SEVA, a non-profit, non-religious, non-political NGO, focused on the rapidly expanding Australian South Asian community in Sydney is implementing a project to Empower Community Champions. SEVA seeks to identify and support individuals and communities through these capacity building projects and to work together in partnership to address identified social issues and needs of common concern.

With funding support from Multicultural NSW, the objective of the project is to build community capacity through empowerment of Community Champions within the South Asian community to enable them to provide first response support particularly to support women, aged and youth

Community Champions will be trained in skills such as:

• Community leadership skills
• Establishment and governance of community organisations
• Needs assessment, project planning, risk assessment skills
• Volunteering skills and how to seek volunteering opportunities

Community Champions will also be provided with an overview of complex community issues such as Domestic Violence, Aged Care and Elder Abuse, Mental Health and Grief Counselling. Community Champions will also be involved in a community research project and the development of a Handy Services Directory which will be uploaded on to the SEVA website.

Five workshops will be held on Saturdays between 10am and 2pm at Navitas, 3 Mary Street, Auburn NSW 2144 on the following dates:

Expressions of interest are invited from men, women and youth of South Asian origin. Participation in the program is free. Participants are required to attend all sessions. Light lunch will be provided at each session. Good knowledge of English language is essential to enable the participants to benefit from the empowerment program.

Applications close on 24 June 2016. Places are limited and will be offered to suitable applicants on a first come first served basis. For more information and to register your interest, email at: sumati@sevainternational.org or visit http://sevainternational.org .