AMES Australia is pleased to announce it has been appointed to provide the Commonwealth Government’s Humanitarian Settlement Program (HSP) in Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania.

The contracts were awarded to AMES Australia and its partner organisations across Australia after a competitive tender process conducted by the Department of Social Services. They are effective from October 30, 2017.

AMES Australia has long and extensive experience in providing support to people newly arrived to Australia, including refugees, migrants and asylum seekers. For many years it has delivered similar programs in Victoria and elsewhere.

AMES Australia Chief Operating Officer Dr Belinda McLennan said the organisation looked forward to continuing its work supporting the settlement of refugees new to Australia.

She said AMES Australia would be working collaboratively with the Migrant Resource Centre Southern Tasmania to provide services to refugees across Tasmania.

Dr McLennan said AMES Australia would be consulting widely with state and local governments as well as with community groups in South Australia to maximise its capacity to make a contribution to the state’s proud history of refugee settlement, social cohesion and multiculturalism.

“We plan to work collaboratively with government and community groups and agencies in Victoria, Tasmania and South Australia as we continue the important work of ensuring the best settlement outcomes for our clients,” Dr McLennan said.

“Our priority and focus will be to support our clients to find work or business opportunities, to pursue education or training pathways and to build connections into the broader community,” she said.

“We will be using our well-established and tested strengths-based practices to work with refugees to build their new lives in Australia.

“From experience, we know that with the right support, refugees can make extraordinary contributions and become outstanding members of society,” Dr McLennan said.

The Humanitarian Settlement Program provides a range of support services for vulnerable people forced to flee their homes and who have been accepted by Australia as humanitarian visa entrants.

For interviews, images and more information please contact AMES Media Manager, Laurie Nowell at nowelll@ames.net.au or 9938 4031 or 0498 196 500.