As an asylum seeker or refugee in Australia, the path to employment can be rocky. Life Without Barriers supports people to reach their employment goals, one step at a time.
Meet Fatimah*. She is originally from Iran and was referred for employment support by her National Immigration Support Service (NISS) Coordinator in 2018. The pathway to employment for people arriving in Australia as refugees can be rocky, but her support staff never wavered in their goal to assist her achieve her career goals.
Fatimah had a unique skill that worked in her favour, she is a fluent Farsi speaker, which is a language spoken by a number of people in the western Sydney community. Fatimah's goal was to work in the aged or disability sector in a role that allowed her to use her Farsi skills.
Fatimah' support coordinator from NISS encouraged Fatimah to undertake vocational training and enrol in English language classes. After this, they helped her to get valuable work experience by connecting her with her local health district. With their assistance Fatimah completed the detailed application form and was accepted as a hospital volunteer at Westmead Hospital in NSW. In this role, her ability to speak both Farsi and English was a great asset.
This is the just beginning for Fatimah. She has now enrolled in a Certificate III in Individual Support (Aged Care) with TAFE NSW, with the aim of getting a job as a support worker in the near future.
Our National Immigration Support Service (NISS) works with asylum seekers and refugees to provide housing, employment support, food, connection to community and English language classes. They also ensure people who may find it hard to advocate for themselves, have the support they need to plan their future.
*Name changed for privacy reasons
