South Sudanese Australian community investment

Nas Recovery Centre (NRC) is a community-based service providing alcohol, drug, and mental health treatment. In its next phase, NRC will offer holistic, in-home support to South Sudanese Australian youth and families impacted by substance misuse and justice system involvement.

Key services include:

• referrals
• school engagement
• legal assistance and
• individualised case management.

The African Youth Initiative (AYI) is a youth-led not-for-profit dedicated to empowering youths of African backgrounds through community engagement, personal development, and social cohesion programs. In its next phase, AYI collaborates with four partner organisations to implement key initiatives:

• AYI Drop-In Sessions: Offering a safe space for skill-building and relationship development for young people at AYI’s Melton office.
• Faithful Coalition: A youth-led Christian men’s group focused on personal growth, spiritual development, and community service, culminating in an annual camp.
• Girl Chat: A safe space for South Sudanese Australian women, fostering conversations on mental health, relationships, and employment, culminating in a mother-daughter event.
• Grace Community: A church-based outreach that includes the Grace Community Youth Basketball Team, promoting teamwork and community spirit.
• Home Court: Weekly basketball games that foster social cohesion and mental health awareness, culminating with an annual basketball tournament.

NextGen Unite is a youth-led not-for-profit empowering young people through music and creativity. In its next phase, NextGen Unite will deliver the following programming as part of its ongoing project:

• Offer free weekly studio and music recording sessions.
• Create a safe space for South Sudanese Australian and African Australian youth to explore music.
• Develop skills in music production and mastering.
• Foster creative expression and self-discovery.
• Provide an alternative to negative influences.
• Connect youth with mentors for personal and professional growth.
• Engage youth with justice system involvement.
• Facilitate access to support services, including employment, mentoring, counselling, and legal aid.

Oyiti Foundation for Multicultural Youth focus on mental health education and awareness within the South Sudanese Australian community in Melbourne. The foundation addresses cultural stigma surrounding mental health and promotes cross-generational dialogue to prevent adverse mental health outcomes that may lead to justice system involvement.

Oyiti Foundation for Multicultural Youth will deliver the following programs as part of their project:

1. Mental Health Facilitator Training (Touchpoints): Training 7 South Sudanese Australian facilitators to support their communities.
2. Oyiti Foundation Cup: A 3-day basketball tournament, featuring mental health sessions led by trained facilitators to reduce stigma and promote intergenerational dialogue.

The Sudanese Mothers Coalition in Victoria supports Sudanese and South Sudanese youths and their families across the state. In its next phase, the community organisation will host cooking and cultural sessions at Melbourne Youth Justice Centres. They will engage young people in custody, their families, and community leaders.

The program will include:

• South Sudanese storytelling
• traditional dancing and
• prayer.

Offering a holistic cultural experience aimed at strengthening community and intergenerational connections and reducing recidivism.

Junubi Stars Basketball Club is a group of young athletes from Melbourne’s Western Suburbs. The program engages primary and high school-aged youths of South Sudanese Australian backgrounds in structured basketball sessions three times a week.

The program focus’ on physical activity, leadership, and peer mentorship. It strengthens community connections while offering a positive, supportive environment for young people.

Stand Out Youth Empowerment (SOYE), also known as Stand Out Basketball, is an afterschool program offering weekly basketball training and mentoring to African youths.

In its next phase, SOYE will continue to promote physical activity, skill development, and personal growth, empowering young people through sports and dedicated mentorship.

The South Sudanese Christian Welfare Association Inc. (SSCWA) supports refugees and migrants of South Sudanese backgrounds. 

SSCWA will deliver the following programs as part of their project:

1. Parenting Support Program: Equips parents with skills to support children, particularly those in the justice system or disengaged from education, through training and mentorship.
2. Group-Based Workshops: Engages youths and families in culturally enriching activities that strengthen intergenerational connections.
3. Brokerage for Mental Health Support: Facilitates access to mental health services for vulnerable community members.

Mzuri Dance ArtisTree, in partnership with Nurturing African Gen, will implement the following programs as part of the Rise Together Project:

1. Culture Club: a 13-week drop-in after-school program for 18-20 youth of South Sudanese backgrounds, providing activities such as dance, drumming, yoga, arts, and wellbeing sessions to promote cultural and social connections and encourage healthy lifestyle choices, including exercise and eating habits. Participants will also have three excursion performance opportunities in public community spaces.
2. Community Cook-up: a 10-week cultural cooking program for 30-40 residents, families, and youth of South Sudanese backgrounds, culminating with a Christmas BBQ party allowing participants to showcase their culture through food, dance, and music.
3. Carer's Circle: a 10-week parents’ program for 15 community members of South Sudanese backgrounds, offering valuable parenting advice following the 'Tuning into Teens' framework.

AAFRO will work with families and young people, offering culturally appropriate and holistic care through the following projects: 

1. Beat the Time Program: a responsive, early intervention and culturally safe school holiday program that engages youth of South Sudanese and African backgrounds four times a year during the school holidays.
2. Case Management: providing comprehensive wrap-around support to adults and single parents and their families through one-on-one and group support, intensive case management and advocacy.
3. Training for Staff: provide comprehensive training to staff members to enhance their ability to effectively support and engage with program participants.

Africause will implement the following education, mentoring and intergenerational connection programs as part of their project:

1. In-school Mentoring Program: a weekly, group-based program offered throughout the school term, providing tailored mentoring and support to engage youth who have disengaged or are at risk of disengaging from upper primary, secondary and specialist (juvenile justice) education. Parents of participants are also involved in the program for intergenerational connection and support.
2. Intergenerational Camp Program: a four-day overnight camp for youths and their parents, focusing on intergenerational connection and holistic family support.

The project is an early intervention program that aims to support South Sudanese children and young people between the ages of 5 and 18 years and empower them to reach their potential through educational, recreational, and family support activities. The project includes:

1. Homework Club: a weekly homework club providing study assistance for youth of South Sudanese backgrounds.
2. A Friend with Purpose Mentoring Program: culturally safe group-based and one-on-one mentoring for youth of South Sudanese backgrounds.
3. Parent Engagement and Support: information sessions on intergenerational conflict, parental role modelling and English conversation classes.
4. Recreational Activities for Children and Youth: a culturally safe "drop-in" space for socialising and supervised recreational activities both before and during the homework club, with excursions planned to expose children to diverse learning environments, nature, and places of inspiration.

Multicultural Youth Support Services will deliver the following programs as part of their project:

1. Homework Club: a weekly homework club located at a secondary college in the Southeast Metro area, focusing on improving students English, Mathematics and Science skills. 
2. Mentoring Program: a weekly mentoring program located in Cranbourne North, where 5 youth leaders will receive peer-to-peer mentorship training, equipping them to mentor and engage other youth through social and sport-based activities.

African Youth Alliance will deliver the following programs as part of their Community of Hope project:

1. The Buildup Program: a 10-week program engaging a consortium of five community organisations who engage with and offer programs and services for South Sudanese Australian youth. The program will also include group-based capacity building training, mentorship, brokerage and the co-design and delivery of community programs.
2. Hope Centre Program: offering fortnightly homework support and skills development opportunities through open mic sessions, debating, theatre sports and mentorship. The program will also host termly BBQ celebrations that strengthen community connection and participation.

The African Youth Initiative is a partnership supporting the following five projects:

• Faithful Coalition is a youth-led Christian men’s group with majority South Sudanese Australian membership. Activities include weekly meetings, an annual camp and regular BBQs and sports activities.
• Girl Chat is a social group for young South Sudanese Australian women which provides a safe space for conversations, networking, and personal development programs.
• Grace Community is an outreach of Melton Uniting Church with strong connections to the South Sudanese community. Activities include art classes and the Grace Community Youth Basketball Team.
• Home Court hosts weekly basketball games in Derrimut. It promotes social cohesion and belonging amongst young men through mental health discussions and annual tournaments.
• African Youth Initiative’s Reclaimed Voices Project is a documentary project involving youth South Sudanese Australian who have had contact with the youth justice system and desisted from offending.

Nas Recovery Centre (NRC) is a community-based alcohol and other drugs and mental health treatment service. NRC will deliver collaborative and culturally determined substance use and related mental health support to young people and families from African backgrounds. NRC will also provide access to other services through referrals and collaboration. NRC will deliver:

• substance use and mental health day rehabilitation programs for people from African backgrounds aged 15 and older. Day programs run on Monday, Wednesday and Friday in Cranbourne West
• community outreach, in partnership with Project Sunrise, on Thursdays in West Metropolitan Melbourne
• an online support group for families, friends, and carers
• collective healing events for community.

NextGen Unite will run the Music and Justice to Inspiration programs weekly in Pakenham.

The NextGen Unite Music program will:

• provide a safe and supportive environment for South Sudanese Australian and other African Australian youth to develop their skills in producing and mastering music
• encourage youth to explore their creativity and express themselves through music
• connect youths with mentors.

The NextGen Unite Justice to Inspiration program will:

• provide a safe and supportive environment for youth who have been involved in the justice system to develop their storytelling skills
• help break down stigma and barriers for young people
• provide access to employment support, mentors, counselling, legal support, and substance use and mental health support services.

Stand Out Basketball is an afterschool basketball and mentoring program for youth. The program also provides access to specialist support services (e.g. counselling and legal support). The activities include:

• twice weekly basketball training sessions
• weekly mentoring sessions
• catering for mentoring/basketball sessions.

Impact Initiative will provide funding for South Sudanese mothers to cook together and provide meals to young South Sudanese Australians involved, or at risk of involvement, with youth justice. The Sudanese Mothers Coalition will deliver monthly food relief activities in west and south metropolitan Melbourne over 12 months.

The Culture Party is an event celebrating South Sudanese Australian talent. The Culture Party will include live interviews with artists and guests about mental health and wellbeing.

Mental Health Training will include:

• Mindfulness Monday: a regular meeting for young people to check in, reflect on the week and their wellbeing with the support of peers and a counsellor
• free counselling sessions with an Ethiopian Australian or South Sudanese Australian counsellor for up to 20 South Sudanese Australian young people
• culturally safe and relevant mental health training for 20 young South Sudanese Australians to create a network of South Sudanese Australians with mental health training.