Sheila is one of our Multicultural Service Officers. She works closely with customers in Queensland’s multicultural communities, connecting with them through language.
She’s based in one of Queensland’s most diverse areas, working with large communities of recently arrived refugees and migrants, including from Rwanda, Sudan and the Republic of Congo.
She was a refugee herself, escaping war in Sudan with her family to live in camps in Uganda and Kenya. Her father was a doctor and worked in the refugee camps. He always told her how important education was, especially learning language. She added English to her skills of Swahili and Arabic Juba while in the camps, which helped her decide to move to Australia.
Sheila was inspired to join our agency by the help she got when she arrived here.
‘Making such a difference to people in really tough situations was something I knew I had to do,’ Sheila said.
Her first-hand experience as a refugee gives her personal insight into the importance of helping people feel connected to their new community. She knows she can direct them to the support they need.
‘When people first arrive in Australia, they’ve been through so much,’ Sheila said.
‘We shouldn’t underestimate how much relief it brings them to hear a familiar language.
‘Running information sessions in Swahili and Arabic Juba is comforting for new migrants and makes it easier for them to understand what support is available.
‘Seeing people who look like them representing the government - it makes them realise they have a chance to succeed in Australia.’
Sheila loves to see how her work helps customers progress their lives as new Australians. She also works with community organisations and refers her customers to other networks that assist them.
She recently helped a customer who wanted to start a small business. To get them started, she connected them with a community organisation that provides loans and business support for recent refugees.
‘Helping them take the first steps is my passion. It’s the reason I do what I do.’
We’re constantly evolving our services to support multicultural communities. Our new Multicultural Servicing Strategy 2023 to 2025 sets our direction over the next 3 years. It shows how we’ll meet the needs of multicultural customers now and into the future.
This includes working with peak bodies, service providers, community organisations and other government agencies to improve outcomes for multicultural customers and communities.
Read more about how to find information in your language.