UNOH Melbourne
Melbourne is the birth place of UNOH. UNOH workers have been living and serving Christ in some of the lowest socio-economic suburbs in Melbourne Since. There are three UNOH teams in the South Eastern industrial belt of Melbourne. These are Springvale, Noble Park and Dandenong.
Springvale Neighbourhood Team
The suburb of Springvale is one of Melbourne’s most multi cultural places and according to 2006 census statistics is in the lowest 2% of disadvantaged suburbs in Victoria. Over the last four years (since 2007) we have seen a massive influx of Burmese refugees settling in the area, as they have been forced to escape a harsh and corrupt military government. With this influx the Springvale UNOH team have found themselves seeking to assist in meeting the needs of this struggling and emerging community through a range of responses.
Many of the new Burmese arrivals are from rural areas and have lived at least ten years in refugee camps on the Thai/Burma border, so when they move to Australia and settle in urban Springvale, the challenges they face are multiple. Amongst the many ways that the Springvale Team responds to these needs, we find ourselves helping with:
- Homework help – particularly for secondary school aged children who have found themselves in a formal school environment for the first time in their lives.
- Conversational and Formal English Language Lessons – particularly with isolated men and women in their homes. We do this through relationship as well as through partnering with AMES.
- Helping with the Settlement process – this can mean assisting our neighbours when dealing with Centerlink, Estate agents (including finding housing), doctors, etc, as well as helping orient them to life in this strange and new environment.
- Being genuine friends to these unloved and marginalised people, as well as being a positive example of the Australian life, where they are often faced with prejudice and fear.
Assisting new arrivals in itself is not all there is to responding to the needs of the Burmese people. The Springvale Team also see working towards the freedom of Burma as central to their work amongst this marginalised community. We would love to see ourselves out of a job because the Burmese could stay in their own country and live in safety and peace. To this end, we are also involved in fundraisers and various awareness raising programs to help Australians become aware of the plight of the Burmese. We do this through creative political engagement, advocacy and preaching.
The Newest and in many ways most exciting initiative that the Springvale Neighbourhood Team are involved in is the establishment of the “Free Burma Cafe”. This cafe will provide essential employment for many of the Burmese of Springvale as well as increase their sense of belonging both in Australia and Springvale. Our dream is for it to not only be an income generating exercise, but also a hub for the Burmese Community, a place of advocacy for the wider Burmese cause, and a connection spot for others to get a glimpse of Burmese culture, and great food. For more information about the Free Burma Cafe, including information on having an event catered for by our team click here (and then select “Free Burma Cafe”)
If you would like more information on how to be involved with the UNOH Springvale Team, contact Peter Dekker – peterd@unoh.org
Noble Park & Dandenong Neighbourhood Teams
Gabriel and Catherine Hingley
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UNOH workers in Noble Park & Dandenong partner with many groups including:
Asylum-Seeker Assistance Project (ASAP)
Asylum Seeker Assistance Project was started in 2001 by Keith Briant, a volunteer with UNOH. He learned that asylum seekers were living without any income and facing isolation, homelessness, no access to English classes, and incredible settlement stress facing separation from family and an uncertain future. ASAP was formed to provide material aid, settlement support and also friendship and community to asylum seekers living in the Springvale, Noble Park and Dandenong areas. ASAP volunteers currently:
- Develop friendships with asylum seeker families and individuals
- Drive asylum seekers to the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre (ASRC) in West Melbourne on Thursday mornings in order to access help for medical, legal, food and other needs
- Advocate through letter writing and accompanying to meetings with lawyers and migration agents
- Run fundraisers to build up emergency relief funds
- Facilitate free family day outings to experience a chance to relax and see the sights of Victoria
- Offer English support through the ASRC.
We are looking for committed volunteers willing to be involved in either the Thursday morning city trips and/or any of the other areas. Alternatively, you may have ideas for hosting a group of asylum seekers for a one-off day outing or other entertainment opportunity. ASAP’s vision: to be a community pursuing the well-being of asylum seekers in the Greater Dandenong area. Sharmila Blair currently leads the ASAP team. For more information, contact Sharmila on: sblair@unoh.org or 0401 338 905.
Boys club
The Noble Park Boys Club seeks to respond to the needs of 7- to 14-yr-old boys in the local area. Each Saturday, boys from diverse cultural backgrounds meet in Catherine and Gabriel Hingley’s home to have fun and engage in many memorable and often wacky activities. Catherine co-ordinates a team of volunteers that aims to create enjoyable and meaningful experiences and opportunities that many of us have taken for granted as part of childhood. Boys Club also aims to provide positive mentors and male role models for boys beginning to seek their identity. We also seek to provide connection and support for whole families, particularly those with only one parent at home. Support the Boys Club
Rainbow Church
The Rainbow Church began in the Barkers’ home in 1995, with a few neighbours sharing a meal and praying for each other. It is now a community of 40-50 neighbours who have become like family. They:
- Share day-to-day life
- Run a food bank and drop-in space
- Gather on Sunday afternoons for a highly participatory time of worship.
Many Rainbowers face issues of mental illness, addiction, recurring homelessness, unemployment and isolation, but together they have formed a close Jesus-centred community that brings some stability and hope in the midst of life’s chaos. Rainbow Church is based in Noble Park and is affiliated with Churches of Christ.
The Rainbow Vision Statement: ‘Rainbow is a Jesus-centred community. Together we create a seriously light-hearted environment in which to experience God’s love, particularly as people struggling with life’s issues. Rainbow accepts all people regardless of habits, clothes, race, or creed, and invites all to participate. We aim to pass on the hope that we share through the blessing of the Holy Spirit.’ For more information contact Ileana Noble on 9547 7089 or ileananoble@optusnet.com
Rainbow Church Food Bank and Drop-In
Rainbow Church Food Bank and Drop-In is an outreach of our Rainbow community that seeks to meet the needs of the wider community in Noble Park, Springvale and Dandenong. We open every Tuesday from 9:30 till midday at Noble Park Uniting Church, corner Joy Parade and Frank Street. We aim to offer a safe, welcoming environment for people to have a cuppa and chat, a sausage sizzle and a free food parcel. Contributions of UHT milk, cereal, rice and food cans are welcome. For more information, contact Gabriel Hingley – gchingley@unoh.org Support Food Bank
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