South East Community Links

South East Community Links South East Community Links works to achieve better social and economic
outcomes for people in living

We work alongside multicultural communities to offer real and
meaningful solutions that are trusted, place-based and people-centred
including:

*Financial wellbeing and counselling to get money back on track
*Youth education, employment, housing and social participation
*Family violence services ensuring women and families are safe
*Housing and homelessness
*Settlement to support newly arrived ref

ugees and migrants
*Employment for people from CALD communities
*Emergency relief for people in crisis
*Community development to build capacity and inclusion.

This Refugee Week, we celebrate the chosen theme 'A Million Stories' — one million refugees welcomed by Australia since ...
15/06/2026

This Refugee Week, we celebrate the chosen theme 'A Million Stories' — one million refugees welcomed by Australia since World War II.

Every week at South East Community Links, our teams work alongside refugees and people seeking asylum — helping families find their feet, build their skills, connect with community, and contribute meaningfully to the place they now call home. Across 90+ cultures and languages, we are proud to play a part in so many of those stories.

We believe deeply in building capability and creating the conditions for every person to thrive, not just settle, but truly belong and enrich the communities around them.

💬 "Behind every number is a name, a story, a life rebuilt. Australia's million humanitarian visas are a million acts of courage — and a reminder that inclusion and creating a sense of belonging is how communities truly thrive."

— Peter McNamara, CEO, South East Community Links

Every person counts. 💙
🗓️ Refugee Week 2026 | 14–20 June

Today, our Head of Housing and Homelessness Marcia Harkins and Community Connectors Team Leader Damien Anderson took to ...
12/06/2026

Today, our Head of Housing and Homelessness Marcia Harkins and Community Connectors Team Leader Damien Anderson took to the stage at the VAADA - The Victorian Alcohol and Drug Association Service Providers Conference to share the story of our Community Connectors program.

The presentation highlighted how Community Connectors work alongside people facing complex challenges, helping them navigate support systems, build trust and improve their wellbeing outcomes. It was also an opportunity to showcase our partnerships with Metro Trains Melbourne , Victoria Police and which have been central to connecting with people where they are and providing early intervention support to those experiencing homelessness, financial hardship and mental health challenges.

Thank you to for the opportunity to share our work and learn alongside others committed to building stronger, more inclusive communities.

Supporting communities to respond to family and sexual violence starts with knowledge and that means meeting people wher...
09/06/2026

Supporting communities to respond to family and sexual violence starts with knowledge and that means meeting people where they are.

We were recently invited to deliver an in-language training session on Responding to Disclosures of Family and Sexual Violence for volunteers at the Cambodian Association of Victoria. Participants were keen to learn how to support community members experiencing family violence or sexual assault and how to connect them with the right services.

The workshop was co-facilitated with the support of CAV Director Soheang Pak, whose guidance helped make the session both meaningful and culturally responsive.

Thank you to Soheang and the entire Cambodian Association of Victoria team for a wonderful and insightful afternoon.

This work is part of our Working Together: Strengthening Family and Sexual Violence Support with Multicultural Communities program, funded by Family Safety Victoria.

Behind every confident decision is someone who was given the right information. As part of Domestic and Family Violence ...
05/06/2026

Behind every confident decision is someone who was given the right information.

As part of Domestic and Family Violence Prevention Month, we've been running some workshops at the Community Hub in Springvale Rise Primary School.

We know that preventing family violence isn't possible unless we equip women with the tools they need to make independent decisions. This series of workshops focuses on building the capacity of migrant and refugee mums to access local services, know their rights, and support each other.

Here is our Financial Capability Worker, Paul, sharing some practical information about:

📝 navigating utility bills
💵 how to access concessions
🔌 utility relief grants
📝 bill smoothing
🔌 and ways to save money on energy bills

By the end of the session, participants felt more confident if they had to contacting their utility providers, interpreting services, the Energy and Water Ombudsman, as well as financial capability and counselling services at SECL.

Thank you to every community member who has come forward and taken part in these workshops. Your willingness to engage, learn and support one another is what makes this program possible. 🙂

More workshops are coming in the weeks ahead — stay tuned for details.

This work is part of our Working Together: Strengthening Family and Sexual Violence Support with Multicultural Communities program, funded by Family Safety Victoria.

Struggling with water, energy or gas bills?Every second Tuesday of the month, the team from the Energy and Water Ombudsm...
03/06/2026

Struggling with water, energy or gas bills?

Every second Tuesday of the month, the team from the Energy and Water Ombudsman Victoria (EWOV) visits our Dandenong office to provide free, face-to-face support - pictured here with our Housing Capacity Building Practitioner, Craig B.

Whether you're experiencing utility hardship or have an unresolved issue with a utility company, the EWOV team can help.

On-site interpreters are available in Dari, with phone interpreters available for all other languages. Everyone is welcome.

To book an appointment, call us on 03 9791 8344 or email [email protected]

Every now and then, feedback arrives that stops you in your tracks. 💜 Recently, we received a long message that did exac...
29/05/2026

Every now and then, feedback arrives that stops you in your tracks. 💜

Recently, we received a long message that did exactly that, recognising the extraordinary work of our team in supporting a person through one of the hardest moments of their life.

What moved us most wasn't just the kind words. It was the acknowledgement of how our team showed up across different disciplines, different languages, different roles — all working together, in real time, for one person who needed help.

That's SECL. That's our people. And we couldn't be prouder. 🫶
👏

Community Information & Support Victoria - CISVic

This morning, Footscray Station became the newest home for our Community Connectors Program and we couldn't be prouder. ...
27/05/2026

This morning, Footscray Station became the newest home for our Community Connectors Program and we couldn't be prouder.

We were joined by Minister for Transport Infrastructure and Minister for Public and Active Gabrielle Williams MP Metro Trains Melbourne CEO Raymond O'Flaherty, and MP for Footscray Katie Hall MP to officially welcome Community Connectors to Melbourne's west, alongside some of the remarkable team already doing this work every day at Dandenong and Frankston stations.

Our CEO Peter McNamara said it best: "It all starts with a moment of trust." That's what Community Connectors is built on. Skilled outreach workers, present at busy transport hubs, ready to reach out to people who are doing it tough, often before they even know how to ask for help.

Since launching at Dandenong and Frankston, the program has connected thousands of people to support, prevented harm, and made our stations safer and more caring places for everyone. Not through enforcement, through human connection.

We're grateful to Metro Trains Melbourne for their ongoing partnership in making this possible, and excited to see what this next chapter looks like in Footscray.

You'll find our Community Connectors at Footscray Station and the adjacent Irving Street, Monday to Friday during the day. If you see them, be sure to say hello. 👋

Learn more: secl.org.au/wellbeing/communityconnectors

On Friday 15 May, we were proud to join Hampton Park Secondary College and their wellbeing team to mark IDAHOBIT Day — t...
24/05/2026

On Friday 15 May, we were proud to join Hampton Park Secondary College and their wellbeing team to mark IDAHOBIT Day — the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia, observed on the anniversary of the World Health Organization's decision to remove homosexuality from its Classification of Diseases in 1990.

Our team members from Youth Links and from our Family Violence team ran two engaging activities with students — Rainbow Trivia and a 'Privilege Sale' — with rainbow sour strap prizes proving a particular highlight. 🍬🍭

More than just a fun morning, these activities invited students to reflect on how LGBTI+ discrimination affects people's lives, what rights and privileges really look like, and how we can each play a role in building a more respectful and inclusive world.

Thank you to Hampton Park Secondary College for the invitation to be part of this important day.

For the past two years, South East Community Links has had the privilege of contributing to the Victorian Multicultural ...
22/05/2026

For the past two years, South East Community Links has had the privilege of contributing to the Victorian Multicultural Commission Regional Advisory Council (RAC), representing the voices and experiences of multicultural communities across Melbourne's south east.

Our Regional Advisory Council focused on four critical areas:

🏠Housing
🙋Youth Employment
🚫Racism

Together with council members and community leaders, we worked to identify barriers, develop recommendations, and advocate for meaningful, systemic change on issues that matter deeply to the communities we serve.

Last week marked the conclusion of the two-year term, a moment to reflect on the work accomplished and the relationships built along the way.

A highlight of the journey was attending the Premier's Gala Dinner, connecting with leaders and stakeholders from across the sector.

Thank you to the Victorian Multicultural Commission for the opportunity to contribute to this important work. We look forward to continuing to advocate alongside and for multicultural communities across our region.

Address

5 Osborne Avenue
Melbourne, VIC
3171

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

+61395465255

Website

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