Not everyone has a voice that can be heard.

Since the inception of the Centre over 27 years ago, we have been a constant voice for the rights of those whose voices remain unheard - our First Nations and Pacific Islander brothers and sisters, refugees and people seeking asylum.

This year the Edmund Rice Centre is entering an exciting new phase with a new Director, a new location for our Sydney headquarters and a new governance structure as part of Edmund Rice Community Services. As we face challenges and opportunities now and into the future, we need your support to ensure that our work continues.

First Nations peoples seek recognition and self-determination. 

With your strong support, the Centre was a first mover in its early engagement in the Uluru Statement and the Voice to Parliament.  With the Voice Referendum taking place later this year, we stand ready to support the full implementation of the Uluru Statement from the Heart, including a YES to recognition of our First Nations peoples in our Constitution, the establishment of a Voice to Parliament, Treaty and truth-telling.

Pacific Islander communities face the impacts of the climate crisis.

Policies currently in place around the world are projected to result in 2.7°C warming by 2100 above pre-industrial levels (Climate Action Tracker 2022).  This scenario means that small island nations such as Kiribati and Tuvalu would no longer be able to sustain permanent populations while many others would face disastrous consequences as a result of sea level rise, freshwater contamination and more intense and frequent droughts and cyclones.

Since 2006, the Centre has been working in partnership with Pacific Island communities as part of its Pacific Calling Partnership to build climate leadership capacity and create opportunities for Pacific Islanders to tell the world about what is happening to their people and their homelands. With your support, together, we can continue this work.

A growing number of refugees continue to arrive to seek asylum in Australia and overseas.

2022 and 2023 have been very difficult years for humanity. The war in Ukraine, Sudan and the irresponsible withdrawal of the international community from Afghanistan has forced millions of people to flee their home and loved ones. According to UNHCR there are 103 million forcibly displaced people worldwide, of whom 2.5 million are refugees and 4.9 million are people seeking asylum.

The good news is that through your generosity, refugee families are given hope again. We have helped families evacuating Afghanistan to find safe havens and reunite after many years apart - people who risked their lives over the last 20 years to help Australia and our own mission in Afghanistan.

We are also helping refugees and humanitarian entrants with their settlement journey. This includes a refugee mentoring program through which we provide tailored support to recently arrived refugees, an employment and career development program, as well as a refugee legal empowerment course. 

We cannot continue this work without you. Will you raise your voice with a gift to help us continue our work towards justice?

Your voice, our voice, their voice - together we are stronger.