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Finding Freedom: How Refugee Week 2025 Is Transforming Australia’s Humanitarian Response

Written by Jacqui Gigliotti | Jul 21, 2025 6:59:56 AM

Finding Freedom: Diversity in Community—Refugee Week Shines Spotlight on Humanitarian Needs

As Australia marked Refugee Week 2025 (15–21 June) under the banner “Finding Freedom: Diversity in Community,” humanitarian organisations rallied to highlight the pressing needs of displaced people arriving from Gaza, Sudan, Myanmar and Afghanistan. Refugee Week Australia materials and the RCOA Refugee Week toolkit emphasised how culturally sensitive translation and trauma-informed interpretation are critical to helping refugees access healthcare, education and legal support, as well as fostering meaningful cultural exchange events.

Australia’s Humanitarian Program remains capped at 20,000 places annually, a figure that stands in stark contrast to 123.2 million forcibly displaced worldwide at the end of 2024 (UNHCR). Despite this cap, advocacy groups continue to call on the federal government to expand intake—in line with Labor’s pre-election pledge of 27,000 regular places plus 10,000 community-sponsored complementary pathway spots—and establish clearer permanent residency pathways for those in temporary visa limbo. As of January 2025, more than 100 asylum seekers remain in offshore processing on Nauru, where conditions and indefinite detention have drawn criticism from Amnesty International and the Refugee Council of Australia.

Many families remain separated by differing onshore and offshore quotas, with no direct permanent-residence pathway from temporary protection visas. As of 30 April 2025, 962 individuals were held in onshore and offshore detention facilities, alongside 115 living under community residence determinations—many after wait times exceeding one year. With community-based alternatives to detention showing 94 percent compliance at one-third the cost of closed detention, advocates urge an end to offshore processing in favour of supervised release and supported settlement services. The Refugee Council projects Australia will grant its one-millionth refugee visa between September and November 2025—a milestone that underscores both the nation’s long-term commitment and the backlog of unprocessed cases.

Trauma-Informed Language Support for Humanitarian and Community Services

As the demand for refugee and migrant support grows, more organisations are turning to trauma-informed language services to ensure communication is both effective and compassionate. These specialised services are designed to help your organisation connect with vulnerable individuals in ways that prioritise dignity, understanding, and cultural respect.

Key areas where trauma-informed language support can make a difference include:

  • Medical interpretation during health assessments and emergency care—ensuring individuals can accurately convey medical histories and fully understand treatment plans.
  • Culturally tailored orientation materials are available in multiple languages, helping newcomers navigate public transport, local customs, and community life as they settle into inclusive multicultural programs.
  • Community liaison support, with bilingual outreach workers linking individuals and families to settlement services, schools, and employment opportunities.
  • Legal interpretation and translation for refugee and asylum cases—supporting lawyers and migration agents with accurate, confidential communication for family reunification applications, visa processing, and legal submissions.

By working with language professionals trained in trauma-informed practice, your organisation ensures that every conversation reflects empathy, builds trust, and supports better outcomes for people impacted by conflict and displacement. At The Hello Co., we are proud to support community and humanitarian organisations with culturally responsive, trauma-aware interpreting and translation services—ensuring communication uplifts, includes, and empowers every voice on the journey to freedom.

Cultural Exchange as a Cornerstone of Integration

Refugee Week celebrations across Australia featured art exhibitions, storytelling events and cooking workshops that invited refugees to share music, cuisine and traditions with host communities. From Melbourne’s “Taste of Home” communal dinner—where dishes from Syria, South Sudan and Myanmar were served—to Brisbane’s “Voices of Resilience” poetry readings, these cultural exchanges reinforced the theme that diversity strengthens community bonds. Local councils and nonprofits collaborated with language providers to produce multilingual festival guides, live-interpretation booths, and free community language classes. In many Sydney Refugee Week events, accessibility features such as AI-assisted subtitle generation and real-time captioning for accessibility helped ensure all Australians could participate. Organisers report higher attendance than in previous years, reflecting growing public interest in refugee contributions to Australia’s social fabric.

“It shows what’s possible when we lead with compassion and principle. Refugee Week is a reminder of the real people behind these numbers, people who are rebuilding their lives, contributing to their communities, and helping shape modern Australia. Now is the time to build on that legacy and make sure we’re ready to welcome the next million.”
— Adama Kamara, Deputy CEO, Refugee Council of Australia

Championing Policy Reform and Expanding Support for Refugees

During Refugee Week, leading advocacy groups spotlighted urgent policy needs—including ending offshore detention in favour of community-based alternatives, increasing humanitarian intake, and creating direct pathways to permanent residency for those on temporary visas. These proposals reflect a growing demand for fairer, more responsive migration systems and underscore how your organisation can play a pivotal role in supporting new arrivals.

By partnering with language experts, your agency or service can:

  • Navigate shifting migration policies and ensure timely, accurate communication with clients affected by policy changes
  • Provide clear, accessible information on legal rights, health care, education, and community programs in multiple languages
  • Empower individuals and families to reconnect and rebuild, thanks to trauma-informed translation and interpretation for family reunification, legal advocacy, and settlement support
  • Contribute meaningfully to Australia’s goal of fostering inclusive communities, where every voice is heard and every story matters

Amnesty International and the Refugee Council of Australia have demonstrated the importance of policy reform through inclusive panel discussions, bringing together decision-makers, service providers, and community members to drive lasting change. Their initiatives highlight that robust, humanitarian language services are essential, not just for compliance, but for enabling refugees to share their cultural heritage and participate fully in Australian society. At The Hello Co., we’re proud to support this vision by helping services communicate with clarity, compassion, and cultural care.

Building a Future of Inclusion and Connection

As Australia approaches the milestone of granting its one-millionth refugee visa, continued collaboration between government, community groups, and language service partners remains essential. Turning policy into practice requires more than legislation—it calls for connection, care, and communication that honours lived experience. When translation is delivered with cultural insight and trauma-informed awareness, it becomes a tool for empowerment and belonging.

Organisations that invest in this level of thoughtful language support play a vital role in ensuring that orientation sessions, legal updates, and community engagement efforts reflect dignity and inclusion. Language and culture are not just tools for compliance; they are the foundation of Australia’s humanitarian response and its enduring commitment to freedom in diversity.

At The Hello Co., we’re proud to support this mission, partnering with services across health, education, migration and settlement to help communities communicate with clarity, empathy and respect.