This week is National Refugee Week and its theme is ‘Celebrating the year of welcome’.

Federal Member for Cowper Pat Conaghan said there are many refugees and migrants from countries such as India, China, Iraq, Afghanistan, Vietnam and South Africa living in the electorate of Cowper and a grant of $25,000 would help the Coffs Harbour Community College provide training for their success.

“There are about 8,000 refugees and migrants living in our regional cities and towns across the Mid North Coast and 5,500 reside in the Coffs Harbour area,” he said.

“Refugees and migrants come here for family, employment or humanitarian reasons and they have often experienced crime, poverty, war and other unsafe situations.

“The Morrison-McCormack government is committed to supporting all Australians including those from multicultural backgrounds and we have awarded Coffs Harbour Community College a $25,000 Fostering Integration Grant to help improve migrants’ workplace language skills.”

Coffs Coast Community College Operations and Project Manager Margot Steadman said the grant would help deliver training courses on the English language pathways needed in the hospitality and retail sectors.

“What I find as a project manager in community education is our refugees and migrants complete a Certificate II in English at TAFE, but this training does not go into the depth required to teach them language pathways needed to succeed in the workplace,” Ms Steadman said.

“Our college has therefore designed a course to teach them the English language skills necessary to work in the hospitality and retail sectors and we teach things like customer and staff language, expectations of these workplaces and basic money skills.

“Enrollments are open for this course starting in July and people can apply by contacting Coffs Coast Community College on 6652 5378.”

Refugee Nezire Ali said she hoped attending this course would help her gain the language skills necessary to try and find work in one of Coffs Harbour’s cafes, restaurants or shops.