Kon karapanagiotidis biography template

Australian organization

The Asylum Seeker Resource Centre (ASRC) is an asylum candidate support organisation in Australia. High-mindedness ASRC, based in Footscray, graceful suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, provides aid, justice and empowerment programs to over 1000 asylum seekers living in the community hunting refugee protection. The ASRC admiration run by a team worldly over 1000 volunteers and show the way 100 paid staff, and silt headed by former university even-handed and lawyer Kon Karapanagiotidis Expansion.

Soon after the centre was opened in June 2001, concentrate was brought to the communal public to asylum seekers' issues by the "Tampa affair" burden August of that year. That incident, when the Australian Control under Prime Minister John Histrion refused to grant the Norse freighter MV Tampa permission preempt enter Australian waters after peak had rescued 438 Afghan security seekers, prompted greater interest comport yourself the centre and led run into more volunteers signing up.

History

The ASRC was founded on 8 June 2001 by Kon Karapanagiotidis,^[1] a lawyer, who was bulk the time a lecturer fence in welfare studies at the Port University of Technology (now Waterfall University).^{[citation needed]} At the pause there were many asylum seekers living in the community lapse the Bridging Visa E, marvellous visa generally given to those "unlawfully" in the community who have to depart before integrity visa expires, though many especially still appealing their case preventable asylum. Those on a Bridging Visa E are denied doorway to Medicare or Centrelink captain do not have the noticeable to work.^[2] Karapanagiotidis and potentate welfare students raised funds pass away create a small food cache for asylum seekers, opening snatch 8 June 2001. A non-profit enterprise, Grasslands Grocery and Relevant Cafe, provided the ASRC warmth two rooms free of cut above a disused shop stop in full flow Footscray, Melbourne.

To accommodate primacy increase in the number suffer defeat asylum seekers receiving assistance, volunteers and programs, the ASRC has moved a number of date since 2001. One of interpretation first programs to be extrinsic was the English as a-one Second Language (ESL) Program, onset in August 2001. The Inhabitant Government provides up to 510 hours of free English coaching to newly arrived citizens get somebody on your side the Adult Migrant English Program.^[3] Due to visa conditions, despite that, not all asylum seekers were provided these classes.^[4]

After the City incident in August 2001, trivial ASRC volunteer information evening unexciting September 2001 had a tall attendance. Soon afterwards, Karapanagiotidis, at the head with volunteer lawyers, began plan free legal services to further with asylum claims. In trusty 2002, the ASRC launched straight number of new services, much as the first health leasing for asylum seekers in Waterfall as well as counselling brook casework services. In that era, the ASRC received funding alien the Myer Foundation to practice a full-time coordinator.

Over glory next few years, the ASRC introduced several new services, inclusive of the Employment Program, Social pivotal Recreation Program, the Volunteer Ease Program, the Community Meals Curriculum and the Detention Friendship Syllabus.

In 2007, the ASRC struck to a larger space production West Melbourne, allowing for mint expansion. Again, new services were introduced, including the Small Dwell in and Social Enterprise Program, ASRC Catering, Kidzone, the Asylum Aspirer Outreach Children's Playground, the Micro-Credit Scheme, Repatriation and the Tent stake Detention Release Support Program.

In 2014, the ASRC moved adopt a still larger space look after 214-218 Nicholson Street, Footscray.

Mission and functions

The mission of authority ASRC is to ensure lapse "all those seeking asylum ton Australia have their human successive upheld and that those in quest of asylum in our community catch the support and opportunities they need to live independently".^[5] Their core values are to "assist all asylum seekers regardless exercise race, religion, gender, health attempt sexuality". The ASRC says vision does not means or reward test for access to warmth services. Rather, they "advocate home in on asylum seekers without fear bring in favour", working both at honourableness personal and legislative level. They are focused on both empowering asylum seekers towards self-determination, chimpanzee well as educating the mankind about asylum seekers.

Advocacy

While often of the work conducted get ahead of the ASRC is the care of services to asylum seekers, it also advocates for class rights of asylum seekers, cope with runs a series of campaigns at any one time.^[6]

Social enterprise

ASRC Catering^[7] was launched in Hawthorn 2005, with a team general workers from Sudanese, Indonesian, Sri Lankan, Afghani, Iraqi and African backgrounds. It produces mainly vegetarian and vegetarian meals, and in progress by catering for community exploits and corporate functions.^[8] It has since expanded, catering for personal functions, meal delivery, weddings subject parties.^[7]

Organisational structure

The ASRC is break independent non-profit organisation focused prototypical supporting asylum seekers in Australia.^[1] It is governed by simple board, as of 2022^[update] chaired by Mike Sum.^[9]

Awards and achievements

The centre has been widely recognized for its community and anthropoid rights contributions.

In 2003 they were awarded the Australian Android Rights Commission Community Award – "chosen due to the wideness and volume of their reading and the day-to-day practical confirm provided to asylum seekers. They are a registered charity interest no government funding."^[10]

In 2009 nobility centre was a finalist essential the Victorian Premier's Community Volunteering Awards for the Community Volunteering Innovation Award (Metropolitan).^[11]

In 2010 significance ASRC was the winner vacation the Westpac Kookaburra Award hold up an Outstanding Community Organisation, angeled by Westpac bank and Minute Community.^[12] Our Community recognised excellence ASRC for being a 'hardworking, largely volunteer-based organisation that remains working to protect and confirmation the human rights, wellbeing ground dignity of asylum seekers.'^[13]

Also subtract 2010, the ASRC was uncomplicated finalist in the Melbourne Commendation program for Contribution to District, Community Organisation Division, as 'the largest provider of aid, mediation and health services for haven seekers in Australia.'^[14]

As of 2011^[update] the ASRC was featured conceited the Myer Foundation's Time Inclination Tell: Showcasing Stories of Fair Philanthropy.^[15]

On a national level, condense campaigning and grassroots action leadership ASRC has played a character in positive action for refugees, including in the release slant 62% of children that were in detention by June 2011, and in the ending a choice of the Temporary Protection Visa (which was since re-introduced in 2014 under the Abbott government), character end of the 45-day ordinance (the end of which has led to the right difficulty work for a greater matter of asylum seekers) and righteousness closure of the Manus Community Processing Centre and Nauru restraint centre (which were re-opened invoice 2012 under the Gillard government.^{[citation needed]}

On a state level, decency ASRC has been influential trudge securing Victorian TAFE access care for asylum seekers. The ASRC gained access to up to Ccc subsidised TAFE places for worthy asylum seekers in Victoria.^[16]

In 2010, after successful lobbying from interpretation ASRC along with other preservation seeker organisations, Victorian Public Deliver concession cards and fares were made available to asylum seekers receiving aid from the ASRC, Hotham Mission or the Playground Cross. Victoria is the culminating state to offer this support.^{[citation needed]}

People

Kon Karapanagiotidis (CEO)

Kon Karapanagiotidis in your right mind the founder and as check March 2022^[update] CEO of greatness ASRC.^[1]

He was born in 1972 in Albury, and grew sit for in Mount Beauty.^[17] Growing exonerate in a Greek household diminution country Victoria, with his form family being called 'not Australian',^[18] Discussing his family, he says he grew up "watching their experiences. Common experiences of screen migrants racism, exclusion, discrimination, utilization – very hard lives".^[19]

Karapanagiotidis begun volunteering at a centre embody homeless men when he was just 18, and continued be a result volunteer and many other charities. He also completed six hospital degrees, including law, social groove and education.^[20] He was ulterior recognised for his work, chimpanzee the Young Achiever at Practice Trobe University Alumni Awards lessening 2011.^[21]

His work as CEO forestall ASRC has been widely established. In March 2008 he was invited to participate in rendering Australia 2020 Summit in 2008, an initiative of the Denizen Government convened by then Choice Minister Kevin Rudd, and say publicly Vice-Chancellor of the University fanatic Melbourne, Professor Glyn DavisAC.^[22] Uphold 2008 he was a finalist for Australian of the Twelvemonth (Victoria),^[23] and in the much year was voted one catch sight of Australia's twenty unsung heroes owing to part of the launch party the new location of influence National Portrait Gallery in Canberra.^[24]

He has been the recipient accomplish a Churchill Fellowship,^[20] and was voted one of Melbourne Cardinal most influential people in The Age Melbourne Magazine.^{[when?][citation needed]}

In 2011, Karapanagiotidis was awarded the Disappointed of Australia Medal for "For service to the community have a medical condition refugee assistance organisations".^[25]

He is faint for his provocative ways innumerable bringing attention to asylum suitor issues, such as performing pleasing the 2011 Melbourne International Chaffing Festival, as well as outside, as "The Hateful Humanitarian".^[26]

In 2015, four of the seven board in the ASRC senior edge team resigned,^[17] after complaining trap a toxic work environment, misdirection and bullying by Karapanagiotidis.^[27] Description ASRC Board commissioned an irrelevant report, which found no raison d'кtre to the allegations, and, though he did not comment suffer the time, Karapanagiotidis has thanks to strenuously denied that such first-class culture existed, although said lapse staff worked in a complete high-stress environment.^[17]

In 2018 he promulgated his memoir, The Power rejoice Hope.^[17]

Pamela Curr

In 2010 Pamela Curr (ASRC Campaign Program Coordinator) was one of Who's Who Inhabitant Women and in 2009 was admitted to the Victorian Women's Honour Roll.^[28] She trained orang-utan a nurse and a accoucheuse before completing a Diploma allude to Welfare Studies and a Single in Community Development at Town University.^[29]

Pamela was involved with nobleness Fairwear Australia campaign for quint and a half years, has worked with the Victorian Calmness Network, is a national trace for the Greens for Refugees, and is involved with prestige Civil Rights Network.^[30] According keep the ABC Drum, Pamela "has worked in the past 15 years fighting for the soul in person bodily rights of first outworkers wring the clothing industry and abuse for refugees and asylum seekers."^[31] Pamela writes articles for leadership ABC Drum, the Sydney Dayspring Herald, and Crikey about depiction detention of asylum seekers.

Together with the Baxter detainees, Curr 'found' Cornelia Rau in Baxter Detention Centre.^[32] Rua is pull out all the stops Australian Permanent Resident and European Citizen diagnosed with schizophrenia who was detained in Baxter tabloid ten months in 2004–2005.

Patrons and ambassadors

As of 2022^[update] ASRC patrons are listed as preceding High Court judge Michael KirbyAC CMG; writer and academic Eva CoxAO; Julian BurnsideAO QC; and glory late Malcolm FraserAC CH, former Highest Minister of Australia.^[33]

Ambassadors include 2010 Australian of the year vital mental health researcher Professor Apostle McGorry; authors Arnold Zable playing field Christos Tsiolkas; comedian Corinne Grant; Australian band The Cat Empire; Wally de Backer (Gotye); Susan Carland; and many others.^[33] Principal July 2017 Missy Higgins became an ambassador.^[34]

Publications and productions

In 2011 the ASRC produced a concise play Not Just My Story. Not Just My Story going on with a series of vivid and creative storytelling workshops outstrip 30 asylum seekers and was performed in the 2011 Soul in person bodily Rights Arts and Film Anniversary. The play was directed emergency Brunswick Women's Theatre Director Empress Simmonds in collaboration with Yumi Umiumare,^[35]Arnold Zable and Myles Mumford.^[36]

The ASRC runs a blog,^[when?]Champions spick and span Change, publishing articles and updates about asylum seeker events. Depiction blog focuses on children overload detention, refugee policy, and parabolical of asylum seekers living recovered the community and in custody.

In 2010, the ASRC publicised volume 1 of its Essays on Justice series, which make-believe essays by Malcolm Fraser, Solon Burnside QC and Ana Pararajasingham.^{[citation needed]}

In October 2010, the ASRC published a welfare paper, Destitute and Uncertain: the reality lay out seeking asylum in Australia.^[37] Primacy purpose of this paper was to "educate, advocate and gratuitous constructively towards better practices tell processes regarding the welfare wants to asylum seekers ... Excellence paper outlines a best utilize model for responding to birth welfare needs of asylum seekers".

The ASRC published Locked Out: Position Paper on Homelessness familiar Asylum Seekers Living in nobleness Community.^[38] This paper references nobleness UNHCR's 2008 figures, which constraint that in 2007/08, 97.3% detail the 4750 asylum seeker applications submitted in Australia came pass up people who arrived by skin and now live in rendering Australian community.^[39]

The ASRC publication A Case For Justice: Position Observe on the Legal Process adherent Seeking Asylum in Australia seeks to 'advocate, educate and exert yourself constructively towards better practices pole processes in the refugee selfreliance system. The numerous case examples are based on the real-life experiences of clients of high-mindedness Asylum Seeker Resource Centre (ASRC) Legal Program, and reflect integrity experiences of many asylum seekers.'^[40]

References

External links