RISE: Refugees, Survivors and Ex-detainees is the first welfare and advocacy organisation governed entirely by refugees, asylum seekers and ex-detainees in Australia. We advocate on behalf of our members to improve refugee/asylum-seeker policies and to generate positive social change in respect to attitudes impacting refugees and asylum seekers. Our vision is to develop a society in which refugees are welcomed, respected and safe; a society in which they can flourish and achieve their full potential.

What makes RISE unique and successful is that our projects are informed by our knowledge, experiences and expertise. Many of our workers experienced the difficulties of settling in Australia and have in-depth knowledge of the political, legal, social, and community welfare system in Australia.

RISE had its humble beginnings in the library of RMIT in January 2009 and was officially launched in March 2010. RISE was established to increase refugee and asylum seekers' participation and enable refugees to build new lives by providing advice, engaging in community development, enhancing opportunity and campaigning for refugee/asylum seeker rights. Soon after, many young community ambassadors and youth leaders joined the RISE team.

RISE represents and is connected with over 30 community groups (including Afghan, Burmese, Eritrean, Ethiopian, Iranian, Iraqi, Kenyan, Rohingya, Somali, Sudanese, Syrian and Tamil) in order to develop and create integrated projects. Since its establishment RISE has provided support to more than 2600 members.

Our work revolves around our Advocacy Program where we act on our members' behalf to improve government and non-governments policies and in an attempt to generate positive social change for our communities. RISE projects and services aim to redress social barriers and empower refugee and asylum seeker communities to actively participate in the wider society. Our services include:

• Advocacy support services
• Settlement support services
• Job seeker support services
• A daily drop-in service operating from 9.30am to 9 pm
• Driving lessons to attain 'L' and 'P' plates
• ESL classes and Educational programs
• Emergency material aid
• Computer lab (with Internet facilities) and weekly computer literacy workshops
• Food Bank, refreshments and snacks
• RISE Resource Library (books, magazines, news articles, on multiculturalism and settlement support)
• Crisis service referral hub (including emergency accommodation and medical information)
• Music and arts projects for youth
• Recreational activities and Events

We are a grassroots organisation, operating at the grassroots level. We need your help to keep this organisation thriving. We urge you to lend us your support by making a tax-deductible donation. Your donation will assist our dedicated volunteers to provide services directly to refugees, asylum seekers, adults and entire families. With your help, we can build a better and stronger future for all.

RISE is a Tax deductible organization and your financial support helps us to enable refugees to build new lives in Australia in which they can flourish and achieve their fullest potential.