MCCI Shoalhaven Hub

30/05/2026

Thank you to our wonderful volunteers!

28/05/2026

The 2026 Cono Choir has joined choirs across Australia in singing Beds Are Burning as part of National Reconciliation Week 2026. This year’s NRW theme, All In, calls on all everybody in Australia to know our history and work together for justice and reconciliation every day.

Follow Reconciliation Australia to learn more.

“Beds Are Burning, written and performed by Midnight Oil, is a powerful anthem that hit a chord nationally and internationally and became a defining soundtrack of the land rights movement.
The song was inspired by the Uluru-Kata Tjuta handback to the Anangu people in 1985 and was written over the course of the 1986 Blackfella/Whitefella tour the Oils embarked on with Warumpi Band through Western Desert and Arnhem Land Aboriginal communities.

Released in 1987 on the Diesel and Dust album, the song became an international hit, reaching #1 in New Zealand, South Africa and Canda, #17 in the USA, and #6 in the UK and at home in Australia.”

For National Reconciliation Week 2026, Reconciliation Australia once again called on choirs across the country to raise their Voices for Reconciliation.Beds ...

28/05/2026

A powerful documentary is coming to the region.

We Are Not Powerless tells the story of refugees Muzafar and Nagina Ali, who transformed their experience of displacement into a movement for education and opportunity. Starting with a small school for refugee children in Indonesia, their work has gone on to impact thousands of lives.

The film offers a compelling look at resilience, leadership and the power of community-led change.

For those interested in refugee experiences, human rights and stories of hope, this screening is well worth seeing.

20/05/2026

Happy National Volunteer Week! Under the theme ‘Your Year to Volunteer’, we celebrate the many volunteers who make a difference in people’s lives every day. At MCCI, we are fortunate to have 160 dedicated volunteers whose generosity, compassion and commitment help us support multicultural communities. As a small gesture of appreciation, Volunteer Coordinator Emily wrote this poem to thank them for the care and support they give throughout the year.

13/05/2026

Kiama Farmers’ Market Welcome Event

Have you recently moved to the Illawarra Shoalhaven region for essential work?

Join The Welcome Experience for a relaxed afternoon at the Kiama Farmers’ Market and connect with others in the community while enjoying local food, live entertainment, and the beautiful Kiama coastline.

📍 Coronation Park, Surf Beach, Kiama
📅 Wednesday 3 June
🕒 3:00pm–5:00pm

Bring along a picnic rug and enjoy locally grown seasonal produce, a variety of food trucks, live music and entertainment, a welcoming family-friendly atmosphere, plus light refreshments and a special gift to take home.

Partners and family members are warmly invited.

Please RSVP by Monday 1 June to Jessica: [email protected]

Please note: Attendance is limited to people registered with The Welcome Experience.

12/05/2026

Meet the stars of our final U and Me Shoalhaven story.

This powerful short film is the third and final story in our U and Me Shoalhaven series, following two mates who turn personal hardship into purpose by building a grassroots support network for men in need.

After experiencing devastating loss through bushfires and floods, they channel their experiences into creating a volunteer-led group that offers practical support and a safe space for men facing mental health challenges, isolation and difficult times.

Through honesty, humour and a no-judgment approach, they show how mateship, resilience, and community can make a real difference. Their story is a reminder that connection and support can come from the most unexpected places, regardless of background or circumstance.

Watch the final film in our U and Me Shoalhaven series and celebrate the power of community.

See more at https://uandme.com.au or www.mcci.org.au/diversity-and-inclusion/u-me

With Why Documentaries and The Bearded Fishermen Charity Page

11/05/2026

It’s great to welcome one of the recent additions to MCCI, the Illawarra African Community Association (IACA).

Interim IACA president Dr Robert Ogie said around 20 African countries were represented in the Illawarra, including Nigeria, Ghana and Sierra Leone.

"We are trying to avoid simply becoming a collection of countries. We want to work collaboratively; we don't want to be divisive. It's possible we will have members from two countries that went to war back home, but here we want everyone to work together.”

Read the full story in The Illawarra Flame

The latest multicultural group in the district is keen to continue contributing to Illawarra and Australian society

30/04/2026

Applications are now open for the 2026 Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) Scholarship Program, funded by the NSW Government.

💰 What you can get:

Up to $6,000 for eligible Certificate III or Diploma courses
Extra support for priority groups and locations
Additional payments for staying in the sector

👥 Who can apply:

New or existing early childhood educators
VET students who started their course after 1 January 2026
People planning to work in early childhood services in NSW

📅 Applications close: 29 May 2026

This is a great opportunity to start or grow your career in early childhood education while reducing the cost of study.

👉 Find out more and apply:
https://education.nsw.gov.au/early-childhood-education/initiatives/early-childhood-careers/available-supports/2026-early-childhood-education-and-care-scholarship-program

30/04/2026

Watch the next film in our U and Me Shoalhaven series and celebrate the power of connection.

This moving short film shares the story of an unexpected friendship between two women of different ages whose connection quickly grows into something that feels like family.

Through shared meals, honest conversations and genuine care, they support one another through life’s challenges, loss and questions of identity. What begins as a simple connection becomes a space of trust, understanding and belonging.

Across generations and cultures, Christine and Tina’s story shows how acceptance, empathy and simply being there for one another can ease loneliness and create something truly meaningful.

See more at https://uandme.com.au or www.mcci.org.au/diversity-and-inclusion/u-me

With Why Documentaries