AMES Australia has successfully accommodated more than 1800 of the recently arrived evacuees from Afghanistan in short-term accommodation across Melbourne and Adelaide.
Around 300 more have been placed with families and links already living in Australia.
Facilities staff and others have been working overtime to ensure all of the new arrivals have everything they need to begin their settlement journeys in Australia.
The refugees are being housed in AMES’ short-term accommodation at Werribee and Reservoir as well as at three international student accommodation complexes in the inner city.
There are medics on site to help with health issues as well as COVID-19 vaccination and testing programs.
AMES Senior Manager Accommodation Maree Symons said that more than 320 people had been vaccinated on just one site.
“We’ve received and distributed amazing donations of food and clothing and we’ve also had 500 tablets donated by Telstra,” Maree said.
“We have also furnished the units with linen and utensils,” she said.
There were a few difficult moments for AMES staff recently with the recent COVID protest in the city and the earthquake.
“There were a few moments when people were anxious but we have reassured the clients and things have settled down,” Maree said.
“It was a lot of work, especially establishing the sites, but things are settling down and our clients are more comfortable and now doing their own shopping,” she said.
The newly arrived refugees are now being supported by their assigned case managers based at Melbourne’s Multicultural Hub as well as to other services.