By CASEY NEILL
SOUTHERN Migrant and Refugee Centre (SMRC) celebrated its 21st birthday last week – and learnt it would soon have a new home.
City of Greater Dandenong councillors last Monday night approved plans to lease part of their vacant 39 Clow Street officers to the organisation.
SMRC will move from its current Thomas Street space by February to start a five year lease with an option of a further five years.
It’s been 21 years since a handful of people decided refugees needed more support and advocacy in Greater Dandenong, Casey and Cardinia.
CEO Jenny Semple said the not-for-profit organisation formed with $200,000 from the then-Department of Immigration and Ethnic Affairs.
“We started with about seven staff and a committee of management, and from that point we really grew and grew based on the demands,” she said.
“We’ve worked with all the waves of refugees and migrants that have come through.”
SMRC started out in Walker Street, Dandenong, offering settlement services.
It’s expanded into aged care and added a youth worker, employment programs, driver education, counselling and family support, home tutoring, community profiles and cultural training and more.
SMRC’s greatest demand is from asylum seekers, who are ineligible for many government services.
