The Community Engagement and Refugee Empowerment Portfolio (CEREP) works with government and non-governmental organisations, community partners, refugee communities, people seeking asylum and community leaders by conducting rights-based programs of people-centred research, stakeholder engagement, social inclusion, community empowerment and advocacy. The primary aim of the CEREP is to assist newly arrived and existing refugee communities and people seeking asylum with their immediate settlement and long-term integration in Australia through running community empowerment projects, community capacity building initiatives, professional development mentoring, multi-stakeholder engagement, socio-cultural assistance and volunteer engagement support.
The CEREP is led by Farhad Arian, who is currently working as a Program Coordinator – Research & Policy at the Edmund Rice Centre. The CEREP’s team is comprised of experienced and qualified community practitioners, case workers, professional mentors and academic researchers who all hold academic qualifications and have significant professional achievements.
Programs and Community Initiatives
The CEREP is currently implementing the following programs and community initiatives: