Services
Settlement & Communities
Our settlement team support people who have recently arrived in Australia to make a smooth transition to the Australian way of life, especially those with limited English
We support people to build their knowledge and ability to find, access and use other community services and become independent.
We can work with you on issues including:
- employment
- housing
- education and training
- English language
- using the Australian health system
- family support
- social connection
- transport
- legal issues and systems
- participating in our Australian democracy
Activities include casework, information and referral, advocacy, group workand one on one volunteer support.
Our experienced workers deliver culturally appropriate services to newly arrived refugees, humanitarian entrants and migrants to Australia.
Settlement funding is focused on supporting permanent residents who have been in Australia for less than five years, and who arrived as:
- humanitarian entrants
- family stream migrants with low English proficiency
- holders of family and partner visas
- dependent family members of skilled migrants
as well as some temporary visa holders including partner visas and dependent family members of some skilled migrants.
Community Projects – Employment, Education, Youth and other
Regional Employment Agriculture Project (REAP) – Armidale
The Regional Employment Agricultural Project (REAP) in Armidale provides access to land for people from migrant and refugee backgrounds (primarily Ezidi refugees) so that they could apply and adapt their existing rural skills in the Australian context. It also includes brokering tailored training courses that will support employment pathways.
REAP is run in partnership with The Rotary Club of Armidale, and has been seed funded by NSS with in kind support and small grants from a range of sources. We continue to ongoing funding to fully develop our vision for REAP.
Welcoming Workplaces – Newcastle
Engaging employers and multicultural community members to link them together, and break down barriers to facilitate employment of skilled and committed multicultural community members.
NSS is seeking long term funding for this important work, after significant success of the pilot program.
Northern Youth Exchange – COMPACT Project
Our Northern Youth Exchange project supports a series of youth cultural exchange activities across our Mosaic Multicultural Connections regions and into the Manning Valley.
Exchange activities involved engaging high school youth and young adults from multicultural backgrounds with First Nations and mainstream youth, building social connection, cross cultural understanding and champions for community harmony. This program is funded through the Multicultural NSW COMPACT Program, with multicultural youth workers based in Newcastle and Armidale.
Homework Centres – Armidale and Newcastle
We provide Homework and Learning Centres in partnership with Jesmond Primary School, Heaton Primary School, and Waratah Technology Campus in Newcastle, and Drummond Primary School in Armidale.
Volunteers assist student groups with fun learning activities and one-to-one tutoring. Students in this program include those from Syrian, Kurdish, Iraqi, Afghan, Congolese and Ezidi refugee backgrounds.
Community Capacity Building
Community capacity building is part of all the work we do.
We also have some small, targeted programs to support multicultural communities to articulate and explore their goals and issues of concern, educate themselves further around these issues, raise their profile and issues with decision makers and work together on programs to further their community goals and identity. These operate from all four offices.
Multicultural Interagencies
The Settlement and Communities Team convene a range of multicultural interagency groups around our regions to share information, take joint action on issues and coordinate some programs. These groups include:
- Central Coast Multicultural Interagency
- Multicultural Action Group – Greater Newcastle
- Hunter Multicultural Youth Workers Network
- New England Multicultural Interagency
Central Coast Multicultural Community and Families
The aim of this project is to strengthen multicultural families, children, young people and communities, and support their connection to the wider community. It builds on the existing strengths of multicultural families and communities, including their sense of cultural and community identity.
It is funded by NSW Department of Communities and Justice, and Benevolent Society Communities for Children (a program of the Federal Department of Social Services).
Activities are open to all families from a multicultural background on the Central Coast.
Playing around the World Playgroups
Playing Around the World provides safe environments for multicultural families to support children’s development, build social networks and engage with the wider community, breakdown isolation, improve the mental health of children and their parents, and support parents to learn about a range of issues relevant to bringing up children in Australia. These include multicultural playgroups as well as Russian and Spanish speaking groups.
Mums and Parents Groups
Supporting new mums and parents as they navigate Australian systems, bringing their own rich cultural practices together with new approaches, and breaking down isolation especially for those who have limited family and friends around them in Australia.
Community Consultation
Meeting with groups of parents, women, youth and others to identify what activities and information would be empowering and support them in their daily lives in Australia.
Information Sessions
Sessions for parents, youth and communities on a range of issues to help them understand Australian systems and services, and link them to programs, services, information and activities.
Information and Referral
Responding to requests from multicultural families for information or referral to relevant organisations.
Family Case Work
Supporting families around issues arising, including delivery of elements of evidence based parenting programs in the casework context.
Migration Advice
A registered migration lawyer can provides migration advice and support, either at the Hamilton office or remotely with support from our regional staff.
This is currently only available one day a week.
Please call the Hamilton office to register for assistance:
Email: info@mosaicmc.org.au
Call: 02 4969 3399
Aged Care Services
Our Aged Care Team provide services and support to the ageing community with a strong focus on culturally responsive and sensitive care to clients from a culturally and linguistically diverse background and to all Australians over the age of 65 years (or over 55 if you identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander).
Our team provides support services through case management, service delivery, clinical and nursing services, and by providing education to ageing clients. We aim to keep individuals connected to their communities and to assist them to participate in activities that are important to them by promoting and facilitating independence and physical support where needed.
Mosaic Aged Care Services provide support and services through the following programs:
- Home Care Packages (HCP)
- Flexible Respite through the Commonwealth Home Support Program (CHSP).
- Individual Social support through the Commonwealth Home Support Program (CHSP).
- The Community Visitors Scheme (CVS).
Our Home Care Package Program
Home Care Packages provide personal services in the comfort of your own home. We can assist you to stay living in your home to continue doing all the things you want to do. With the right services and support we can assist you to remain as independent as possible.
We can assist you with care and support services such as personal care, showering and grooming, continence management, cleaning and household tasks, grocery shopping, washing and ironing, social support, transport to appointments and social events and in-home respite.
Through our nursing care and specialised support services we can arrange for a Registered Nurse to visit you in your home to provide clinical care to assist you to monitor your blood pressure, manage your diabetes, manage your medication and to dress and care for any wounds. We can also arrange visits by occupational therapists, physiotherapists, exercise physiologists, and podiatrists.
Individual Social Support
Our dedicated staff or volunteers can assist you to remain socially connected to your community by accompanying you to activities such as taking you to pay your bills, attending appointments, attending social events and activities with family and friends, assisting you with telephone and technologies to stay connected with your community and by visiting you at home for social connections, conversations and catch ups. We offer language-specific services to enhance cultural connections.
Flexible Respite
Our flexible respite program allows you to receive care in your own home to allow your carer to take a break from their caring role knowing that the person that they care for is being well looked after by a trusted member of our care team.
Community Visitors Scheme
For those clients who are receiving a home care package or a resident in an aged care facility, the program matches volunteers to the client so that they can spend some quality social time together and develop companionship, friendships, and interests.
For additional information contact one of our friendly care coordinators on 02 4969 3399 (Newcastle) or 02 4334 3877.
ELIGIBILITY
You may be eligible for support from our Aged Care team if you:
- are over 65 and need coordinated services to help you to stay in your home (or over 55 if you identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander)
- need assistance to complete everyday tasks
- from a culturally and linguistically diverse background
- register with My Aged Care first (www.myagedcare.gov.au)
For additional information contact one of our Care Coordinators on 1800 813 205
Multicultural Family Support
Our Multicultural Families team provides specialist support for families with children 0 to 18 years who are facing problems impacting on their care for their children.
Issues families are struggling with can include isolation, poor mental health, substance abuse, family violence, parenting in a cross-cultural environment and special needs of children. Support can be in the form of information and referral, case work or parenting programs.
Parenting programs
Our team regularly run free evidence-based parenting programs. These programs can help you with everyday parenting challenges, increase your parenting skills and improve your understanding of child development. Our programs are run by trained staff.