On a Friday morning in June, Altone Youth Centre filled with colour, music, laughter, and the smell of freshly prepared Moroccan Street food.
Young people from across our campuses and community programs came together to mark Refugee Week 2026, themed A Million Stories, alongside staff, community organisations, a henna artist, a South American bakery, a live musician, and plenty of craft activities.
It was exactly the kind of day Refugee Week exists to create.
This year marks 40 years of Refugee Week in Australia, and a milestone that deserves to be celebrated: more than one million humanitarian visas have been issued in this country since 1947.
One million journeys. One million contributions. One million reasons to reflect on what it means to welcome people, to create belonging, and to build a community that is genuinely richer for its diversity.
Our SETS caseworker Holly, who works alongside young people from refugee and migrant backgrounds as they navigate their settlement journey in Australia, put it simply: “We created a space for everyone to come together, to connect with one another, to share their stories. Everyone from all different backgrounds, all different walks of life.”
From the moment young people arrived, there was something for everyone.
Ayshas, a henna artist who led workshops throughout the morning, watched as young people sat together, hands outstretched, learning something new alongside each other. “This is what brings people together,” she said. “It’s very important that kids are exposed to different cultures. They make new connections, they make friends, and it’s just a space to get their creativity out. Today there were a lot of smiles. I’m sure they went home with really full hearts.”
Alongside the henna, young people painted tote bags, created mosaics, enjoyed sweet treats from a South American bakery, and sat down together over freshly prepared Moroccan Street food. A live musician kept the energy up throughout the day.
Stella, one of the young people who attended, had a clear favourite: “My favorite part is how many different activities there are, like henna. We got to learn how to do henna.”
Daisy was equally enthusiastic: “I’m just painting a tote bag. I’m doing a blend on a flower. It’s fun. I like painting.”
For our staff, the day was about more than activities. It was about what happens when young people who might never have crossed paths find themselves laughing together over a pool table or sitting side by side getting henna done.
Bede, a teacher from Bayswater who has been with Youth Futures for nine years, noticed it immediately. “Some of our students probably hadn’t met each other before. But through the pool table and through the other activities, they were interacting with each other. It’s really encouraged inclusivity and that’s a really wonderful thing to see.”
Jemma, who manages our homelessness referrals and Emergency Relief program and was on the ground at Altone throughout the day, hoped young people would leave with two things: new connections and awareness of support available to them. “I’m hoping that the young people today take away some new connections with young people in their community, as well as a bit of information on services that might be able to support them.”
Nicole, a trainer from Mirrabooka, summed up the atmosphere perfectly: “Our students are here today and they’re having a wonderful time. Some of them have had henna done on their hands, a few of them are making tote bags, and a few others are playing pool. They’re having an awesome time.”
One of the highlights of the day was hearing from Assadullah Khurrami, a Refugee Ambassador from the Refugee Council of Australia’s Refugee Stories for Change program, who shared his story with the room.
“What I would like to be taken away from today’s event is to have hope and be resilient in the face of challenges and hardship in life,” he said. “Good things are yet to come and there’s always light at the end of the tunnel.”
It was a message that landed in a room full of young people who know something about resilience.
Our Principal Paul Jones reflected on what the day represented beyond the activities and the food: “It was fantastic to see schools and community organisations coming together with a shared commitment to supporting young people. Events like this remind us how powerful collaboration can be when we work together to create better pathways and outcomes.”
That collaboration, between our SETS team, our schools, Altone Youth Centre, community organisations, and the young people themselves, is what made the day possible. And it is what makes the difference every single day, not just during Refugee Week.
To every young person who came through the doors of Altone on Friday: thank you for bringing your story. We are glad you are here.
