Melanie Riley
A MULTICULTURAL Services Directory web app has recently been launched, with the aim to help migrants and refugees obtain information relevant to them easier.
The South Australian Government supported the delivery of the app, developed by the Australian Refugee Association.
The Multicultural Services Directory provides individuals and families who have arrived as migrants and refugees to South Australia easy access to culturally and linguistically appropriate services and information.
The new app will include culturally and linguistically appropriate reliable and up-to-date information, advice and support on local services available to the individual user.
Individuals can search for information in more than 20 service categories, covering health and wellbeing, women’s services, employment, education and training, housing, and youth, with more services being added in the coming months.
Minister for multicultural affairs, Zoe Bettison was supportive of the new app, and its benefits to the migrant and refugee communities.
“This important resource will ensure our diverse multicultural communities have access to up-to-date, reliable information, advice and support on local services available to them,” Ms Bettison said.
“Delivering on our election commitment, the user-friendly Multicultural Services Directory invites South Australian migrants and refugees to tap into culturally and linguistically appropriate resources which will help them settle and thrive in our great state.
“For more than 45 years, the Australian Refugee Association (ARA) has delivered services to new migrants and refugees.
“The state government is delighted to take part in this initiative and support ARA in delivering this impactful project.”
Mount Gambier Migrant Resource Centre manager Amanda Lindh said while the launch of the app was new, she is feeling positive about the benefits to local migrants and refugees in our local community.
“Any service aimed at providing the migrant and refugee community with support and information is a great initiative and highlights what a diverse country Australia is,” Ms Lindh said.
“This app will provide targeted information to our cultural communities.
“The internet is a big place and navigating it can be overwhelming for a lot of people, particularly new Australians, so to have all relevant material in one place allows people to have quick and easy access to the information and support services they require.”
While the app is currently not available in multiple languages, there are hopes with further funding and development, it will become an available feature in the future.
Ms Lindh encouraged the idea, to better tailor to each individual user.
“While all of our new arrivals are eager to learn English it can take some time for them to do so and English is a hard language to learn,” she said.
“This can make it very difficult for them to source information which meets their needs.
“We always like to provide important information to our clients in their own language to reduce the risk of confusion and we encourage other services to do so if it’s within their capacity.”
She said she is also hopeful the app will be very useful to service providers as well, and will make seeking referral information for clients much more efficient.
The Mount Gambier Migrant Resource Centre will be holding information sessions for local migrant and refugee communities, where they will speak about what support the app can offer, assist them with accessing it and answering any questions they may have.
The app is user-friendly, and can be easily downloaded onto mobile phones and other devices free of charge.
To download the Multicultural Services Directory app, please visit: www.multiculturalservices.com.au.
