Huge thanks to City of Greater Bendigo councillor Rod Fyffe OAM for officially recognising the latest group of graduates from our Humanitarian Settlement Program Refugee Orientation Course.

Our new CEO Gerard Jose supported Rod in presenting certificates to the latest graduates with a very proud Bendigo Community Health Services Settlement Services team watching on.

The graduates have completed an extensive orientation course covering topics such as public transport, Australian laws, culture, banking system, currency, rental housing, water safety, health services and the role of the police.

"For many new people, arriving in Australia can be a challenging even overwhelming experience. So much is foreign; the language, the people, the smells, the food and landscape are different. This period of orientation is a small part of lifelong learning in their settlement journey," says our Settlement Services manager Martine Street.

Councillor Fyffe welcomed the group to Bendigo and spoke of their importance to Bendigo as a growing multicultural city.

Thank you Rod for making the time to welcome the latest group of refugees making a new home in Bendigo.