Migrating to a new country can be challenging for everyone. The MIC assists newly arrived refugees and family stream migrants to successfully settle in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne. We offer casework and group programs to individuals, families, children and young people as well as support to community groups.
MIC has a strong commitment to ensuring that all children and young people accessing the MIC are safe, listened to and protected and that all of the Child Safe Standards are reflected in our day-to-day work practices. Please click here to see our current Children’s Safety Policy.
MIC has developed an A4 plain language document for Children and Young People to help explain our Child Safe Policy. It is available in English, to download please click here.
MIC has also developed an A4 plain language document to help explain our commitment to Child Safety to Parents and Guardians. It is available in nine different community languages. Please click on the language below.
English
Arabic
Chinese (Simplified)
Falam
Farsi
Hakha Chin
Karen
Mizo
Zomi
For a summary of the settlement services provided to individuals, families and children as well as young people in 2022/2023 see our MIC SETS Program Report 2022-2023.
Please click here to see our Settlement Support Services Brochure.
Building a new life in Australia
The MIC assists families and children from migrant and refugee backgrounds through a range of programs and groups aimed to strengthen and support family relationships through their initial years in Australia.
We work with individuals and groups from migrant and refugee backgrounds to identify their needs, providing information on the range of options available to them. We then support our clients and communities to access services and resources that meet their needs and build new skills to navigate the new Australian cultural and social environment.
Our support includes helping people to find private rental housing, develop career pathways and gain employment. Information sessions and programs cover a wide range of topics such as Australian culture, consumer protection, the Australian legal system, fire safety, water safety, money management, healthy lifestyles and waste disposal.
Find out what’s on this month in our Calendar of Events.
See our client feedback.
Excursions
Going on family outings and participating in recreational activities is important for everyone, but when you’re new to Melbourne, it’s sometimes hard to know where to start. The MIC organises regular social activities and excursions to help newly arrived refugees and migrants build skills in using public transport whilst providing an opportunity to get together with others and participate in free or low cost family friendly activities.
To find out more about excursions and activities, visit our Calendar of Events or contact our settlement staff.
Homework support programs
We offer homework support programs to primary school aged children at two primary schools in Croydon and Heathmont. Our trained staff and volunteers assist children from Grades 1 to 6 to satisfactorily complete their homework and improve their written English, reading and comprehension skills so they can keep up with their peers and be prepared for secondary school studies. We also offer a homework support program for secondary school students in the Ringwood area.
Our homework support programs not only assist children and young people to do their homework; they help them develop study skills and study routines and provide opportunities for children to make new friends and build social skills. All programs are facilitated by MIC staff and trained volunteer tutors.
All homework groups run every week during the school terms.
For previous feedback on our homework support programs see:
HSP Feedback Report 2019 2020.
HSP Feedback Report 2018 2019.
For further information or to become a volunteer tutor please contact us.
Multicultural Playgroups
Our playgroups provide an opportunity for parents and grandparents from migrant and refugee backgrounds and their preschool aged children to come together in a fun, safe and supportive environment. Playgroups are facilitated by our trained staff and volunteers and include assisted play, games, story-time and music, as well as guest speakers from early childhood services such as Maternal and Child Health who provide important information for newly arrived families and excursions to local toy libraries, kindergartens and parks.
All playgroups run every week during the school terms and excursions are held with members during school holidays. Please CLICK HERE to view our latest Multicultural Playgroups Flyer.
For an evaluation of the multicultural playgroups see Sharing the Happiness Playgroup Evaluation Report.
For further information please contact us.
Parenting programs
Parenting practices in Australia can be different from traditional parenting practices from people’s countries of origin. Parents can find themselves in a different social environment and lifestyle in Australia often without the support they would have from extended family members. We offer parenting programs to strengthen their understanding of parenting children in Australia.
Our parenting programs are tailored to meet the needs of parents from migrant and refugee backgrounds who have children of a similar age. The programs help parents to identify the challenges of parenting in a new culture, provide them with information and strategies to help strengthen family relationships and build better connections between parents and their children. Some programs are co-facilitated by our staff with Anglicare and Connections who are specialist parenting and family support services.
For further information please contact us.
School holiday programs
We offer school holiday programs for children and young people every school holidays throughout the year. Our programs are targeted to newly arrived children to promote friendships and social participation during the school holidays.
To find out what’s on in the school holidays, see our Calendar of Events.