Interpreter and Translation Services
If you need helps because English is not your first language, you can use the Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS National) on 131 450. This service is FREE and covers more than 160 languages.
Multilingual Disability Hub
A multilingual phone hotline and website that provides easily accessible information on disability and the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) in 14 languages: Arabic, Assyrian, Bangla, Cantonese, Farsi, Greek, Italian, Macedonian, Mandarin, Nepali, Spanish Tamil, Urdu, and Vietnamese.
Visit the website at www.multilingualdisabilityhub.info.
Choose your language in the top-right, and if you want to call on the phone click the blue phone icon on the right of screen to find the number.
End of Life and Palliative Care
NSW Health have created a set of resources to enhance access to end of life and palliative care information for multicultural communities and people with disability.
Palliative care podcasts in non-English languages
Auslan videos containing end of life and palliative care information
Ethnic Community Services Cooperative (ECSC)
Ethnic Community Services Cooperative provide targeted services across Sydney and NSW to the most vulnerable and disadvantaged group of people from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds, including children and families, people with disabilities and their carers and the older persons living at home and their carers.
Their work also focuses on building the capacity of mainstream service providers to facilitate culturally appropriate service delivery and promoting the rights of CALD people through systemic advocacy and input into local, state, national and international policy.
Visit their website for further information on their programs and services.
Multicultural Disability Advocacy Association of NSW Inc (MDAA)
The Multicultural Disability Advocacy Association of NSW (MDAA) is the peak body for all people in NSW with disability and their families and carers, with a particular focus on those from a culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD)/ non English Speaking background (NESB) with disability.
MDAA Inc. provide a range of advocacy services and projects including:
Advocacy Development – offers community information days, training and information sessions for people from CALD/NESB with disability and their families and carers.
Individual Advocacy – assists people to stand up for their rights, for example, when people have problems with housing, immigration, school, work and disability services.
Industry Development – assists disability services across NSW to become more culturally competent and assists ethnic community services to understand and respond better to people with disability.
Systemic Advocacy – works towards positive change in policies, procedures, practices and service delivery in government and non-government agencies.
For more information about MDAA, please visit their website at www.mdaa.org.au
Settlement Services International (SSI)
Settlement Services International is a community-based not-for-profit organisation providing a range of services in the areas of refugee settlement, migrant support services, asylum seeker assistance, multicultural foster care, disability support, employment services and youth support in NSW.
SSI is committed to ensuring that people in vulnerable communities in NSW are supported and resourced to fulfill their potential as members of the Australian community.
Refugees and people seeking asylum
SSI provides support and assistance to the majority of people in NSW on refugee and bridging visas. SSI’s Housing Services division provides housing assistance to refugees, humanitarian entrants and people seeking asylum once they start living in the community. The organisation values difference and the right to self-determination for the people we support, as well as meaningful social and economic inclusion in Australian society.
SSI Foster Care
SSI works with young people and parents from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds (CALD), as well as families with an early intervention focus.
Ability Links NSW
Since July 2014, SSI has delivered the Ability Links NSW service to people with disability in NSW, in partnership with Uniting Care and St Vincent De Paul Society NSW.
CoAct/SSI jobactive employment services
In July 2015, SSI launched its employment services program through CoAct/SSI jobactive. This program delivers the Australian Government’s jobactive services to job seekers living within the Sydney East Metro region.
Settlement support
SSI is also the lead partner of a consortium called the NSW Settlement Partnership (NSP), which comprises 22 organisations. The NSP partnership delivers settlement services across most of NSW, under the Department of Social Services’ Settlement Services Program (SSP).The SSP delivers core settlement support for humanitarian entrants and migrants in their first five years in Australia.