SAIL NEWSLETTER

NEWSLETTER: Footscray campus (July 2008)

NEWSLETTER: Footscray campus (June 2008)

The 'let us know' list

1. If any of your contact details have changed, please let us know.

2. If you are planning to have contact with your student outside of SAIL hours you must let us know first and complete the contact request form.

3. If you intend to bring a friend to SAIL please direct them to the website first and direct them to apply online or just let us know beforehand.

4. Let us know if you are going to miss a Saturday via the online "Can't Come Sheet".

5. Please check and read your emails each week - if possible, Friday is best!

6. Please let us know before you speak publicly or publish an article about SAIL.


Ongoing offers

1. Photocopying- for any SAIL related photocopying, simply mark the pages from the books you want copied and give the book to the co-ordinators on Saturday- it will be ready for you the following week!

2. The Tutor Resources section of the website is available at all times to provide tutors with ideas, games, work-sheets and support. We strongly suggest that if you are experiencing difficulties of any kind when working with your student, you post a request for advice on the SAIL Panel of Experts Bulletin Board -the password was in the email with this newsletter.


Diary dates

If you are interested in attending any upcoming African Australian events click here for the details.

Please read this newsletter in the following week, it gives updates on SAIL past, present and future!

Community Talks & SAIL Senior Programs

Last month, SAIL Senior students were fortunate to have Martin from the Footscray Community Legal Centre come speak to them about financial planning and budgeting. It was a highly informative session and SAILors were given the opportunity to discuss important financial issues.

Our next Community Talk is scheduled for Saturday, 14 June. We ask that tutors and drivers please remind both SAILors and their parents that they are always welcome to join our talks and Senior Programs, both of which are very beneficial to parents and children.
 
The Governor’s visit

The Queen’s representative in Victoria came, saw, and by all accounts had a fabulous time with us at SAIL.  Thanks to everyone for making the visit such a great occasion and for generally making SAIL a great place to spend a Saturday morning.

SAIL Xtend Update
With winter fast approaching, Xtend has sailed indoors and our dedicated participants are heating up our kitchen by cooking up a storm as well as learning the finer points of krumping.  So far the dancing and eating combination has worked masterfully!

Big Thanks for cleaning up!
Thank you once again to everyone for helping with the clean up each and every Saturday - it really does make the running of SAIL so much easier.  Thanks again!

Can’t Come Form online
Thank you to all SAILors for making great use of the online Can’t Come Form for Footscray.  It is a huge help for coordinators to know as early as possible when you are unable to SAIL, as we can organise car collection and student-tutor match ups fantastically well as a result.  It’s only helpful though if it’s done before 5pm on a Friday!!  If something comes up at the last minute and you can’t make it, please let Dave know either by texting or calling his mobile (ask if you don’t have the number!).

WholeSAIL News

SAIL in the Press

As you may already know, the SAIL Program only engages with media opportunities of its own in very limited circumstances. We have this policy to ensure that the Sudanese community are portrayed on their own terms, rather than through the SAIL Program.

On Saturday 17 May 2008, The Saturday Age newspaper published two stories that mentioned the SAIL Program, including photos of SAILors. The first we knew of these references was when we saw the paper on 17 May. The photos had been taken with our knowledge but without reference to publication in the Saturday Age and without knowing the content with which they would be linked. The articles were written by Farah Farouque without contacting us at all.

Needless to say, we were upset that this went ahead without our knowledge because it was in breach of our own policy but it also linked the SAIL Program to a political debate in which we, as a service provider rather than a lobbying body, wanted no part. We were concerned also that the articles told a SAILor’s story with reference to the assistance of the SAIL Program, where the SAIL Program had only a token role in the SAILor's story. We made our disquiet known to The Age on the same day these articles were published. The editor, Michael Gordon, called Matthew, the SAIL Founder on 19 May 2008 and apologised that he had not ensured that the SAIL Program was contacted to check that the
reference to the organisation was authorized before the articles went to press.

For the record, if you are approached to undertake any media about your involvement at SAIL, please be sure to check with us before having any further contact. This will ensure that no further stories are released that portray the Sudanese community as being dependant on the SAIL Program. The community should be portrayed on their own terms whenever such opportunities arise.

Refugee Week 2008

Don't forget that Refugee Week 2008 is just a month away. And the national theme is "A Place to Call Home". To keep up to date with plans for Refugee Week as it draws closer, see http://www.refugeecouncil.org.au/newsevents/refugeeweek.html

SAIL Total Trivia

Sudan borders 9 countries and an important sea. Can you name them all?

ANSWER: Egypt, Libya, Chad, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, Kenya, Ethiopia, Eritrea and the Red Sea…whew!

Thank you for SAILing into Winter 2008
Dave, Sarah, Nik and Cara.