November 2009 Vol. 1, Issue 10 (PDF - 16.2Mb) - Department of ...

Romulus, My Father by Raimond Gaita
Romulus Gaita – father
of renowned Australian
philosopher Raimond
Gaita – fled his home
in his native Yugoslavia
in 1935 at the age of
28. He emigrated
to Australia on an
assisted passage in
1950 with his young
wife and their fouryear-old
son soon
after the end of
World War II. He
and his family
were transferred
to Bonegilla, a
migrant reception
and clearing camp
near Wodonga,
before being sent
to Baringhup
on the Loddon
River.
In Romulus, My
Father, Raimond Gaita details the
struggle of his family, and that of many immigrants
during and after the war. He captures the mood of the times – the way
“new Australians” were treated in the 1950s, and the slow changes in
attitudes as they gradually came to be accepted. It explores themes of
identity, culture and personal struggle, and the devastating effect of
mental illness on families.
Unpolished Gem by Alice Pung
Unpolished Gem is the story
of a family rebuilding their
lives after Cambodia’s
appalling years under the Pol
Pot regime. Alice Pung was
conceived in a Thai refugee
camp and born after her
Chinese-Cambodian parents,
her paternal grandmother
and her aunt arrived in
Melbourne. Caught between
her Chinese heritage and
Australian environment,
Unpolished Gem explores Ms
Pung’s search for identity
and acceptance. She writes of
the trials of assimilation and
cultural misunderstanding,
and of the relationships
between three generations
of women trying to live the
Australian dream without
losing themselves.
NEWS
BITES
New homeless
strategy launched
A new guide to help students at risk of homelessness while at
school was launched recently by Minister for Education Bronwyn
Pike. The guidelines, Supporting children, young people and their
families affected by homelessness, provide information and advice
on the various supports that are available for students at risk of
homelessness, and offer schools some guidance for how best to
access the range of resources also available.
“One-third of homeless people in Victoria are children and
young people,” Ms Pike said, “and they need specific and targeted
support to ensure they receive the best possible education
outcomes. These new guidelines will help thousands of principals,
teachers, social workers, psychologists, primary welfare officers,
welfare coordinators, school nurses and chaplains working with
students who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.”
The Department is also providing a $200,000 grant to Hanover
Welfare Services for additional resources for young Victorians
experiencing homelessness, including scholarships and the
development of learning aids and activities to keep students
engaged with school. For more information, visit www.education.
vic.gov.au/healthwellbeing/wellbeing/homelessness
Sport for all abilities
Adam Dreisson (pictured below) was just one of 50 budding
young all-abilities netballers shooting hoops and having some
serious fun at the recent 2009 Netball Victoria State Titles.
All-abilities players from across regional Victoria were given
the opportunity to show their stuff on the courts at Victoria’s
world-class State Hockey and Netball Centre in Parkville.
The competition was part of
the Access for All Abilities
program, which supports
and develops inclusive sport
and recreation opportunities
for people with a disability
throughout Victoria.
Access for All Abilities is
a Victorian Government
initiative coordinated by Sport
and Recreation Victoria.
To find out what’s on offer in
your area, visit the Sport and
Recreation Victoria website
on www.sport.vic.gov.au
or phone 9208 3333.