With the ISIS conflict causing devastation in Syria and Iraq, the resurgence of the Taliban in Afghanistan and militant Islamist groups at war with the west, and with each other, across the whole region; the troubles of the Middle East…

While the EU continues to squabble over who should bear the greatest responsibility for asylum seekers arriving in Europe from areas of conflict, Sweden has asked its neighbour countries to regain a bit of perspective. Read more: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/swedish-minister-gives-strongest-case-yet-on-why-eu-should-stop-turning-away-asylum-seekers-10366910.html

Open letter regarding the Border Force Act 2015 Today the Border Force Act comes into force. It includes provision for a two-year jail sentence for “entrusted persons” such as ourselves if we continue to speak out about the deplorable state…

It can be difficult for any student to get used to a new school, but especially hard for young refugees who have to manage an unfamiliar language and culture. South Australian primary schools are now using student mentors to help…

They danced, sung and ate. But above all the TAFE Illawarra Wollongong students in the Adult Migrant English Program celebrated. And for students like Adnan Abou Kassem, the Refugee Week party on June 11, represented a perfect opportunity to highlight…

This week marked the opening of a stunning photographic exhibition that offers a window into the stories and lives of refugee communities across Australia. The 2015 AMES Heartlands Photographic Exhibition, titled “Seeking Safety” showcases the works of four photographers who…

The WA government has announced, over the next year, $230,000 will go to improving the curriculum and teaching skills of professionals at after hours language schools. Read more: http://www.sbs.com.au/podcasts/naca/radionews/episode/416275/WA-invests-in-languages-education

Reforming training qualifications could provide workers with stronger capabilities, enabling them to adapt more quickly to changing labour market, and help reduce persistent skills mismatch, according to new research. The researchers were exploring the notion that many graduates do not…

THEY are Sydney’s most reclusive multi-millionaires and our most generous migrants. Property magnates Isaac Wakil, who emigrated to Australia from Iraq, and his wife Susan, who fled Romania as a child, have quietly been selling off parts of their property…

AMES Footscray has joined with an order of Catholic nuns to provide newly arrived migrant and refugee mothers of school-age children with English lessons in a new and innovative program. Josephite nun Sister Joan Healy identified a need for mums…

Cold, sleepless nights filled with stormy black seas, a dilapidated ship and the shouts of a struggling crew. It’s rare we are presented with the detailed realities of what asylum seekers actually go through when coming to Australia by boat.…

​Footscray AMES Hospitality Class had its first session at William Angliss Institute (WAI) on Tuesday 14 April. Students started the day with a tour of their new campus, followed by lunch in the Observation Restaurant. Fellow hospitality students run the…