Western Bulldogs - leading the way in delivering for our community

Kiemi Lai, the Western Bulldogs Engaged Communities Manager, highlighted the importance of building collaborative and productive partnerships to achieve positive outcomes for refugee and humanitarian arrivals, at the recent annual Victorian Settlement Grants Program Conference. 

Invited to be a guest speaker by the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC), Kiemi presented on best practice settlement service delivery, based on her extensive experiences of the Settlement Grants Program which is delivered through SpiritWest Services, the education & community engagement division of the Western Bulldogs.

The Club, who have been delivering SGP since 2007, partners with New Hope Foundation (Werribee) and Wyndham Community and Education Centre to provide activities that build self-reliance through sport and recreation for newly arrived refugee and humanitarian entrants as well as family streamed migrants from non-English speaking backgrounds. 

Kiemi specifically highlighted the importance of partnerships, including the sharing of facilities, staff, volunteers, budgets and resources as well as referral of clients and volunteers between agencies, to achieve positive outcomes for our newly arrived community.

The Western Bulldogs pride themselves on being the community based club of the AFL. The fact that we have been asked to present at such an event is reflective of the outstanding work of the SpiritWest team.

Congratulations to Kiemi.