The City of Sydney is supporting a new project “Welcome to Sydney” to welcome and provide opportunities to refugees across Sydney. 

The City is providing $100,000 in cash and in-kind to support the refugee welcome project that links new refugees to local volunteers and take part in social, cultural and recreational activities. 

“Welcome to Sydney” (W2Sydney) is a volunteer based program where 20 Sydneysiders will become welcome ambassadors to introduce refugees and their families through activities. Some activities include walking tours, ferry trips, visits to facilities, cultural venues, events and sharing meals. 

Lord Mayor Clover Moore said the City will only help financially, but the staff will help recruit community volunteers, suggest and make available appropriate activities, events and venues. 

“Sydney has been a refugee welcome zone since 2005 and we know that people in our community want to do more to make sure newly arrived refugees feel welcome when they arrive,” the Lord Mayor said. 

“W2Sydney will provide a unique and innovative opportunity for newly arrived refugees and their families to connect and engage with their new home city and the broader Sydney community,” she added. 

The project is delivered by Settle Services International (SSI) in collaboration with the City. SSI is a humanitarian settlement organisation that provides housing support, case management and information for new refugees. 

With the support from the City, SSI will recruit volunteer and refugee participants, develop training for volunteers, meet costs of activities, provide ongoing support and deliver expertise in refugee resettlement.