In an amazing display of collaboration and community support, a brand new chapter of learning began at Brookside Children’s & Community Centre for the local Iraqi and Syriac communities in October 2023.
For several years, these two groups have gathered at Stevenson House, Caroline Springs, under the facilitation of Western Health. In the past two years, Council has established a social group designed to create connections between the two nationalities. Now, this group has found a new home at Brookside Children’s & Community Centre in Caroline Springs, meeting three days a week – Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays. Their activities include playing traditional games and, most importantly, socialising with one another.
At the heart of this initiative stands Abdulmaseeh Feryou, a dedicated volunteer of Stevenson House for the last two years. Recognising the need to deliver English language skills for these residents, Abdulmaseeh, Council, Western Health, and Djerriwarrh Education & Community Services (Djerriwarrh) collaborated to deliver English classes to this active community. In an exciting turn of events, Djerriwarrh went a step further by offering Abdulmaseeh a paid position to deliver these English classes. This employment not only recognises his dedication to this community but also offers a fantastic pathway opportunity for him moving forward.
Council looks forward to following this group as it continues to grow and develop.
Pictured: Abdulmaseeh Feryou delivering an English class at Brookside Children’s & Community Centre