52 ARTISTS 52 ACTIONS

Art as Activism: This is Not a Moment, it’s a Movement

Saturday 20 July, 12pm - 1pm
Artspace Sydney, 43 - 51 Cowper Wharf Road, Wolloomooloo NSW 2011

This weekend at the 52 ARTISTS 52 ACTIONS Symposium, Asylum Seekers Centre's CEO Frances Rush OAM is participating in a panel with Ashmina Ranjit (artist), Gem Romuld (Australian Director, International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons), Mike Parr (artist), Richard Bell (artist), Rosanna Raymond (artist) and Safdar Ahmed (artist, Refugee Art Project).

The art world often reflects on how it can work beyond its own systems and structures to create real world change. This panel will explore what it means when artists work collaboratively with organisations and communities to propel contemporary, critical issues into the public realm and expand our vocabulary for assumed or established societal constructs.

Building upon his action for 52 ARTISTS 52 ACTIONS, Give your fee to the refugees, Australian artist Mike Parr has produced an edition of 200 silkscreen print sets. Signed and numbered by Parr, the prints will be sold throughout the exhibition, with all proceeds going directly to the ASC. Print sets are on sale at the gallery for $220 (incl. GST).

For more information, check out the Facebook event page:
www.facebook.com/events/2334947803445509/ ... See MoreSee Less

4 days ago  ·  

No Protection - No Hope

A 39 year old man from Iran arrived by boat in 2013.

He was not permitted to apply for a Temporary Protection Visa until 2017.

For six years he has lived in fear and struggled with mental trauma.

He has no protection, no income, no social support and no family.

He believes he has no hope - and suicide is an option.

ASC CEO, Frances Rush, calls for urgent action by Federal Government ... (asylumseekerscentre.org.au/no-protection-no-hope/)

The Asylum Seekers Centre CEO, Frances Rush, said there are currently 8,985 people nationally waiting for a decision by the Department of Home Affairs and 3,350 of these are in NSW. “The Government’s delay in processing their applications was the cause of this huge backlog in the first place. But now, combined with the recent 60% cutbacks in financial support, we are witnessing the longer term impacts on their mental health.”
“The Centre supports a significant number of people in this group,” she said, “and has been providing up to $35,000 per month to minimise the impact of these cuts. With absolutely no income, many people, including children, face immediate destitution and poverty,” she said.

“Every day we see the depth of their despair and extreme hopelessness. Many already have a history of trauma as a result of incarceration, physical and psychological torture. But the Department’s lack of effective and efficient processing has a further devastating impact on their depression and anxiety.

“Since 2017 we have seen around 14 single men from Iran and Sri Lanka, who are part of the Legacy Caseload, attempt suicide.”

Rush said an increasing number of people are presenting at the Centre with ongoing psychological distress directly linked to the prolonged waiting period. And even if the Australian Government does acknowledge them as refugees, they will only be given a temporary visa and there is no chance they will ever be reunited with their family whilst they remain in Australia.

“People present with chronic distress: low mood, inability to maintain work, chronic insomnia, fatigue and poor concentration. Several men have overdosed on medications. One person had to be removed from the railway tracks and was later hospitalised due to suicidal feelings. Three men overdosed on poison – feeling helpless, hopeless and unable to keep going. They are living in fear of being forced to return to their country of origin while continuing to wait for a decision on their applications.

“People are presenting with the generalised sense that suicide is a reasonable option for them. It has become the last resort for those who feel trapped and see no future or reason to live.

“Sadly, they thought that coming to Australia would be a better life. All they wanted was to be safe and contribute to society. It is very clear that going back to their home country is not an option as they believe they will be harmed or killed.”

As a major service provider in NSW for people seeking asylum, the ASC calls on the Government to:

Develop a faster and more efficient process to determine whether an individual is a refugee.
Provide people seeking asylum with adequate support during the waiting period to avoid increasing the extreme stress they are already experiencing.

Lives on Hold: Refugees and asylum seekers in the ‘Legacy Caseload’ (www.humanrights.gov.au/about/news/urgent-call-government-protect-asylum-seekers-and-refugees) Australian Human Rights Commission.

About ASC:
The Centre provides practical and personal support for people living in the community who are seeking asylum. We are currently supporting more than 4,000 people, less than 10% of whom are eligible for even the most limited income support from the government. This includes 529 families and a total of 942 children. ... See MoreSee Less

5 days ago  ·  

Smiling faces everywhere during lunch today, thanks to the Kids Giving Back families😃 Your generous contributions make a huge difference in the lives of people seeking asylum!Food, smiles, and warmth were in abundance when Zain (10) and Aiza (8) along with Mum, Nadia cooked and served lunch for Asylum Seekers Centre clients these holidays. For some, these lunches are their only real meal of the day.

Zain, Aiza and Nadia's delicious potato & corn salad along with spaghetti bolognese, boiled eggs and rice pudding were hugely enjoyed, as were their smiling faces and enthusiasm.

Other generous families on the day were Joshua and Zara with Mum Celine; and Hari and Iyla with Mum Neeta. These families also cooked up a storm including lentil soup, sweet potato/chickpea/spinach curry, naan bread, rice, fruit and brownies.

9 caring Kids Giving Back families made and served lunches these holidays for Asylum Seekers Centre clients who come from 45 countries including Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, Afghanistan, China, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Georgia.

Thank you to all for your generosity!

#asylumseekerscentre #asylumseekers #refugees #kidsgivingback #thenextgenerationofgenerosity ... See MoreSee Less

1 week ago  ·