AMES Australia's Individual Pathway Plan (IPP) has supported two Tibetan refugees into work despite the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown.
Tenzin Dawa and Rinchen Namgyal are working as a factory hand and pick packer respectively thanks to cooperation between AMES settlement and employment services under the IPP.
The pair and their families survived ethnic and religious persecution by the Chinese Government, which seized Tibet in 1950. Both families fled to India. They are now living in Maidstone and Braybrook, respectively, in Melbourne's west.
Tenzin arrived in Australia in February and has been an AMES Australia client since March. Tenzin was born in Himachal Pradesh, in northern part of India bordering Tibet, to where his parents fled in 1990. He completed high school there and worked as a Bar attendant.
Tenzin became a Jobactive participant since March, just a month after arriving in Australia. After being referred to the IPP by his AMES case manager Getachew Yosef, he gained life-changing employment within six months of arriving in the country.
AMES Work Broker Anvari Zaki said that Tenzin thought he would not be able to get a job this quickly.
“He thought it may take years for him to be able to be employed. But through the support of the IPP program and Jobactive, Tenzin was assisted comprehensively and was given a mentor to work with more closely to address his barriers," Zaki said.
As a result of the IPP program Tenzin has started work on September 7 in what is his first job in Australia as a factory hand.
“I am overwhelmed and honoured to be a client of AMES Australia. I am very thankful that I got the right support and assistance from AMES Australia and got that suits me," Tenzin said.
“I was also able to purchase the whole uniform with the assistance of my employment consultant. Your expertise and help have been invaluable during this process. I greatly appreciate the time and effort you have spent for me. I hope you continue the good deeds that you are doing," Tenzin said.
Rinchen Namgyal arrived in Australia in late 2019 and has been an AMES Australia client since March.
Before arriving in Australia, Rinchen spent most of his life in Himachal Pradesh, a city in northern India, where he fled with his parents in 2003 because of ethnic and religious persecution by the Chinese Government. Rinchen finished high school in India and worked as waiter at a Café.
Since arriving in Australia, he has been receiving settlement and orientation services and was referred to the IPP program and Jobactive by his AMES case manager Mathumathy Mugunthan.
Work Broker Anvari Zaki said Rinchen had no idea where to start and how his life would look like, after nine months of arriving in Australia.
“Rinchen has been actively participating in the IPP since Mid-March and started his first job in Australia as pick packer on September 7," Zaki said.
Rinchen says he is very happy with his work, that his workplace is fun and that he is part of a supportive team.
“I am very happy about getting this job with the help of AMES," he said.
Rinchen thanked Zaki and the AMES team.
“I am very thankful for your help as its very hard for me to find a job by myself. The job is very interesting and all my colleagues are very good to me," Rinchen said.
“My routine has been changed since I got the job. When I was doing nothing I was feeling loneliness and always doing the same things again and again, it was boring not working.
“Since I got that job, I have become more active and more goal oriented. I feel like I am doing something and that I am not wasting my time.
“And I feel so happy that now I am able to earn, it feels different but in a good way. Once again thank you so much for finding me a job," Rinchen said.
This update is written by AMES Australia Media Team.