Welcome to Integreat Queensland’s July newsletter.
For us at Integreat Queensland, we love celebrating the cultural diversity of central Queensland and the opportunities that creates for our region by having a community that celebrates our differences. Most of all however, we are always amazed by the passion of local people and their wiliness to contribute to our community and celebrate who we are, where we’ve come from, and what we now share together.
In June, that community spirit came together at our Flourish Festival in Biloela. We had more than 15 different community cultures that live and work in Biloela honour their ethnicity through song, dance, food, and cultural dress creating a colourful showcase of what diversity and inclusion mean to central Queenslanders. And now it’s Gladstones time to shine with our Flourish Festival being held in Gladstone on the 22nd of July from 2pm to 8pm at the GPC Marina Parklands. If you would like to get involved, showcase your community, or even help us create a fantastic event, please get in contact with us today.
In this month’s newsletter, learn about our Flourish Festivals, our Micro-food business course makes Lien’s dream come true, learn how to build disaster resilience in your community, and if you know someone who wants or you want a rewarding career, get your Cert III in Individual Support in 2023.
– Enjoy.
The Integreat Queensland Team.
Flourish Festival to celebrate Gladstone multiculturalism in July.
Integreat Queensland invite you to our Flourish Festival to be held in Gladstone Saturday, 22nd of July.
The Flourish Festival is a free annual event celebrating multiculturalism through art by showcasing the creativity and richness of the Gladstone region and its people using fashion, music, performance, photography, and art.
Flourish Festival Arts Coordinator Kristel Kelly said the event is designed to celebrate multiculturalism through the lens of art.
“The Flourish Festival is designed to allow the community to show how they flourish in the Gladstone Region through their own creativity,” Kristel said.
“By displaying different facets of the arts including live music, fashion parades, interactive art activities and art exhibitions, we can show how multiculturalism goes throughout the whole community and people lives.”
The Flourish Festival is a community-led multicultural arts festival featuring dance, music, fashion, and artistic and visual displays, a fashion parade and photo competition.
“The Flourish Festival is all about showcasing our pride in our multicultural community – who we are, where we’ve come from, and what we now share together.”
Thank to our sponsors: Gladstone Ports Corporation and the Queensland Government.
The Flourish Festival will be held at the GPC Marina Parklands on Saturday the 22nd of July from 2pm to 8pm. For more information go to integreatqld.org.au or phone 4903 1931.
Want to get involved and take part in our Flourish Festival in Gladstone?
Integreat Queensland are calling on people to showcase their cultural heritage, run workshops, and / or volunteer and help run activities during our Flourish Festival.
We invite you to share your talents in a fashion parade, cultural dance, or song to showcase the diverse and wonderful community of Gladstone. You may be interested in facilitating a workshop like painting demonstrations, collaborative weaving, and drawing activities for young people – anything is possible! We are now considering proposals and we welcome your submissions. All are welcome, including children, so join us in highlighting the beauty of our differences.
Are you interested in volunteering and helping us run the Flourish Festival? We need help with the following:
- MC.
- Decorations.
- Set-up and pack down.
- Kid’s corner assistance (Current BlueCard required).
- Event support.
- Stage management assistance.
- Poster/corflutes distribution.
To showcase your culture, get involved, or volunteer, please call us on 07 4903 1931 or email contactus@integreatqld.org.au
Pictures: The 2022 Flourish Festival in Gladstone.
Micro-food business course makes Lien’s dreams come true.
On June 21, Integreat Queensland celebrated the completion of our micro-food business course with a graduation lunch.
We couldn’t be prouder of the participants who embarked on this transformative journey with us. Each one of them brought a passion for food and a dream in their hearts.
Throughout the course, we witnessed incredible growth and resilience from the students. Some participants had to pivot or embrace new ideas and ways of thinking and we’re thrilled to announce that one participant, Lien Jeffries, has already launched her own business – That’s so Lien.
“Thanks to the micro-food business course, I not only gained my confidence but learnt how to cost ingredients, do quotations, and organise events. I also learnt how to work in a commercial kitchen as well as a run a business from a food van, and most importantly, set-up a business,” Lien said.
Integreat Queensland’s micro-food business course supported students from the culturally and linguistically diverse community to get their Food Safety Supervisor Certificate and to gain the knowledge and skills they needed to start their own food business through a series of workshops.
When Lien began the course, she wasn’t exactly sure what she wanted to do but she knew she loved preparing and cooking tradition Vietnamese cuisine for her family.
“I knew I didn’t want to work in a commercial kitchen so at the start of the course I wasn’t sure where it was going to go,” she said.
“But after a few classes, I realised my dream was to start a business where I can either cater for small groups of people or teach people one-on-one in how to prepare and cook traditional Vietnamese food in their own home.”
Lien has now started her own catering and in-house cooking business, That’s so Lien.
“My main business is Vietnamese home cooking classes however, I can also do inhouse catering too,” she said.
“At the moment I’m focusing on my cooking classes where I go to someone’s home and teach them how to prepare and cook traditional Vietnamese dishes. I can teach one to five people at once and I show people how I cook for my family where we learn together.
“I’m so grateful for Integreat Queensland because they helped me make my dream come true.”
Integreat Queensland’s micro-food business initiative was proudly supported by the Gladstone Regional Council’s Grassroots Fund.
Photo: Micro-Food Business course students and Integreat Queensland staff celebrating their graduation.
Sharing culture at our Flourish Festival in Biloela.
The vibrancy and heart of multiculturalism in Biloela and its people were celebrated on Sunday 18th of June at Integreat Queensland’s Flourish Festival.
Over 15 different community cultures that live and work in Biloela honoured their ethnicity through song, dance, and cultural dress creating a colourful showcase of what diversity and inclusion mean to central Queenslanders.
The Flourish Festival is a community-led multicultural arts festival featuring dance, music, fashion, and artistic and visual displays. Integreat Queensland Programs Manager Jaclyn Iwasaka said it’s important to recognise other cultures with events such as the Flourish Festival.
“It is important to recognise and learn about other cultures because we live in a diverse society, and we want everyone to feel welcome and included,” Jaclyn said. “Our Flourish Festivals help to build bridges and foster unity through cultural exchange and activities.”
From stage performances including cultural dance and a fashion parade to live music, art workshops, and market stalls, over 600 people were entertained and educated at the Biloela Civic Centre by Biloela locals originally from the Philippines, Samoa, Tonga, China, India, Pakistan, Kiribati, Sri Lanka, Tamil, Tokelau, and much more.
Jaclyn said the Flourish Festival is about showcasing who we are, where we’ve come from, and what we now share together.
“Community is the heart of the Flourish Festival,” she said.
“The performers and participants in the fashion parade are not paid performers. They are community members who want to share their culture with the wider community. They spend hours making costumes, rehearsing dances, and preparing food.
“By displaying different facets of the arts including live music, fashion parades, interactive art activities and art exhibitions, we can show how multiculturalism goes throughout the whole community and people’s lives.”
The Flourish Festival is held throughout central Queensland with the next event being held in Gladstone at the GPC Marina Park Lands on Saturday, 22nd of July from 2pm to 8pm.
Students showcase their Micro Food Business skills.
Integreat Queensland would like to thank everyone who attended the “Flavours of Nana” morning tea at ARTmatters – Creative Gladstone Region Inc. on Friday, the 23rd of June.
This event marked the successful completion of Integreat Queensland’s Micro Food Business program, where our students showcased their newfound skills. We are proud to announce three of our students are now in the process of launching their own businesses thanks to the generous funding for the program received from the Gladstone Regional Council.
Special thanks to Councillors Glenn Churchill and Chris Camron from the Gladstone Regional Council, and Integreat QLD President, Vosawale Toganivalu Tamani – for joining us in celebrating the achievements of our students.
We would also like to extend our thanks and appreciation to Intergreat Queensland’s Learning for the Future Coordinator Samantha Codrington and Valarie Powell for their unwavering dedication and guidance throughout the course. Their hard work has made a significant impact. And as always, a big thank you to Esther Arzolay, from Chair Covers & Decorations for the beautiful table decorations.
Want a rewarding career? Get your Cert III in Individual Support in 2023.
Integreat Queensland are currently recruiting those who wish to obtain a Cert III in Individual Support.
Commencing on Tuesday, 18th of July, Certificate III in Individual Support (Ageing, Home and Community) is designed to provide training to entry level workers who want to work in residential aged care facilities, community care, disability care, community based organisations and hospitals. An aged care worker works directly with clients but always under supervision.
Those interested in working in Aged Care should note that this is a rewarding yet physically demanding career. Aged care makes a difference to people’s lives and has many different career pathways as you grow professionally.
Possible career opportunities for graduates include: nursing or home care assistant, personal care worker or assistant, residential care worker, care assistant, in-home respite worker, community care worker, accommodation or community support worker and support worker. There is no-cost to participants to join this training and we provide additional support to help you finish your course and transition to work.
Commencing on Tuesday, 18th of July, participants will attend classes 2 days per week (Tuesday & Wednesday) from 9am-2:30pm.
To find out more, please call 4903 1931 or email contactus@integreatqld.org.au
This Skilling Queenslanders for Work project is proudly funded by the Queensland Government.
Building disaster resilience in the Banana Shire.
What is a natural disaster? Do you know what to do in the event of a disaster in your community?
Thanks to the support of the Banana Shire Council, Integreat Queensland received funding as part of the Get Ready Queensland program to build disaster resilience in Biloela. As part of this funding, Integreat Queensland ran a series of community engagement activities with the goal of raising awareness of the importance of being prepared for disasters. These activities including hosting monthly coffee mornings at the Biloela Community Arts House and having a disaster preparedness stall at the Flourish Festival in Biloela.
The key messages on the Get Ready Queensland website are: to know your risks, make a household plan, and prepare an emergency kit.
“While these actions may seem simple, they often get put aside for another day or forgotten about,” Integreat Queensland’s Programs Manager Jaclyn Iwasaka said.
“It is important for people who are new to the area to learn about the local situation, as each town and region across Australia is susceptible to different disasters.”
“For community members who come from a different country, this becomes even more important, as the definition of disaster and appropriate action to take in the event of a disaster may be completely different from their home country.”
Integreat Queensland worked with council to develop additional resources to support the migrant community in the Banana Shire to understand their risks and to know where to go to get more information and support if there is a disaster.
“It was a really great collaboration with the Banana Shire Council to develop additional resources to support the CALD community,” said Jaclyn.
“We ran an interactive activity at the Flourish Festival where we encouraged community members to translate the key messages into their own languages and display them on a dedicated wall.”
“We have also identified community leaders who have volunteered to work with council to disseminate information to their community in the event of a natural disaster.”
Integreat Queensland want to encourage everyone to go onto the Get Ready Queensland website or to contact your local council to find out more information. The best way to avoid getting into trouble when disaster strikes is to be prepared. @GetReadyQueensland #GetReadyQueensland
Picture: Integreat Queensland’s disaster preparedness stall at the Flourish Festival in Biloela.
Program and Events
Gladstone
It’s time to have a conversation.
Have you ever wished you had an ability to talk to strangers and have them instantly warm up to you? Think about the people you know who seem to bring out the best in you whenever you talk to them. You feel comfortable talking to them and could go on talking forever. They could be old friends or someone you just met, but the conversation just seems to flow smoothly and naturally.
For people where English is there second language, having a conversation isn’t that easy. For many people problems arise when English is a second language to either speakers, listeners, or both. No matter how proficient they are, their own understanding of English, and their first (or “native”) language can change what they believe is being said.
Integreat Queensland’s online Let’s Talk Conversational English classes provide a safe and comfortable setting where those who might not otherwise have the opportunity, can improve, and gain confidence in their spoken English. We cover practical themes like ‘visiting the doctor’ and ‘going grocery shopping’ to help empower participants in their everyday lives.
The classes are in an informal setting to encourage connection and confidence in communicating, making new friends, and learning new things. Participants can join either the afternoon class or the evening class, or both.
When: Thursday, (during school term)
Time: 1pm – 2:30pm
Where: 1A Manning St, South Gladstone.
Cost: Free. Registration required.
*Participants can join anytime during the term.
To register or for more information, please contact us on 4903 1931 or email: contactus@integreatqld.org.au
Where do your children play?
At Integreat Queensland, we believe learning through play is one of the most important ways children learn and develop. Play is an activity where children show their remarkable ability for exploration, imagination and decision making. While play is often described as ‘children’s work’, it is intensely enjoyable for them. The type of play children engage in and its purposes change over the course of childhood from infancy to adolescence.
You may have realised that as a parent, you don’t generally have to make children play or provide incentives to play. This is because children seem to have a natural urge to play and playing brings a level of pleasure and interest which means it can be maintained without external rewards.
Integreat Queensland and Playgroup Queensland invite you and your family to our next Little Steps Multicultural Playgroup. Our Playgroups are informal sessions where mums, dads, grandparents, carers, children, and babies meet each week in a relaxed environment. At Playgroup, families are given the opportunity to connect with other families in their local communities, to share knowledge, seek advice and gain invaluable support.
When: Every Tuesday & Friday from 9:30am to 11:30am (during school term)
Where: Philip Street Families and Communities Precinct – 1 Pengelly St, Gladstone. (Yellow/Nutchee building)
Free: Everyone with children from 0 to 5 years old are welcome.
To make sure everyone is safe as possible, we will be limiting our numbers to 25 parents (children) so please do register for the day you would like to come.
For more information, please contact us via email: littlesteps@integreatqld.org.au or phone 07 4903 1931.
Supporting women through healing transformation, and celebration.
Integreat Queensland’s SisterLife Circle provides a safe space where you’re free to express and explore your most authentic self. The liberating atmosphere we create encourages meaningful friendships and powerful healing. For many of our attendees, SisterLife Circle means being truly seen without judgement for the very first time in their lives. For others, it’s an opportunity to extend professional networks and to offer greater support to more sisters.
Integreat Queensland would like to invite women to the SisterLife Circle, an intentional circle to support women with healing, transformation, and celebration. SisterLife Circle is a safe and supportive environment for women to meet, share and connect with each other and share their thoughts and feelings.
Funded by the Australian Government, our goal is to create a deep, authentic connection amongst women to participate in topical discussions where everyone has the opportunity to discuss a challenge they may be having or a success we can all celebrate.
Held fortnightly, SisterLife Circle is a safe and supportive environment for women to meet, share and connect.
When: Wednesday’s from 10:30am-12pm (every fortnight).
Where: 1 Manning St, South Gladstone.
If you are interested in joining our Sisterlife Circle, please contact Esther on 4903 1931 or email: contactus@integreatqld.org.au
Program and Events
Rockhampton
The importance of play in children’s learning and development.
At Integreat Queensland, we believe learning through play is one of the most important ways children learn and develop. Play is an activity where children show their remarkable ability for exploration, imagination and decision making. While play is often described as ‘children’s work’, it is intensely enjoyable for them. The type of play children engage in and its purposes change over the course of childhood from infancy to adolescence.
You may have realised that as a parent, you don’t generally have to make children play or provide incentives to play. This is because children seem to have a natural urge to play and playing brings a level of pleasure and interest which means it can be maintained without external rewards.
Integreat Queensland and Playgroup Queensland invite you and your family to our next Little Steps Multicultural Playgroup. Our Playgroups are informal sessions where mums, dads, grandparents, carers, children, and babies meet each week in a relaxed environment. At Playgroup, families are given the opportunity to connect with other families in their local communities, to share knowledge, seek advice and gain invaluable support.
When: Every Tuesday from 9:30am to 11:30am (during school term).
Where: Berserker Street Community Hub, 28 – 140 Berserker Street, North Rockhampton (Entrance – corner of Charles and Berserker St).
Free: Everyone with children from 0 to 5 years old are welcome.
This program is an initiative delivered by Integreat Queensland Inc. in partnership with Capricorn Communities for Children Facilitating Partner. Capricorn Communities for Children Facilitating Partner is funded by the Australian Government and facilitated by The Smith Family.
To register and for more info, please contact us by email: contactus@integreatqld.org.au or phone 4900 1617.
Supporting women through healing transformation, and celebration.
Integreat Queensland’s SisterLife Circle provides a safe space where you’re free to express and explore your most authentic self. The liberating atmosphere we create encourages meaningful friendships and powerful healing. For many of our attendees, SisterLife Circle means being truly seen without judgement for the very first time in their lives. For others, it’s an opportunity to extend professional networks and to offer greater support to more sisters.
Integreat Queensland would like to invite women to the SisterLife Circle, an intentional circle to support women with healing, transformation, and celebration. SisterLife Circle is a safe and supportive environment for women to meet, share and connect with each other and share their thoughts and feelings.
Funded by the Australian Government, our goal is to create a deep, authentic connection amongst women to participate in topical discussions where everyone has the opportunity to discuss a challenge they may be having or a success we can all celebrate.
Held fortnightly, SisterLife Circle is a safe and supportive environment for women to meet, share and connect.
• When: Thursday’s from 1pm to 2:30pm every fortnight.
• Where: 223 Campbell St, Rockhampton.
To register and for more info, please contact us by email: contactus@integreatqld.org.au or phone 4900 1617.
