ACSA
(Antiochian Community Support Association)
ACSA (Antiochian Community Support Association) is a non-for-profit operating through St Paul’s which serves people from Arabic speaking backgrounds: families and individuals, including children, youth, women, men, the elderly and disabled, living in the south east region of Melbourne, Victoria. ACSA seeks funds to offer a range of services such as language and educational classes; information sessions; employment assistance and skill development. It also arranges sporting activities, and recreational and cultural activities for the benefit of its constituency.
ACSA Cultural Festival 2013
ACSA aims to provide services to diverse communities of Arabic-speaking background in the Southern Metropolitan Region of Melbourne by linking community members to service providers and to provide culturally relevant educational, social and recreational activities that foster connection and belonging.
We aim to:
• Provide resources/services on a non-political and non-sectarian basis.
• Assist in the integration of Arabic-speaking community members with the wider Australian community.
• Facilitate the study of Middle Eastern culture to Arabic-speaking communities and the broader community
• Provide counselling/support services to families and individuals in the area of health & well-being.
• Provide recreational/social activities for children, youth and adults.
ACSA is accessed monthly by approximately 150 people of culturally diverse groups - by Christian, Muslim and non-religious members affiliated with the: Palestinian, Lebanese, Jordanian, Syrian and Egyptian communities.
Some of our successful programs include:
• Parenting programs to support newly arrived young parents.
• Women's programs with education workshops on health/well-being.
• Women's programs supporting newly arrived women with settlement challenges.
• Establishing an Arabic speaking background seniors' group.
• Coordinating and hosting Family Festivals and Cultural Festivals.
• Youth focused programs for skill development and increased capacity of young people of our target group to participate in broader community activities.
ACSA is registered with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC) with all annual reporting publicly available. It was founded in December 2012 and continues to provide support to the local community through St Paul’s. The organisation’s primary concern is social and educational, providing social connectivity, particularly to refugees and asylum seekers seeking community in Melbourne’s southeast.
ACSA Senior Citizens Day Out 2016
You can learn more about ACSA on the ACNC page here.
If you would like to learn more about ACSA, or if you are in need of assistance, know someone in need of assistance, or would like to volunteer your time to provide community support, please consider contacting us below.