Settlement Services International

Statement of Support for ECCV’s All One Together campaign

Settlement Services International is a community organisation and social business that supports newcomers and other Australians to achieve their full potential. We work with all people who have experienced vulnerability, including refugees, people seeking asylum, people with disability, culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, and LGBTIQA+ communities to build capacity and enable them to overcome inequality – including that produced by racism.

SSI draws on its expertise and experience to advocate for the people and communities it serves. Through the work we do, we empower people to change their lives. Through our advocacy and representation, we
influence ideas and policy. 

We understand that racism is not just an individual issue. It is embedded in our societal systems and institutions which means that people from certain backgrounds face greater disadvantage and discrimination than others, because of their race.

We are concerned that in the recently released Racism at Work report by Diversity Council Australia (DCA) that while 88 per cent of surveyed respondents agreed racism was an issue in Australian organisations and
93% agreed organisations needed to take action, only 27% said their organisations were proactively preventing workplace racism.

Worryingly the DCA report found that First Nations people experience the highest rates of workplace discrimination and harassment of any demographic group. Fifty per cent of First Nations people surveyed said they had personally experienced at least one incident of workplace harassment or discrimination in the past 12 months.

Therefore, we stand with people impacted by racism and advocate for a society that values the diversity of ALL its people and actively provides support to ensure meaningful social and economic participation and inclusion.

SSI’s commitment includes:
• Supporting and advocating for the development of an Australian National Anti-Racism Framework,
similar to frameworks in place for family violence and child abuse
• Supporter of the Australian Human Rights Commission’s Racism. It Stops with Me campaign that
helps people learn about racism, how to respond to it, be a good ally and act for change
• Our Innovate Reconciliation Action Plan including cultural awareness training for our staff and the
new arrivals we work with
• Culturally Responsive Practice training mandatory for all our new staff and volunteers

SSI is proud to be an ambassador of the ECCV All One Together campaign that brings stakeholders together in dialogue, collaboration and transformation to enhance anti-racism and social inclusion measures.

Let’s all get on board the vision and help create a more harmonious society where we can all feel that we
belong.