Welcome to Integreat Queensland’s November newsletter.

As the end of the year is closer, courses are coming to an end and graduation celebrations are happening. For many this is a very exciting time, travelling back to countries they have emigrated from to see loved ones (some for the first time since Covid began), for others it is about preparing for the festive season. Staff at Integreat Queensland are using this time to reflect on the year and plan for 2023.

A new year brings new opportunities… please do call us or drop into our offices (Gladstone & Rockhampton) and let us know how we can assist you to achieve your goals for 2023.

Julie Pettett

Integreat Queensland Manager.

A crazy passion drives Stephanie’s work.

For someone whose passion it is to communicate and deliver social well-being services to the community you would think describing her passion would be easy, however, for Integreat Queensland’s Project to Pathways Coordinator Stephanie Smaller-Thompson, it’s a case of getting tongue-tired and tripping over her words.

“It’s hard to describe why I do what I do because for most of my working life I’ve been working with people and supporting them to achieve their own goals,” Stephanie said.

“I just love the satisfaction of making a difference either personally or through what I do with the community. My personal philosophy is you’re never too old to learn and for me everything is a learning experience, so I continually work on both personal and professional development and I love sharing what I learn with other people.”

In a past life, Stephanie could have been a professional juggler not only due to the many roles she plays for Integreat Queensland, but even during this interview she is helping coordinate our Little Steps Multicultural Playgroup.

“There are many facets to Integreat Queensland and the programs and events we deliver,” she says while directing mothers and children into the playgroup.

“We deliver programs through Communities for Children and the Smith Family via our Little Steps Multicultural Playgroup and our Safer Pathways program which supports culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) women and children at risk or who are in a domestic violence situation.”

At that point in the conversation, Stephanie stops talking and considers her next words carefully as to why she has a passion for the work she does within the CALD community.

“It may seem simple but it’s about having the right information and being able to share that information with women who need our assistance and for me and in my own small way, I believe I’m helping them to be in a better place and have a happier presence and future.

“I remember one lady who had only been in Australia for a couple of years with a child who had been born here however, and through no fault of her own, she had lost custody of that child. Again, it may seem simple however by supporting her to fill-out forms to receive Legal Aid and to access an interpreter to support her in court, I believe I made a difference in her life.”

As mentioned earlier, Stephanie is a juggler wearing many hats for Integreat Queensland where she is not only the Project to Pathways Coordinator but also the Rockhampton office Coordinator and facilitator of our Sisterlife Circle program.

“The Sisterlife Circle program encourages women to create an authentic connection with each other where they discuss any challenges they may have or even to celebrate a success,” she says.

“I get a real sense of satisfaction working in the social services sector and I feel privileged to not only be able to walk alongside community and support local organisations, but to be able to assist people with creating a better life and an authentic self.”

Photo: Integreat Queensland’s Project to Pathways Coordinator Stephanie Smaller-Thompson

Domestic violence and family abuse is everyone’s business.

Leaving abusive relationships can allow survivors the opportunity to heal. But when victims do leave, they often find it difficult to access specific services or even the help they need despite the numerous of services available.

Earlier this year, a young mother came to Integreat Queensland in desperate need of support. She was living with a friend after escaping from an unsafe relationship with her children but had overstayed her welcome and was about to become homeless. To make the story more complicated, she was still on a temporary visa.

“Our frontline staff called every local service provider and national hotline that we knew of,” Integreat Queensland Learning Facilitator Jaclyn Thompson said.

“But no one could support her, either because she was on a temporary visa and wasn’t eligible for the service, or because she was not currently in a “dangerous” situation because she was living with a friend.”

Due to the difficulty of finding assistance, the young mother moved into to a local motel however, as the weeks went by, she slowly spent all her savings on the weekly cost of the motel. When she had reached her financial limit, she made an agreement with the motel owner that she could pay a reduced rate if she cleaned the rooms.

Jaclyn said so she cleaned the rooms with her young child strapped to her back however, the arrangement was short lived and once again she was at risk of becoming homeless.

“She again came to Integreat for support,” Jaclyn explains. “We did the rounds again, contacting every support organisation that we could and again came up with nothing.

“We couldn’t believe that the system was completely failing someone in desperate need of support. We are constantly telling women to reach out if they need support, but when they do reach out, there are all these barriers that prevent them from accessing the support that they need.

“Eventually, we managed to find a compassionate local who agreed to let our young mother rent their Airbnb on a weekly basis at a rate that she could afford.”

Jaclyn said that sadly, this is not a unique story with many women in central Queensland and around the nation facing.

“Some women don’t leave unsafe relationships because they are on temporary visas and fear being deported. As a community we need to do more to support women to take back their power and their lives because at the end of the day, domestic violence and family abuse is everyone’s business.”

Photo: Finding assistance and services can be difficult for migrant women who have experienced domestic violence in central Queensland.

Overcoming barriers to create success.

“It not that easy to create a routine,” said one of Integreat Queensland’s Certificate III in Hospitality students to Learning Facilitator Jaclyn Thompson.

For many, creating a routine can be simple but at Integreat Queensland we never assume that it’s easy for everyone. Even here in central Queensland many people, whether Australian or from another country, face different challenges due to their upbringing, their home life situation, or even their health issues.

“We recently accepted several applicants for our Certificate III in Hospitality course with the main challenge being that many of the younger participants were experiencing many different learning barriers.

“Some were quite young and disengaged from school and have severe anxiety,” Jacklyn said.

“Many have also never worked before and have trouble with establishing a regular routine like getting out of bed to going to bed and insomnia,” Jaclyn said.

Certificate III in Hospitality provides participants with the essential skills and knowledge to join the hospitality industry in an entry-level position. The course offers students the chance to discover  various career pathways in hospitality — from front office receptionist in a five-star hotel, to a banquet attendant serving a function for 1,000 people, to preparing the latest on-trend cocktails.

Despite the numerous of issues faced by the students, Jacklyn said through patience and perseverance many that previously had trouble attending are now the most dedicated students.

“I can’t pinpoint one thing, but I believe it was the culmination of Integreat Queensland not giving up on them. We supported their needs not just emotionally but by also providing the simple things like lunch and even picking them up and dropping them off at home.

“When Integreat Queensland deliver programs, we go much further than just the delivery with all of our participants. The broad term we give to it is ‘wrap around support’ but that doesn’t cover the fact that we make sure we connect with everyone on an individual level by helping them to overcome whatever barriers they may face to engage in the program.”

Jacklyn said through hard work and dedication eventually a connection is made with the students where ultimately trust is gained.

“Eventually what we find is a switch just flicks and they become engaged. We now have students learning hotel work with a local supplier as well as learning how to make barista style coffee and preparing and delivering food to customers.

“The course is currently ongoing but I’m also please to say through the training one of the students has now been employed by a local hotel.”

Photo: Certificate III in Hospitality student learning how to prepare food.

Becoming a carer is more than just a job.

Integreat Queensland’s Certificate III in Individual Support currently has 14 students going through the course where they are learning how to provide individualised, personal support to older people in residential and in-home care.

Facilitated by Simple Solutions Training and Consulting consultant Brett Donges, the students are learning via a holistic approach that’s focused on providing both physical aspects of care and social, emotional, and psychological support for people in need.

“Becoming a support worker entails a lot of challenges yet I believe it brings a feeling of accomplishment, and a sense of purpose every time an individual’s life is improved,” Brett said.

“Part of the role gives a support worker a lifetime experience and engraves great memories with the person or the family whenever they get to overcome their fears and challenges. You become part of the person or the family’s support group for them to regain their self-esteem and be a valuable part of the society.”

Brett said Integreat Queensland’s 14 students have embraced to course and have really benefited in taking part in face-to-face learning and engagement.

“Once they got past the first week of the 13-week course they really started to come out of their shells and understand the importance of the course especially for people who really need the services,” he said.

“The good thing is the students are getting first-hand knowledge through the course as I’ve been a personal carer and worked in aged care so I’m able to give them real knowledge and an understanding of the realty of what is really involved.

“Many people believe it’s about taking people to lunch, going shopping, or taking them to the doctors, but it’s much more in-depth than that.

“Some people may need some help because of mobility difficulties while others may have home care visits because they need some support in remembering to do certain tasks

“It’s all well and good for them to go through the course but what I give is the reality and the home truths where we talk about all the issues and teach them what it really takes to become a personal carer for individuals.”

Photo: Integreat Queensland’s Certificate III in Individual Support currently has 14 students going through the course.

Breaking down the barriers.

There are many barriers migrant women and their families face when trying to integrate into the community. Understanding the English language and accessing work are two key steps of the integration process for all migrants. But migrant women also often take on family and childcare obligations which may hamper this process. Consequently, they have worse employment outcomes in comparison with migrant men and Australian women. This is because migrant women face challenges and barriers as both migrants and women; a double disadvantage that is consistently confirmed by research.

For the team at Integreat Queensland, breaking down the barriers to assist migrant women is just one of the key goals of the organisation. Integreat Queensland Board member Halinka Panzera believes it’s about creating meaningful connections, acceptance, access, and a welcoming attitude.

“Most people have their friends and are reluctant to increase their circle either due to lack of time or interest,” Halinka said.

“Friendship is more than just a friendly hello. It’s reaching out to others when they need it and that takes commitment and often, new people struggle to gain this high level of connection, so we need to actively open doors for others and let them into our networks.”

Integreat Queensland Manager Julie Pettett said wanting to be part of a new community is an important step, however that alone, sadly, is not enough.

“It’s about overcoming the barriers and making most of the opportunities to create meaningful connections however, that is easier said than done,” Julie said.

“When English is a second language the barriers can feel insurmountable. Sadly, for others it is simply not knowing who to ask, making that first friend, is important.”

For Integreat Queensland Project to Pathways Coordinator Stephanie Smaller-Thompson, it’s about empowering migrant women to find support and learn about their community.

“As a migrant myself I was lucky to have a friend in Australia who told me what I needed to know to live and work here,” she said.

“For me it’s about knowing what they don’t know and to have support to find out what that is.”

Finally, Integreat Queensland Learning Facilitator Jaclyn Thompson believes one of the many reasons it’s difficult for migrant women to integrate into the community, is lack of family support.

“I think having a lack of family support is a huge issue for migrant women,” Jaclyn said.

“Many women take on the full burden of care responsibilities for children and elderly because their husbands work long hours in the local industries, and they have no family to help them. This can prevent women from participating in the workforce and integrating into the community.”

Well, the good news is that Australians are known for being welcoming and friendly, which makes the task for migrant women and their families a lot easier to integrate into the community. What needs to be remembered is there are options available for people seeking information about integrating into their communy.

At Integreat Queensland it’s about opening up opportunities for everyone from everywhere to get involved, feel welcome, learn new things, and contribute to a strong, thriving local community. If you need assistance or know of someone who needs help in integrating here in central Queensland, please do not hesitate to get in contact with us today.

Programs 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.

Face-to-face

• When: Thursdays (during school term)
• Time: 1pm – 2:30pm
• Where: Integreat Queensland, 1a Manning St, South Gladstone
• Cost: Free. Registration required

Online:

• When: Wednesdays (during school term)
• Time: 6pm – 7pm
• (Link will be provided after registration)
• Cost: Free. Registration required

Participants can join anytime during the term.

To register or for more information, please contact Integreat Queensland 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.
• 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 Jess on 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.

• When: Held every fortnight on Wednesdays
• Next Event: November 21
• Time: 10.30am to 12pm
• Where: 1a Manning St, South Gladstone

If you are interested in joining our Sisterlife Circle, please contact the Integreat Queensland office on 4903 1931 or email: contactus@integreatqld.org.au

Have you attended our Picnic in the Park?

Picnics are a great way to enjoy food with family and friends, but they can also be a beneficial way to boost your mental health. At Integreat Queensland, we believe incorporating picnics into your weekly or monthly plans can help reduce mental fatigue, lower stress levels, and elevate your mood.

One of the first and most obvious benefits of picnics is that they get you outside and away from your computer, phone, and other distractions however, we believe people need to connect with others to feel happy and fulfilled because we know having connections with other people and having a social circle of your own are beneficial to your emotional health and well-being.

Now held on the first Sunday of every month, our Picnic in the Park get togethers are a great way to meet friends and make new ones in the Gladstone community. This event is about connecting with others and having fun over some food and drinks in a great atmosphere. Integreat Queensland’s Picnic in the Park are social safe gathering with like-minded people so come along to socialise, relax, meet people, create new friendships, and have a good time.

Our next Picnic in the Park is on Sunday, 4 December from 12pm onwards at Spinnaker Park – (Area C – near the swimming beach area). Please look for Integreat QLD signs. This is a free event every month. We will provide sausage sizzle and some games. All ages are welcome. Please BYO picnic food/, chairs, picnic mat etc. We look forward to seeing you there.

To RSVP, please text 0412 868 571 or email contactus@integreatqld.org.au

Come join our Culture Café – Christmas and New Year Edition.

Our December Culture Café we will learn about Christmas and New year around the world.

At Christmas, Christians all over the world celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. Traditional Christmas decoration often can be admired and festive celebrations can be joined in most countries, even in many of the countries where Christianity is not the religion of the majority of people.

Christmas is generally celebrated on Christmas Day, the 25th of December. Some countries however have slightly different Christmas. For example, in the Philippines there is a special tradition of having a Christmas lantern, which is called ‘paról’; the lantern is star-shaped, remembering the star of Bethlehem, and mainly made out of bamboo and paper. Whereas in Iceland, the 13 days leading up to Christmas, 13 tricksy troll-like characters come out to play in Iceland and visit children over 13 nights. For each night of Yuletide, children place their best shoes by the window and a different Yule Lad visits leaving gifts for nice girls and boys

The Culture Cafe is a space where you can learn, meet people from all around the world and hear someone share their culture. Come along and learn about Ramadan on Wednesday, 6th April from 9:30am-11am at the Gladstone Library, 39 Goondoon St.  For more info and to RSVP, please email admin@integreatqld.org.au or call 07 4903 1931.

Our Christmas and New Year Culture Café is being held on Wednesday, 1st December from 9:30am-11am at the Gladstone Library, 39 Goondoon St.

*Please bring a plate to share, something you prepare for Christmas/new year in your culture/tradition.

The Culture Café is held on the 1st Wednesday in February, April, June, August, October and December at the Gladstone Library. It is a place where you can learn, meet people from all around the world and hear someone share their culture. Everyone is welcome at this free event.

For more info and to register, please email contactus@integreatqld.org.au or call 07 4903 1931.

Networx – Engaging with the art community in Gladstone.

Rockhampton

Let’s 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 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.

• When: Thursdays
• Time: 9:15am – 10:45am
• Where: Berserker Street Community Hub, 28 – 140 Berserker Street, North Rockhampton (Entrance at the corner of Charles and Berserker St
• Cost: Free. Registration required. Childminding available
• Participants can join anytime during the term.

To register or for more information, please contact Integreat Queensland on 4903 1931 or email: contactus@integreatqld.org.au

It’s time to communicate now!

You might be fluent in reading and writing Urdu, or you might write Chinese perfect however, that does not matter in an English reading and writing country like Australia. You must know a language that is universally accepted, and people from all around the globe can understand. The point is, you must know how to read and write English in an English speaking country, or you will not communicate with many people. You will face a lot of difficulties when you apply for a job, and you will face a problem when you want to know what is happening in your community.

Our definition at Integreat Queensland is literacy is the understanding, evaluating, using, and engaging with written texts to participate in society, to achieve personal goals and ambitions and to develop knowledge and potential. Integreat Queensland’s Adult Literacy Classes are designed to Improve your reading and writing skills, improve your confidence in communicating with others, and most importantly, improve your ability to connect with the community

• When: Thursdays (during school term)
• Time: 11:am – 12:30pm
• Where: Berserker Street Community Hub, 28 – 140 Berserker Street, North Rockhampton (Entrance at the corner of Charles and Berserker St.
• Cost: Free. Registration required. Childminding available
• Participants can join anytime during the term.

To register or for more information, please contact Integreat Queensland on 4903 1931 or email: contactus@integreatqld.org.au

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 at the 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 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.

• When: Held every fortnight on Thursdays
• Next Event: November 17
• Time: 1pm – 2.30pm
• Where: Integreat Queensland – 223 Campbell St, Rockhampton.

If you are interested in joining our Sisterlife Circle, please contact the Integreat Queensland office on 4903 1931 or email: contactus@integreatqld.org.au