Arab Council Australia Ltd

Arab Council Australia (Council) s services continued to deliver strong results for families, children, youth, the elderly and those with varying needs and abilities. Council s commitment to social justice is striving towards equity, and the ongoing cost of living crisis continues to impact communities, and Council has continued to provide and adapt services that address emerging and existing community need. This year the community continued to experience increased stress due to the escalation of violent conflicts in the Arab World particularly in Palestine and Lebanon, which impacted families and friends in Australia. As well as advocating for the Arabic speaking community, Council provided direct support to Palestinians arriving to Australia from Gaza including fundraising and developing and delivering social support programs for this cohort. Council continues to be dedicated in developing and delivering innovative programs which in the reporting period include: Sanadi Volunteer Program which worked to connect people impacted by cancer with trained volunteers to provide much needed support Expanding the Seniors Group Program to new areas to address isolation amongst Arabic speaking senior members of the community The From the Ground Up to Equality Project which was again refunded for a fourth time to continue delivering the outstanding Gender Equality program developed through the project. The Community and Civic Connection: Understanding and Navigating Life in Australia project, which was refunded and expanded into new areas, running information sessions that enhance the accessibility of services for individuals from diverse backgrounds, as well as the understanding of Australian processes including the civic and legal systems.