Open Information Nights - Future Direction

Thank you so much for your valued support over the past year in relation to the monthly Open Information Nights.  Open Information Nights are a great opportunity to raise community awareness about refugee-related issues that are not often covered in mainstream media, and provide an opportunity where information and experiences in relation to such issues can be shared and discussed in an informal setting on a regular basis.

Over one year, from September 2008 until August 2009, Open Information Nights were held on eleven separate occasions with each night focusing on a different topic.  There were approximately 203 people who participated over the year with an average of 18 people per session.  Some topics were more popular than others and it is interesting to note that Melaleuca volunteers were present at almost all sessions.  Other demographics who regularly attended were service providers from the community service sector, as well as CDU students from various disciplines (childcare, education, psychology, social work, law).  Themes covered areas such as:
- Volunteering on the Thai/Burma Border
- International Humanitarian Law
- SBS Documentary Screening of “A Well-Founded Fear” (Pacific Solution investigation)
- Bhutanese Refugees
- Refugee Health
- Reconnecting Families in Timor Leste (Red Cross Tracing Services in East Timor)
- Asylum Seekers
- Rebuilding Communities Through Permaculture
- United Nations International Day Against Torture
- 2009 Refugee Short Film Festival
- 1951 United Nations Refugee Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees

Overall, the Open Information Nights have proved to be a tremendous success in many areas and have been able to achieve the desired outcomes as outlined in the initial stages of the project’s development.  However, an evaluation of the project has revealed that to be able to continue the information sessions on such a regular (monthly) basis, capacity is limited. 

So a new phase of the Open Information Nights will see the following changes:
- Cease the monthly commitment and shift the focus of themes to correlate with significant dates that occur throughout the year (eg. Human   Rights Day, World Refugee Day, UN Day Against Torture, UN International Day of Peace etc)
- Information sessions to be conducted on a needs-basis as issues for discussion arise

As outlined at the beginning, if there is a particular topic, area or theme you wish to discuss or find more information about, please don’t hesitate to contact me and we can organise an Open Information Night to explore it.

I look forward to this new phase of continuing to get the important word out on the street about refugee-related issues and further shared learning opportunities.

Thank you! 

Kylie Smith
Training Coordinator
Melaleuca Refugee Centre