Community support

GLAPD works closely with African community associations, predominantly the ones from the Great Lakes region of Africa which include Rwanda, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda and Kenya. GLAPD supports these communities by providing advice and advocacy, mediation in times of dispute or conflicts, financial support to run events /activities and projects as well as office space for meetings and workshops.

Cultural programs

Every year GLAPD organises a cultural event known as “GLAPD Get Together Harmony Day“ where communities from Africa‘s Great Lakes region gather to celebrate their identity and cultures through spectacular dances, fashion, delicious traditional food, beautiful arts and crafts and inspirational speeches from community leaders and guest speakers.

The cutting of “TOGETHER AS ONE“ cake symbolises Unity and Harmony. Our aim is for different community members to appreciate the richness in each other‘s cultures and learn to live in harmony with one another.

Sports program

Every year since 2015, GLAPD organises a sport event called “GLAPD Sports Gala“. It is a full day event, where all the communities from the Great Lakes region of Africa come together and compete in different games. Each community organises five teams to play five games (indoor soccer, basketball, netball, volleyball and table tennis). It is a wonderful occasion to see all the community members committed to teamwork and all the fans cheering their teams. Trophies and medals are awarded.

The main purpose of GLAPD Sports Gala is to facilitate networking between members of different communities, bridge the isolation gap by bringing together minority communities to participate with bigger communities and reinvigorate our health and wellbeing. It is a popular event, and a great tool for integration and social cohesion.

G’day Mate
Seniors' Program

African seniors encounter many issues, including social isolation, language barriers, lack of information and support.

GLAPD conducts activities and initiatives to facilitate smooth integration of African seniors in the wider Australian community. These include the "G'day Mate" initiative where African seniors are matched to Australian seniors to help them improve their conversational English and form new friendships, as well as computer literacy training, social gatherings, sport and excursions.

If you would like to be involved or assist the seniors, please contact us.

Computer literacy

The Scanlon Foundation funds the project so that GLAPD can deliver computer classes to all clients needing computer skills. A professional facilitator delivers the classes at three different levels:

• Beginner

• Intermediate

• Advanced

Submit your expression of interest online.

Career guidance

GLAPD organises career guidance workshops for clients who need to learn all the steps of securing employment in Australia and to be sufficiently equipped to compete in the job market. The workshop takes 6 to 8 hours and it is delivered by a professional career coach who also helps clients to find their passion and go for the job they would love to do. The coach assists clients through all the stages from searching for jobs online to securing an interview to sitting for interviews.

Submit your expression of interest online.

Prevention of domestic violence

African family culture is built around the values of a patriarch society, in which the male is the head of the family and dominates decision making. This belief has been confronted by the Australia family culture of an egalitarian society where the decision making in the family is based on gender balance and equality of women and men. Consequently, the latter concept of a family has created frictions in the African family which sometimes ends in domestic violence.

GLAPD recognisant of the existence of the two paradigms of family culture, has always intervened to encourage families to speak up when certain tendencies of domestic violence appear in their families, we facilitate conversations between parties as a primary stage of mediation and resolution. We provide casework services to the victims and employ mediation and resolution techniques and referrals to specialist services.

Education support for refugees

In Australia, children are bound to have equal opportunities for education, however, refugee children are sometimes disadvantaged in accessing complete education opportunities. While it is common for students to take home homework and assignments that most probably need supervision and assistance from their parents, some refugee parents are not literate enough to assist their children. Some children will be disadvantaged in making career choices

Furthermore, it is common for parents to guide their children in career choice from a young age. For some of the refugee parents who are not literate to that level, their children will be disadvantaged in making career choices. GLAPD recognises the existence of such issues and engages volunteers to support children so they can access educational resources and opportunities.

GLAPD Driving School

Unemployed GLAPD clients who need to learn how to drive are assisted by a dedicated volunteer driving instructor who provides driving lessons two days a week. All the learners are eligible for up to 2 hours of driving lessons a week at a subsidised cost.

GLAPD Food Program

The "Fill a Bag with Kindness" project assists African refugees and migrants in the Sydney area. Some have lost employment, while others have lost housing. Items that are needed include:

·         non-perishable foods

·         sanitary items

·         baby wipes and nappies

Community Library

Our community library has books in French and English for children, young adults and adults - ideal for people who enjoy reading in both languages.

The library is open so we invite you to come and start borrowing our books.