Youth | Migrant Information Centre

The MIC assists newly arrived young refugees and family stream migrants to successfully settle in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne.

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.

Assisting young people to reach their full potential

Young people from refugee and family stream migrant backgrounds face challenges when they settle in Australia including low English language proficiency and for many refugee youth, disrupted schooling and years of displacement prior to their arrival in Australia.

The MIC’s Youth Settlement team provides casework for young people from refugee and migrant backgrounds aged 12 to 25 years. We work with young people at local schools, at their homes and from one of our offices.

We also provide a range of programs and activities especially for young people, including: young men’s and young women’s groups, employment programs, driver education programs, homework groups, sports programs and holiday programs.

For further information or to make a referral, please contact us.

Please click here for helpful services to contact in a crisis (or when you need support after hours).

For information on group programs, see our monthly calendar of events.

Click here to express interest in our future programs.

Please ensure that you write the name of the program you are interested in so we can inform you when and where the activity will be held once we have confirmed all the details.

Please check “Our Events” for each activity. If the date has been finalised please complete the Registration Form rather than the Expression of Interest Form.

English Conversation Corner: Expressions of interest

What: “Conversation Corner” is an English conversation group for newly arrived refugee and migrant communities to practice their English, develop confidence and make friends.

Who: People aged 16-25 years from a refugee or migrant background.

Where and when: The program will commence on 18th March 2024 and sessions will be held weekly during school term time (Mondays from 4.00pm-5.30pm).

Register: Please scan the QR on the flier below or follow this link to register.

Youth Outreach

MIC youth workers provide outreach on a weekly basis at MELBA College and Ringwood Secondary College. The youth team also visit Mount Lilydale Mercy College, Mooroolbark College and Blackburn English Language School (Maroondah Campus).

Please contact us if you would like one of our youth team to visit your school or educational institution in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne.

Homework support programs

We offer homework support programs to secondary school students at three libraries in Croydon, Mooroolbark and Ringwood. Our trained staff and volunteers assist students to satisfactorily complete their homework and improve their written English, reading and comprehension skills so they can keep up with their peers.

Our homework support programs not only assist young people to do their homework; they help them develop study skills and study routines and provide opportunities for them 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 further information or to become a volunteer tutor please contact us.

Employment Workshops and Assistance

Employment workshops are designed to provide young people with the skills to secure full-time or part-time employment. Our employment program for youth consists of three information sessions, two workshops, skills training and a workplace visit.

Information sessions are provided on resume writing, finding and applying for jobs and interview skills, followed by resume writing and interview practice workshops. Skills training includes Barista training and/or First Aid training.

Young Men’s And Young Women’s Programs

Young men’s and young women’s programs are aimed to address issues young people from a refugee or a migrant background are facing in their initial settlement. The programs are designed to increase young people’s resilience, cultural awareness, self-esteem and emotional well being through self-reflection, anger management and effective communication skills.

Youth Swimming Programs and Beach Excursions

Eight week swimming programs and beach safety excursions are conducted in partnership with Life Saving Victoria aiming to increase young people’s water safety knowledge.

Driver Education Program

The MIC facilitates a three day Driver Education Program to assist young people to understand road rules and obtain their Victorian Learners Permit. Young people who attend the program and pass their learners test receive a total of ten subsidised driving lessons to assist them to gain a Victorian Drivers Licence.

Youth School Holiday Programs

School holiday programs provide opportunities for young people to see their friends, learn something new and have fun at the same time. Local services are invited to provide information sessions.

Indoor Soccer and Volleyball Tournaments

Eight week competitions are carried out annually, to strengthen the relationships between youth communities and link them to local sports centres. Programs are aimed to increase the health and well being of young people.

MIC Youth Lead

MIC Youth Leadership Commission (MYLC) 2019

MIC Youth Leadership Commission is a group of young leaders from refugee and migrant backgrounds. Aims of the leadership program are:

Building the capacity of young people with natural leadership qualities
Utilising their settlement experience to assist other newly arrived youth

The group underwent an eight-week personal development training program and a six-week project management training. The group is passionately seeking and inventing effective approaches to improve the youth settlement process in the Eastern Metropolitan Region (EMR). They were invited by various organisations to share their experience and knowledge about youth settlement in Australia.

Their most recent project, the Ripple Effect project was funded by the Maroondah City Council, aimed to produce translated educational material covering essential settlement information for newly arrived young people from refugee backgrounds. The materials include a booklet and a set of animated videos, covering five topics.

Check out the videos here ->

Download the booklets here ->

English – Youth Booklet
Hakha Chin – Youth Booklet
Karen – Youth Booklet
Zomi – Youth Booklet

More information