Adam Carpenter | Head of Jewish Studies Primary

Asylum Seeker Centre visit

This week Morah Jenny, Jamie Goldman and SRC Year 6 Representatives David Hakim, Kian Hamburger, Lani Israel, Gabriel Lee and Koby Michel visited the Asylum Seeker Centre in Newtown to deliver a cheque and food donated by the Emanuel School community.

During our visit we had a guided tour around the centre to learn more about what happens there and who they help. We learnt that:

• 1 600 people used the food bank last month
• They provide hot lunches everyday to people at the centre
• The centre provides a health clinic with volunteer doctors
• Activities provided by the centre include music classes, swimming lessons, gym session, child care
• The centre can be helping people from up to 70 different nationalities, speaking over 50 different languages
• Around 90% of the people who use the centre eventually get a visa to stay in Australia.

On the way back to school we discussed our visit, what we learnt and students shared the following reflections:  

Jamie Goldman: “I found it interesting how we can live in this really lovely country and there are so many people in other parts of the world, like Syria, who are living in fear and in war.”

Kian Hamburger: “I was surprised that people could come and use the Asylum Seeker Centre for food, hot lunches and to see doctors.”

Lani Israel: “I was surprised how organised the centre was, with so many people who work and volunteer there.”

David Hakim: “I was surprised at how small the centre was and how they are can do so much to support so many people.”

Gabriel Lee: “It was interesting that the people seeking asylum were not poor people, but people who had to escape their countries due to their political views, religious beliefs or ethnic identity.”