This program funded projects that helped isolated older people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds connect with existing or new support networks and activities.
Since 2011, the program funded more than 300 projects, helping thousands of culturally-diverse seniors to get involved in their community.
The program was funded by the Victorian Government and delivered with the Ethnic Communities Council of Victoria.
Recipients of CALD grants 2017–2018
| Organisation | Project Local Government Area | Project Name | Project Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Action on Disability within Ethnic Communities | Wyndham | Wyndham Karen Seniors - Wyndham K'Nyaw Pwa Tha Pwa | Monthly workshops in a social setting. Building capacity of participants to positively influence their personal mental and physical health. |
| Afghan Women’s Organisation Victoria (AWOV) | Dandenong | Senior Afghan Women's Connectedness Project | Educational and health activities. Excursions and building social bonds. |
| Arabic Women Seniors Group (auspiced by Victorian Arabic Social Services) | Greater Dandenong, Casey, Monash and Kingston | Arabic Seniors; Be Active; Stay Connected | Weekly activities, including outings; capacity building re: public transport; attendance at festivals and events. |
| Association of Former Inmates of Nazi Concentration Camps | Port Phillip, Stonnington and Glen Iris | Tai Chi and Health activities for seniors | Active ageing project that will encourage seniors to participate in Tai Chi, Yoga and other health promotion activities. |
| Australia Light Foundation Incorporated | Maribyrnong, Brimbank, and Hume | North West Muslim Seniors Citizens Group | Enable seniors to explore new interests, build new relationships and improve their networks. |
| Australian Somali Women's Healthcare Community Foundation | Melbourne, Yarra and Moonee Valley | Community Kitchen Program | Weekly Somali kitchen program for Somali women to cook together and share a meal. Senior Somali women will teach young Somali women how to cook Somali food which would then be shared by the group. |
| Box Hill Chinese Seniors Citizens' Club | Whitehorse, Manningham, Monash, Melbourne, Yarra Ranges, Knox and Bayswater | Karaoke singing and dancing | Development of a karaoke and dancing group. |
| C Care | Port Phillip | Be a part of Art: Seniors cultural and social inclusion program | Provide isolated seniors an opportunity to participate in art activities. |
| Casey Tamil Manram Inc. | Casey and Greater Dandenong | Create connections and empower | Promote unity within the community and assist in the harmonious integration of the Tamil isolated seniors into local life. |
| City in the Community | Whittlesea | City of Whittlesea Walking Football Program | Weekly two hour social sessions incorporating gentle exercise, skill development and walking football games. |
| Craig Family Centre | Boroondara, Monash and Stonnington | Afghan Men's and Women's Group – Community Development Project | Excursions and regular meetings of older Afghan men's and women's groups. |
| Dandenong Neighbourhood House Inc. | Greater Dandenong | Get Connected through Digital Literacy for CALD Seniors | Partner with a range of community organisations to provide simple digital literacy training to seniors. |
| Edme Tsega - The Ethiopian Community Elders (auspiced by the Ethipian Community Association in Victoria) | Maribyrnong, Brimbank, Melton, Hobson's Bay and Wyndham | Edme Tsega – Ethiopian elders and senior elders empowering project | Weekly activities, guest speakers and health related advice to reduce social isolation of community elders. |
| El Hokamma Senior Citizens (auspiced by the St Mina and St Marina Coptic Church) | Casey | Out and about; Social Arabic Seniors | Build on existing activities through monthly excursions and a three-day day trip. |
| Ethnic Chinese Happy Age Association of Victoria | Greater Dandenong | Help Elderly With Activities | Car pool service to link isolated seniors to regular activities, |
| Gateway Community Services | Brimbank, Hobson's Bay, Maribyrnong and Wyndham | Social inclusion for CALD carers | Enable wellbeing of isolated CALD older carers and their care recipients by improving their nutrition, physical ability and reducing social isolation. |
| Greek Elderly Women's Club of Frankston & Peninsula | Frankston and Mornington | Seniors Exercise | Enable senior members to explore new interests, build new relationships and improve their networks. |
| Horn of African Communities Network | Wyndham | CALD Senior Leisure and Gardening in Wyndham | Enable newly emerging CALD elders from refugee backgrounds to gather weekly, visit places of interests, and participate in the newly established community garden. |
| Horn Of African Senior Women's Program | Moonee Valley, Melbourne, Maribyrnong, and Brimbank | Horn of Africa Seniors Women Connection and Wellbeing | Provide transport for weekly social activities. |
| Housing for the Aged Action Group | Melbourne, Hume, Maribyrnong, Brimbank, Whitehorse, and Moonee Valley | CALD Communities Connecting for housing justice | Social gathering and community education to older private CALD renters on housing issues, elder abuse and where to find help. |
| Indochinese Elderly Refugees Association Victoria | Brimbank, Maribyrnong, Yarra, City of Melbourne and Darebin | Active Ageing! | Provision of safe, flexible and accessible transport options to access mainstream services and social activities. |
| International Women's Group | Gippsland | Meetings/Trips/ Public Internet Access Program | Involve isolated CALD senior women in the group's activities |
| Italian Elderly Citizens Club Noble Park | Greater Dandenong, Casey, and Cardinia | Italians Getting Together | Transport assistance and meals for members who have been identified as especially isolated. |
| Japan-Australia Community Carenet Inc. (JACC) | Brimbank | Cherry Blossom Community Inclusion Activity | Activities will focus on the 1945 – 1970 era: movies, documentaries, singing and games. |
| Karen Culture and Social Support Foundation | Bendigo | Karen and Burmese Seniors Support Program | Cooking classes and education on food safety, conversational English sessions. |
| Kensington Neighbourhood House | Moonee Valley | Creating Community Connections | Weekly English classes and a monthly social outing. |
| Maltese Pensioners Association | Brimbank | Connecting with isolated Maltese Pensioners | Connecting isolated Maltese seniors to the Maltese Pensioners Association. |
| Melton Chinese Friendship Association | Caroline Springs and Monash | No One is Left Out – 2017 | Provide transport to members who are unable to attend weekly activities. |
| Multicultural Aged Care Services Geelong Inc. (MACS) | Greater Geelong | Mindful Moves walking and exercise track | Daily guided walks and supervised exercises along a purpose-built walking track. Fitness equipment will be placed along the track. |
| Multicultural Seniors Association of Victoria | Wyndham | The Community Seniors Support Group | Address issues of social inclusion and mobility for newly arrived seniors of South Asian descent and provide them with a strong social network. |
| Nasir Community Association | Greater Dandenong, Monash and Casey | Aged and Disability Project | Provide members with an opportunity to participate in meaningful social activities (learning English and getting involved in recreational activities). |
| National Council of Jewish Women Victoria Community Services | Glen Eira and Port Phillip | Exercising to Maintain Good Health | Enable isolated seniors to participate in gentle exercise activities. |
| Nigeria Society of Victoria. (NSV) | Gippsland, Ballarat, Bendigo | All in 2017–2018 | Social activities such as excursions to various regions of Victoria, gatherings, board games, barbeques, story-telling. |
| Oorja Foundation | Hume | Ageing with pride, Seniors Citizens group from diverse background | Educate seniors and involving them in community leadership and interfaith projects. |
| Pankoaki Brotherhood of Melbourne & Victoria "O Ippocrates" Association Incorporated (commonly known as the “Kos Club”) | Darebin | Kos Seniors Connect for Health and Wellbeing | Facilitate participation of isolated and frail elders through social engagement activities and information/education sessions. |
| Park Towers Tenant Management | Port Phillip | Park Towers "COOKS" | Cooking classes for a month, sharing food, and creating a recipe book. |
| Pilipino Elderly Association of South East Region (P.E.A.S.E.R) | Kingston, Monash and Greater Dandenong | Celebrate our Diversity | Monthly gathering of isolated Pilipino seniors including a variety of activities. |
| Primary Care Connect | Shepparton | Welcome to Water | Programs for isolated senior Afghan men and women - swimming lessons for women; hydrotherapy for men and women who suffer chronic pain; and fishing program for men. |
| Richmond Hill Senior Citizens Club | Yarra | Social Activities with CALD Seniors in Richmond | Provide social and educational opportunities for isolated seniors of all backgrounds. |
| Seniors Everlasting Ministry (auspiced by Cook Islands Community Services) | Monash, Dandenong, Casey and Kingston | Cook Islander on the move | Provide transport for a variety of excursions and involving seniors in cooking for local nursing home residents. |
| Serbian Community Association of Australia | Brimbank and Greater Dandenong | Social Activities for isolated Serbian Seniors | Involve isolated seniors in excursions and meetings. Regular phone calls and visits to isolated seniors. |
| Sewa International Inc. | Monash, Dandenong, Boroondara, Wyndham and Hobson and Point Cook | Indian Senior Citizens Forum | Enable isolated seniors to attend regular meetings. |
| Springvale Indo-Chinese Mutual Assistance Association | Greater Dandenong, Casey, Cardinia, Knox and Kingston | Just for you | Create opportunities, including the provision of transport, for isolated Vietnamese seniors to participate in community activities. |
| Syrian Orthodox Women Association (SOWA) | Casey and Greater Dandenong | Engage and be Happy | Educational sessions, craft activities, digital literacy training, music, social events and provision of transport to isolated Syrian women. |
| Tamil Women's Group Dandenong (auspiced by South East Community Links) | Casey, Dandenong and Narre Warren | Help and provide Self-Confidence to the isolated/ disadvantaged Tamil Women | Transport assistance, excursions and weekly gatherings. |
| The "Good Shepherd" Egyptian Seniors Association | Whittlesea, Preston, Fitzroy, Reservoir and Greensborough | Coming Together – Supporting our Senior Community | Transport assistance to members who have stopped attending the club. |
| The Association of Hazaras in Victoria | Casey and Greater Dandenong | Afghan Seniors Project | Excursion and information sessions for seniors. |
| The Brotherhood of St Laurence | Hume | South Asian Community Group | Provide isolated seniors to meet, learn basic English skills and relevant general knowledge to help them gain the confidence to participate in the local community. |
| The Mauritian Golden Age Club | Greater Dandenong | Prevention of social isolation within the senior's group of our community | Involve isolated seniors in a variety of activities, including monthly gatherings with people from an aged care centre. |
| Victorian Arabic Social Services (VASS) | Hume | VASS Arabic Women's Group in the North | Provide opportunities for isolated women to meet and experience new activities. |
| Vietnamese Australian Senior Association Inc. (VASA) | Greater Dandenong | Bring back the missing members | VASA volunteers will transport seniors to meetings/functions and take them back home afterwards. |
| Vietnamese Seniors Cultural Association | Ashburton, Boroondara, Greater Dandenong, Footscray and Maribyrnong | Participating Socially Isolated Vietnamese Seniors | Increase community participation of seniors in arts and cultural activities. |
| Wingate Avenue Community Centre | Moonee Valley | Strong Connections – Senior Citizen Program | Establish two seniors groups and provide weekly activities. |
| YACHAD Seniors Citizens' Club | Caulfield, Glen Eira, Port Phillip and Bayside | Pass the Baton | Expand community participation and bring together isolated seniors of various nationalities to learn about Australian history and culture. |
Reviewed 10 August 2022