By Vittoria Pasquini
Since its foundation almost 10 years ago, VDSA has been committed to the improvement of the lives and wellbeing of Indigenous youth. We know that there is still a lot to do in Australia to close the gap between non-Indigenous population and First People and that the reconciliation process is slow. We are a small Association with limited resources and volunteer members but we strongly believe that every act of kindness and every opportunity contribute to the well-being of Indigenous youth. Each small donation counts towards closing the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous youth and we believe we all have a responsibility to reduce it. In the course of the years The Valerio Daniel De Simoni Association has had the opportunity to show support to Indigenous youth by way of providing:
– Drama workshops to assist youth at risk of leaving school and becoming alienated from their culture, and video courses at Alexandria Park Community School
– Offering free psychotherapy sessions
– Facilitating inspirational workshops for WEAVE’s Culture and Personal Development Camp attended by Aboriginal youth
– Partnering with WEAVE on the introduction to Permaculture & Rooftop Garden, a course which is part of WEAVE’s Step Up Learning Program, which aims to assist young Indigenous people to re-enter mainstream education, training or employment
– Partnering with Marrickville Youth Resource Centre on Aboriginal Art & Outreach
– Partnering with Marrickville Youth Resource Centre and Connect Marrickville on Yarn N’Arts & Aboriginal Art & Outreach offering facilitated art workshops for indigenous youth and families
– Collaborated with Jarjum College in the provision of a soccer training program for students (Research has found that sport helps reduce violence, keeps Indigenous youth out of serious trouble and is essential to counter the moral despair of many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people)
– Donating organic fresh vegetables from VDSA organic vegetable garden in Bronte weekly to the to The Jarjum College, Redfern and to the Redfern Community Centre.
VDSA is acting locally but we members of the Association are thinking globally. We know for example that Australia is the only nation in the whole world without a Treaty with its First People who are still not recognised in the Australian Constitution.
We hope that the Yolngu word of Makarrata (coming together after a struggle, facing the facts of wrongs and living in peace again) which is embedded in the Uluru Statement from the Heart, will have an impact in the recognition of Aboriginal peoples’ rightful place in Australia.
Blog
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Looking back on VDSA’s Indigenous Youth Program
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Letter from Justin, Asylum Seeker
My name is Justin [we have changed Justin’s name for anonymity and safety] from Sri Lanka. I came Australia to seek asylum by the brutal war against Tamils.
I was incarcerated at Sydney immigration residential housing between 2011 to 2016 by the reason of adverse security from ASIO. Those period of my life was limbo. I was suffering by depression, insomnia and lots of medical issues.
That time Victoria Paola, Nicoletta Alison and Megan from VDSA started to visit me. They are very kind and always encourage me to come over from those mental illness and they tried to make my spirits up.
They sent students to entertain me and others in the housing. And also they usually bring foods & fruits for us each visits and mingle with us as one of us.
Their visits made me relieving from the depression.
I have been released on 2016 to the community by ASIO, who made the decision as I am not security threat to the community.
Even though I have been released, they’re still visit and support me and keep the relationship with us as a mentor. We are impressed by Valerio’s thoughts too.
My family and I are thanking everyone who visited us and your continuous support for us. Cheers, Justin & Family -
Refugees & Asylum Seekers Program 2021 report
Charity Haynes for Alison Raco
Much of this year has been dominated by the Coronavirus and its impact on vulnerable people like asylum seekers highlights the importance of VDSA in their lives. All those asylum seekers and refugees living without visa or on welfare are not eligible for the government’s special benefits like JobSeeker. So, if they lost their job they were without support, and even for those that might have been eligible the process of applying was very complex. In addition, many do not have Medicare, which leaves them very vulnerable during a pandemic.
The support from VDSA to this group has taken many forms and often had unexpected benefits, such as providing Day Care support to their children. This enables the child to learn English, and so become more integrated and able to respond to visitors, and for the parent(s) it enables them to spend time on other activities, such as going to classes at TAFE (English, sewing etc.), driving lessons or taking part time work, or being able to focus on the new baby – thus a win/win for everyone. Such generosity is life changing.
Some refugees have needed ongoing support for many years while they look for work, but when they do finally get employment and are able to cope on their own, their gratefulness for having been believed in and helped to survive those difficult years is wonderful and very rewarding.
For many refugees with ill health, Coronavirus has been especially frightening, since often they do not have Medicare, so the fear of getting Covid is exacerbated. Sensible advice like not taking public transport means that essential activities like going to the Foodbank at ASRC (Newtown) or to LWB (Parramatta) becomes an added burden, if advised not to travel.
One of the big changes this year has been that visiting Villawood Detention Centre was banned since March, for fear that Covid could be spread there. This has meant that the only contact is by mobile phone. The government tried to introduce a bill banning mobile phones in detention centres. Luckily the campaign against this bill was successful, with a deciding vote from Jacqui Lambie defeating it. Many people in detention have been there several years, have partners and children in the community or back in their country of origin. So this potential cruelty to already deprived people was extremely distressing and puts our Lock Down experience in perspective.
There are however highlights even in this area, with one of the refugees in detention for 10 years being released and now living with his brother, who was more fortunate and had only stayed in detention about 5 years. It is lovely to see them reunited and able to share a couple of rooms in a rented house.
The appreciation of VDSA by therefugees is enormous but it is a two-way process, since the members of VDSA benefit and are enriched by having the opportunity of friendship with them. Celebrations of weddings, birth of babies, birthdays, picnics, and casual meetings have enabled members of VDSA to get to know them and we have benefited enormously from this. -
VDSA Sponsors Jarjum College Soccer Program
In 2019 VDSA partnered with Redfern Jarjum College support to a Term 3 soccer training program for students. “While challenging at times, the kids really enjoyed playing as a team. Learning how to play within the rules and navigating the emotions of winning/losing is really important for these kids” said one of Jarjum College teachers. Research has found that sport helps reduce violence, keeps Indigenous Youth out of serious trouble and is essential to counter the moral despair of Many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
Redfern Jarjum College
rjc.nsw.edu.au -
VDSA REFUGEE GROUP 2019 – REPORT
This year brought deep and abiding sadness with the death of one of our long-serving and very active members, Nicoletta. Her absence is strongly felt. Many refugees and asylum seekers attended Nicoletta’s funeral and wrote moving tributes.
We have continued with our usual activities of visiting refugees and their families in the community. Some steadfast members visit Villawood Detention Centre as well. We provided refugees and asylum seekers with much needed funds and relief from distress, poverty and misfortune where there was most need. We have assisted them with medical, legal, pharmaceutical, rental and power bills and purchased food and groceries, phone cards, a pram, clothes, essential household items and a child safety-gate.
We provided emergency assistance to a single Tamil mother who suddenly found herself in a desperate situation with no government assistance.
We also assisted a small refugee family who had to transfer to a regional centre for two years. The father was unable to funds work at first and this was very distressing for them as they found it difficult to pay rent and buy food. After weeks of searching he has now found employment.Some members have attended court hearings to support refugees.
From time to time we meet with ex-detainees to share a meal or go on an
outing.A sense of hope has arisen for three refugee families who have recently celebrated the births of babies after experiencing many years of helplessness and hopelessness whilst in detention.
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GROWING VEGETABLES FOR THE DISADVANTAGED – 2019 REPORT
This year we have been growing a range of vegetables. We make regular donations of vegetables to refugees and asylum seekers. We also deliver weekly two or more large bags of vegetables to The Redfern Community Centre. This centre is frequented predominantly by indigenous locals. Some vegetables are used in the preparation of meals on Tuesdays and some are given to attendees to take home.
The Redfern Community Centre manager recently sent the association a letter of thanks. She stated that they feed between thirty and seventy people at each sitting and the vegetables from our garden are very much appreciated.
We also deliver veggies to Redfern Jarjum College, which supports and motivates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students facing disadvantages. Teachers and students are very happy to be able to eat organic fresh vegetables for lunch weekly and intend to visit our vegetable garden in Bronte soon.
This year we have planted warrigal greens which are enjoyed by the indigenous community and intend to plant other native vegetables and herbs.
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LUNCH PROJECT – 2019 REPORT
This year our group celebrates its 7th Birthday. Our work has consisted in providing monthly quality hot lunches for refugees and asylum seekers who attend the Asylum Seekers’ Centre in Newtown. Our teams are not only respected but truly cherished by these refugees and asylum seekers and by the staff.
This year as in 2018 the VDSA Lunch Project Group has impressively coped with the unpredictable number of lunch participants – sometimes sixty or seventy people. There have been times when our generosity in providing food for each meal has proved the only reliable resource and meal for the day. Fresh fruit is always in great demand. Any remaining food is carefully packed and happily carried to their homes by the refugees and asylum seekers.
Members of our teams arriving at the Centre can ask at the desk for one of their volunteers to give a hand in the kitchen at whatever stage of our lunches. This provision allows our busy team members to enjoy brief but rewarding moments of interaction with the during after their meal.
Finally, I wish to express my profound gratitude to all members of the Valerio Daniel De Simoni Lunch Group for their consistent commitment, kindness and generosity, and of course an additional heart-felt thank you to the people who contribute more than one lunch per year.
Mariella Totaro-Genevois
Coordinator, VDSA Lunch Project ASC -
Nicoletta Zanardi speaks at VDSA’s 2019 fundraiser
VDSA Committee member Nicoletta Zanardi presents on the association’s activities of support and solidarity with refugees at the 2019 fundraiser.
Nicoletta died of cancer a few months after this video was recorded and her colleagues and friends at VDSA, as well as the many people she helped in her role here, remember her with enormous affection, gratitude and admiration. She is deeply missed.
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Valerio’s Diaries at Museo dei Diari
We are pleased to announce that Valerio’s second book ‘Travel Journals’ has found a place in the Piccolo Museo del Diario in Pieve D.Stefano.
As you might know, the Archivio Diaristico di Pieve S.Stefano in its 35 years of existence has collected more than 8,000 stories of Italians: young and old, contemporary and ancient, cultured and illiterate. All of these stories give us a better perspective on Italian history. A range of professionals such as historians, sociologists, writers and educators are using the Archivio as an important source of information and study. Among all of these diaries, some have been selected to be put in digital drawers in the Piccolo Museo del Diario.
In this context, a digital drawer has been dedicated to Valerio’s book.
As you can see from the photos and videos the drawer opens and all the book’s pages fly around creating a mesmerising effect. At the same time you can hear the voice of Marco Baliani, a distinguished theatre actor, reading extracts from Valerio’s book. It is a moving experience.
If you travel to Italy, we strongly recommend a visit to the Museo. It is worth seeing!
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VDSA fundraiser 2019
Thank you to all who contributed and attended the VDSA 2019 fundraiser! As well as helping to fund the association’s ongoing programs, the fundraiser is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the association’s achievements, connect with other members and enjoy an evening of good food, entertainment and maybe even a raffle prize or two! See you all next time, VDSA
(Photos courtesy of Elio Locasino)
