Putting out the welcome mat for new arrivals
Putting out the welcome mat for new arrivals
25 March 2022
Salvationists are invited to welcome migrants and long-term residents facing social exclusion through The Welcome Project.
Travelling across the world to make a new life is a daunting task. Audrey Takavarasha knows this first-hand after migrating from Zimbabwe a decade ago.
Audrey is The Welcome Project (TWP) Coordinator for The Salvation Army Intercultural and All Abilities team [formerly Diversity and Inclusion Team]. A missional initiative offering friendship and welcome to migrants, this includes new arrivals drawn from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) communities, including refugees, people seeking asylum, international students, seasonal workers, and work visa holders. Others are permanent residents who face social exclusion.
“These groups are vulnerable to social exclusion, exploitation, and have limited or no access to social welfare supports. They also often face racism, discrimination, and other social barriers due to challenges of adapting to a new culture,” shares Audrey.
“The number one thing they need in a new country is social inclusion – a connection and adaptation to their new home and country.”
The Welcome Project began as part of the NSW Government grants initiative in 2020, providing emergency relief during the pandemic to people seeking asylum in Australia who were not eligible for government support. Contributing social inclusion and holistic supports to complement financial supports, The Salvation Army continued the program after the grants concluded in 2021 to create faith pathways and promote inclusive culture and practice across all Salvation Army mission expressions. So far, 48 volunteers have signed up across NSW alone.
What does this look like on the coalface? Salvation Army mission expressions like SAL/Doorways encounter thousands of people accessing their services every day. Many are migrants, and that is where The Welcome Project comes into play. They receive referrals directly from mission expressions, and Audrey connects them to a trained volunteer who speaks the same language as them when possible.
“I totally understand what new arrivals go through: the isolation, the disconnection to the new country, the difficulties of adapting to new systems, even just getting your way around,” Audrey said.
“You must start your life all over again. It takes away your self-esteem and your confidence. So, you must be strong-minded and have God’s spirit in you to stay humble [so you can] be somebody in this land that God has brought [you] to.”
Through The Welcome Project, Salvationists are invited to experience spiritual, personal, and social blessings by welcoming foreigners as God commands in Romans 15:7, which instructs Christians to “welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you”.
Would you like to become a volunteer for The Welcome Project? To apply, visit https://my.salvos.org.au/diversity-and-inclusion-team/the-welcome-project/
Do you know a new arrival who would like to find connection through The Welcome Project? With their consent, refer their name to your mission leader. Or contact The Welcome Project Coordinator audrey.takavarasha@salvationarmy.org.au
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