A $750,000 boost from the state government designed to support South Sudanese youth across Melbourne has been well received by a local community leader.
Announced at the end of January, the investment will put more bicultural youth workers on the ground and provide additional family support packages.
Poly Kiyaga, the manager of community education and support group Junubi Wyndham, said sharing in the pool of $750,000 will help local youth immensely.
“The provision of this funding is going to be able to allow us to recruit more cultural workers on the ground,” Mr Kiyaga said.
“We need more people on the ground to engage with, I think this is going to go a long way.”
Mr Kiyaga said that some of the money will allow more young people to enter and stay in sport for longer.
“It will also help us have access to sporting grounds because even if they are owned by the council, we have to pay a fee to use them.
“We know that sports are one of those things that brings young people together … It is something young people get interested in.
“We also know that it is not all about sports, but they learn about working in a team and making new friends.
“After being on the pitch for a couple of hours, they were really tired and they just wanted to relax …so they won’t be loitering around.
“If young people are not really engaged after school, they are going to be around shopping centres, and even if they aren’t doing anything wrong they are going to be a nuisance.”
According to Mr Kiyaga, one of the biggest issues the South Sudanese community faces is the current cost-of-living crisis making it difficult for families to be home with their children or fund team sports.
“Some of the families are not available because they are out doing shift work–mum and dad have to be out working and put a roof over their head.”
