Commonwealth Bank small business regional manager Peiye Truong, Commonwealth Bank multicultural community banking general manager Huss Mustafa, Mirrabooka MLA Janine Freeman, Canning Mayor Paul Ng, Deloitte mentor Shabnam Ghadiri, mentee and City of Stirling resident, Commonwealth Bank multicultural community banking head of strategy Malini Raj, Stirling Mayor Mark Irwin, Metropolitan Migrant Resource Centre community and organisation development manager Amanda Gillett, Commonwealth Bank financial planning senior manager and mentor Lucy Lee.
Camera IconCommonwealth Bank small business regional manager Peiye Truong, Commonwealth Bank multicultural community banking general manager Huss Mustafa, Mirrabooka MLA Janine Freeman, Canning Mayor Paul Ng, Deloitte mentor Shabnam Ghadiri, mentee and City of Stirling resident, Commonwealth Bank multicultural community banking head of strategy Malini Raj, Stirling Mayor Mark Irwin, Metropolitan Migrant Resource Centre community and organisation development manager Amanda Gillett, Commonwealth Bank financial planning senior manager and mentor Lucy Lee. Credit: Supplied/Supplied

Cities of Stirling and Canning launch Kaleidoscope Mentoring Program for migrants and refugees

Kristie LimEastern Reporter

NEW migrants and refugees will learn how to improve their employment potential through a mentoring program in the cities of Stirling and Canning.

Stirling Mayor Mark Irwin, Canning Mayor Paul Ng, Mirrabooka MLA Janine Freeman and the Metropolitan Migrant Resource Centre launched the Kaleidoscope Mentoring Program last night.

The Mirrabooka-based program, which is funded by the Department of Social Services, is the second phase of Stirling’s Kaleidoscope Initiative.

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Mentees will be paired with professional mentors in their chosen industry, gain the understanding of Australian workplace culture and develop networks over a three-month period.

The Office of Multicultural Interests has provided an additional $187,574 in funding to extend the program until the end of 2019.

Cr Irwin said the mentoring program was designed for professional female migrants and refugees.

“Migrant women often take the lead in settling families into the Australian community, which can mean they out of the employment game for much longer,” he said.

Past mentee Kezang Dema, Mirrabooka MLA Janine Freeman and past mentor Eric Javier Torres.
Camera IconPast mentee Kezang Dema, Mirrabooka MLA Janine Freeman and past mentor Eric Javier Torres. Credit: Supplied/Supplied

“So, we want to explore these barriers and develop strategies to specifically address how to overcome these as well.”

Cr Ng said the two cities’ collaborative approach meant they could connect newcomers with professionals and help them thrive in their new communities.

Ms Freeman said newly-arrived Australians could establish network links to start their careers.

“With unemployment in the Mirrabooka area hovering at 20 per cent, the community needs on-the-ground employment initiatives responsive to their circumstances; Kaleidoscope is one step towards meeting this demand,” she said.

For information, visit www.kaleidoscopeinitiative.com.au/mentorship.