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Welcome to MYAN's January 2020 eNews!
As we wish all our supporters a Happy New Year, we do want to acknowledge what a challenging start to the year it has been for many of you, with the unprecedented bush fires occurring around the country. We hope that you, your loved ones and your communities are, and keep, safe and well.
MYAN has hit the ground running in 2020! We look forward to another exciting year working with you all to ensure that the rights and interests of young people from refugee and migrant backgrounds are recognised in policy and service delivery across Australia.
Read on to meet our new Youth Ambassadors Network (YAN), national policy updates, upcoming opportunities and useful resources.
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Welcoming our new YAN 2020!
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Pictured left to right- Mostafa Karimi, Mfaume Kakozi, Swathi Shanmukhsundaram, Maria Domina Augustine, Mary Moselina Harm and Zahra Al Hilaly
MYAN was thrilled to welcome our new Youth Ambassadors Network (YAN) to Melbourne for a weekend of induction and training.
Last week, MYAN's YAN representatives came together in their new capacity for the first time, undertaking leadership, cultural competency, and advocacy training and planning as the new YAN for 2020-2021.
The YAN to MYAN Australia was established in 2015 as a key mechanism for young people from across Australia to engage directly with and inform the work of MYAN and promote positive change in the lives of young people from refugee and migrant backgrounds across Australia.
Appointed through a selection process, the YAN are young leaders enagaged with MYAN's state or territory partners and in the national arena through MYAN Australia. They meet regularly through online platforms and annually in person. They also work on practical activities within their state or territory and serve as advocates, amplifying the voice of others, in a range of national and state/territory forums.
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Each month we will be profiling one our fabulous YAN members. Read on to meet Mary, our YAN rep from Queensland!
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10 Questions with Mary Maselina Harm.
Mary is our QLD YAN representative, engaged with our QLD partner, MyQ. Mary was also one of the MyQ delegates to FUSE 2019.
1. Who is Mary Maselina Harm? I am a proud Canadian born Samoan/Chinese-Fijian who identifies as a ‘multipotentialite’ - someone with many interests and creative pursuits. In every aspect of my life I feel a calling to serve, to learn and to create - to serve my communities both near and far, to learn from them and the environments we occupy and to create meaningful opportunities for young people to not only be seen but to be heard.
2. What sparks a fire in you, and why? Growing up away from my ancestral homelands I often questioned my indigeneity as a Pasifika woman. As I continue to learn more about my multifaceted Pasifika identity and pursue opportunities to reconnect I have gained a deeper understanding of how the land and sea are so core to my identity. I currently serve a passionate group of young Pacific community leaders known as the Pacific Climate Warriors. Through storytelling we are elevating the voices of those on the front lines of the climate crisis and humanising climate change.
3. What do you consider your greatest achievement to date? My greatest achievement to date was being elected the first female president of the Asia Pacific Youth Parliament for Water in 2017, which was held in South Korea.
4. Who is your hero and why? I draw strength from the matriarch of my family - my great grandmother, Maselina. She lived a full and colourful 103 years. Her story is one of strength, resilience but most of all, love. She was a healer, a protector and a woman of great faith. I see and feel her blessings everyday and aspire to live a life so full of love and laughter like her.
5. What is your most treasured possession? I don’t have a single possession I treasure most but I have huge respect for Pasifika art especially traditional handicrafts. I treasure things like traditionally woven mats, bags and shell necklaces - they remind me of the stories of my ancestors which I fight to keep alive everyday. It would be rare to see me travel without one of these items in my suitcase.
6. Why did you apply to be the MYAN YAN representative for QLD? I really wanted an opportunity to up-skill and learn how I can better serve my communities both near and far. I wanted to learn more about other young people from different cultures, hear their stories and learn how I can bridge the gap between our communities - especially between Indigenous Australia and Multicultural Australia. I wanted to create opportunities for young people to create their own spaces and be part of spaces they normally wouldn’t be welcomed into.
7. What skills and talents are you bringing to the YAN 2020? I have a passion for storytelling and all the many ways you can share and gift a story. This passion led me to pursue a degree in Communications majoring in Public Relations and minoring in Event Management. I enjoy bringing people together, especially over some wholesome food.
8. What are you hoping to achieve in 2020 as YAN’s QLD representative? I want to highlight the work of MYAN and get more young people involved with the important and meaningful work that they are doing. I also want to promote multicultural Queensland to our youth here in Brisbane. I feel there are lots of amazing initiatives happening in Brisbane but they could be even better if we worked more collaboratively.
9. What advice do you have for young people wanting to make a difference in the world? Whatever it is you want to do or whatever narrative it is you want to rewrite or change, ask yourself what kind of ancestor you want to be. I think it’s important that we draw strength from those that fought so hard for us to be present today but to also be conscious about what kind of legacy you are leaving behind. And lastly but perhaps most importantly - look after yourself. Self care is important.
10. How can young people get involved in the work you do? Get in touch with MyQ, Queensland (http://www.myq.org.au/). Also, reach out and show solidarity with First Nations people. One of the easiest ways to do this is to follow the work of the Pacific Climate Warriors.
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National Policy
The Productivity Commission recently released their Draft Report into the Social and Economic Benefits of Improving Mental Health, following a call for submissions in 2019. MYAN examined the report and provided additional comment, highlighting cultural responsiveness in mental health and well-being support, interventions in school settings, and suicide prevention. The final inquiry report is to be handed to the Australian Government by 23 May 2020.
Read MYAN's original submission here and the response to the Draft Report can be viewed here.
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National News
MYAN would like to congratulate Maria Dimopoulos, Chair of the Harmony Alliance Council, who was awarded an Order of Australia on 26 January. This award pays homage to Maria’s long and ceaseless dedication to promoting and enhancing cultural diversity and gender informed approaches—and to ensuring the meaningful inclusion of diverse voices—in legal and political reform processes. Her work has brought Maria national and international recognition as an expert on the intersections of cultural diversity, gender equality and the law. Read more here.
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YACVic Bushfire Relief and Recovery Survey
Youth Affairs Council Victoria is working with government, local councils, youth services and young people to support community recovery and rebuilding efforts long-term. They are advocating for specific funding and services for young people and youth workers, and to develop a Youth-Focused Disaster Protocol.
If you have experience working with young people in disaster relief and recovery, or are a young person who has been part of these efforts, please share your thoughts with YACVic here
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Racism and/or religious discrimination and homo/bi/transphobia.
The Australian Multicultural GLBTIQ Association (AGMC) is keen to hear from people who have experienced racism and/or religious discrimination and homo/bi/transphobia.
Find out more about the project and share your experience by completing an anonymous survey here
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The Victorian Multicultural Commission have collated an extensive list of translated fire safety resources to help people stay safe throughout the bushfire crisis, and includes relevant information on a variety of different topics, including health and safety, distress and trauma and emergency services.
Human Rights Watch have released their annual global review of human rights World Report 2020. Once again, the report identifies the treatment of asylum seekers and refugees by Australia as key human rights concerns.
Turning 20 in 2020: The babies of 2000 are all grown up and this is what they think about the future. What does the world look like now for someone born in 2000?
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