. Free of charge.
Baptist Care SA Friendship Program
Baptist SA's Friendship Program gives you the opportunity to extend a warm, friendly welcome to someone from a refugee or asylum seeker background who is settling in Adelaide. Spend six hours a month sharing meals, practising English, learning about one another's culture – you decide when and where to meet and what you'll do.
Life Without Barriers Support Service
Life Without Barriers supports refugees and asylum seekers who are living in the Australian community, while their immigration status is resolved.
How can Life Without Barriers help you?
Managing money; Health and medical services; Getting to know your local community; Finding a job; Legal support; Links to other services; Learning English; Counselling; Understanding Australia; Housing; Schooling for children
If you are experiencing financial hardship and are seeking asylum, you can also contact Life Without Barriers. They can assist you to apply for support via the Status Resolution Support Services (SRSS).
Legal Services Commission of South Australia
Australian Refugee Association Services
'ARA’s vision is an Australia where all refugees have access to the full range of appropriate settlement services, where refugees have strong supportive communities of their own cultural backgrounds, where the general community is supportive of refugees and engaged with them. Our vision is an Australia where refugees are an integral part of a thriving, prosperous community.'
Client Services: First point of contact with ARA
Employment Services: Support with job searching, applications, training referrals
Migration Services : Visa Application Assistance
Youth Services: Support for young people with their education and employment pathways, as well as their safety, well-being and settlement in South Australia
Refugee Council of Australia
Provides information and fact-sheets about the law and settling in Australia, as well as service directories, and volunteer opportunities with the Refugee Council.
Red Cross Australia: Migration Hub
'Red Cross Hubs are migrant resource centers where you can come in to get on-the-spot help for a range of issues. The Hubs are a welcoming space where we can link you with the migration services you need, when you need it.
Regardless of how you arrived in Australia, or where you are at in your migration journey, Red Cross' Hubs can help.
Red Cross Hubs are located in every capital city across Australia. Contact your local Hub to find out more about how our staff and volunteers can help you.'
Sonder HealthCare
'At Sonder, we seek to assist each individual to live a better life by providing the highest quality care, health and support services.'
Edinburgh North is a free and confidential service where young people can access qualified youth mental health professionals. We offer supports for young people who are experiencing a tough time or are worried about drug and alcohol use, mental, physical or sexual well being. All of our services are free and there is no formal referral required.
Sonder Employment Solutions is a program aimed at migrants and refugees who receive income support payments and need support with finding employment.
Humanitarian Settlement Program (HSP) includes Specialised and Intensive Services (SIS) in partnership with AMES Australia. SIS is provided to eligible clients in Adelaide with intensive needs, who need help accessing appropriate services and may be impacted by multiple and complex barriers.
Examples of Intensive Needs
• Physical or Intellectual/ Psychiatric Disability
• Health needs that are severe, critical, long term and/or unmanaged
• Mental health issues that significantly impact daily life
• Homelessness or housing instability
• Domestic and family violence
• Child and youth welfare concerns
Refugee Support Service: Baptist Care SA
Support Program:
If you are a new arrival to Adelaide and would like to make an Australian friend this service can help you connect with your local community. Baptist Care SA also provides specific support for those who are waiting on resolving their status as well as help for unaccompanied minors.
STTARS: Survivors of Torture and Trauma Assistance and Rehabilitation Service
STTARS provides a number of programs that aim to ensure that the treatment of asylum seekers should be consistent with the human rights obligations under the UN Refugee Convention and other treaties, and reflect the fundamental humanitarian values that are broadly shared in our society. These programs include:
Counselling, Child and Youth Program, Mental Health Clinic, Education and Training, Community Reference Group and
Australian Refugees and New Arrivals Project (ARANAP)
St Vincent De Paul Society National Council of Australia: Migrant and Refugee Services
Free assistance is provided to migrants and refugees who have fled war, persecution and significant injustice.
Specific services include:
- housing and immigration information
- material assistance (food, clothing, basic furniture and payment of essential service bills)
- support for migrants released from detention
- advocacy, financial counselling and referrals to other support agencies
- education assistance
List of Primary Health Services for Refugees
Australian Health Practice Guide: Primary Care for people from Refugee backgrounds
University Scholarships for people seeking asylum and refugees on temporary visas
People seeking asylum and refugees on temporary protection visas are not eligible for programs and concessions designed to assist students with financing tertiary education, forcing them to pay expensive international student fees to attend TAFE, universities and other institutions.
Below are some links to scholarships from universities around Australia for those seeking asylum and refugees on temporary visas:
- Adelaide University (Adelaide Refugee & Humanitarian Postgraduate Coursework Scholarship, $2,500 and tuition fees)
- Adelaide University (Adelaide Refugee & Humanitarian Undergraduate Scholarship, $2,500 and tuition fees)
- Monash University (the Monash Asylum Seekers Scholarship, two scholarships of $3000 per year and tuition fees)
- University of Western Australia (the UWA Humanitarian Swans Scholarship, $3000 per year for tuition and stipend)
- University of Notre Dame (The Vice Chancellor's Humanitarian Scholarship, tuition fees for one year)
- Victoria University (John Byrne Scholarship for Refugees, $1000)
- University of Canberra (UC Foundation Refugee Scholarship, $2500)
Settlement Services International offer a more comprehensive list of scholarships for individual courses, as well as more information about access to training and education here