BCHS Annual Report 2025 - Report - Page 19
Settlement Services
Services Spotlight
Humanitarian Settlement Program
The Humanitarian Settlement Program (HSP) supports new
arrivals to Australia to make Bendigo their home.
In this period our HSP team supported 123 new arrivals. Most
were Karen, followed by Hazara Afghans. Most arrivals came on
Visa 202 sponsored by family. If they did not stay with family,
then private rentals were secured. Housing has been a signi昀椀cant
achievement by the HSP team, especially in the current housing
crisis. Enormous work has been undertaken to secure longterm private rentals, which is a credit to the advocacy and
relationships that have been developed and maintained by the
team.
Settlement Engagement & Transition
Support
Our Settlement Engagement & Transition Support (SETS) team
have worked with 304 registered clients who attend the
service.
There have been almost 6000 client contacts in this reporting
period. These contacts may be in the form of case work,
information sessions, groups, client queries etc and include
infants through to seniors.
SETS client stats:
• 57 per cent of clients are engaged in full time studies.
• 88 per cent are born in Thailand or Myanmar.
To market to market with
Bendigo Foodshare
The Grow, Cook, Share Food hub made a
di昀昀erence to the lives of 325 Settlement Services
clients, who bene昀椀ted from a new partnership
with BCHS and Bendigo Foodshare.
Through the hub, the local food distribution
charity gifted 75 vouchers to new arrivals for fresh
produce from local growers and the Foodshare
market garden.
Maung Aye Taw said the voucher assisted her to
access healthy fruit and vegetables and exposed
her to new places.
“I cooked and ate all of the food that I got from
Foodshare,” she said.
With their $100 voucher, Ka chose long melon,
eggs, juju and potatoes.
Saw Nay Ku said the voucher was a big 昀椀nancial
help. “I don’t actually have to spend my own
money for the fresh veggies. I love the food that I
got there such as eggs, pumpkin leaves and some
other things for my family.”
Paw Lar Er said, “The voucher was very useful, it
helped me to buy healthy food for my kids and
my family and also helped me 昀椀nancially during
that time. It allowed me to support my family and
myself with the help of healthy food.”
• 88 per cent are people of Burma, majority are Karen.
• 6.7 per cent are Hazara.
• Most households are composed of related adults.
• Annual income shows no earnings over $60,000.
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