News, Events & Media
October 2024
Thrive supports Australia Post’s launch of Refugee Employment Action Plan
Wednesday 16th October 2024 – Thrive Refugee Enterprise (Thrive), the Australian NGO supporting refugees into small business and employment, joined Australia Post Group Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director Paul Graham and executives of Australia Post to launch its first Refugee Employment and Engagement Action Plan.
Thrive has collaborated with Australia Post on the Action Plan which critically sits alongside the business’ broader diversity and inclusion, Indigenous and disability programs. The three-year Action Plan (2024- 2027) further supports opportunities for Australia Post as a ‘refugee-friendly employer’. It lays out a strategy to attract, recruit and retain refugees in Australia Post’s workforce and support refugees to achieve their full potential.
Thrive Co-Founder and Executive Chair, Huy Truong said, “Australia Post has been a valued partner of Thrive Refugee Enterprise since 2020 when the two organisations came together to create a pathway for refugees into small business ownership as courier contractors. Employers across the country have developed impactful employment strategies and action plans for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island and Disability, and it’s game changing to see an enterprise like Australia Post developing and showcasing a corporate refugee employment action plan… read more
August 2024
Event
Thrive is exhibiting at the Pathways to Employment Expo 14th August 2024 in Fairfield NSW
Meet Thrive Refugee Enterprise at the Pathways to Employment Expo - “Bridges to Employment”, the local one-stop-shop for migrant and refugee job seekers to be informed about employment, small business and training opportunities. Learn more about how Thrive can assist refugees with small business loans and business support to help you get started in your own business. This is a great networking opportunity with 60 stallholders representing businesses, organisations, and support services for refugees and migrants. This annual community event is organised by the Fairfield Emerging Communities Action Partnership (FECAP).
Date: Wednesday 14 August 2024
Time: 9:30am-1:30pm
Where: Fairfield Youth and Community Centre, 55 Vine Street, Fairfield NSW
July 2024
Just released ABS Census data reveals 49% of Australia’s refugees who arrived after 2015 remained on unemployment payments in 2021.
The results highlight blocks to economic participation, amidst a climate of skills shortage.
The latest release of ABS Census data on Migrant Settlement Outcomes reveals 49% of Australia’s refugees who arrived after 2015 remained on unemployment payments in 2021. This highlights blocks to economic participation amidst a climate of skills shortage, making a compelling case for refugee social and economic opportunity that lies in plain sight.
Through the work of Thrive Refugee Enterprise, every day we see first-hand the steps required to assist refugees with finance and planning to get started in small business. Armed with their hard working ethic, entrepreneurial spirit and a desire for a pathway into economic self-reliance, over the past year alone 160 new refugee-led small businesses have been started with Thrive's support.
Thrive has to date supported the creation of 750 new refugee-led small businesses in communities across all of Australia. Collectively these businesses are injecting over $60M into the Australian economy each year. Importantly the refugee business owners and their families are learning new skills and actively connecting with their local communities.
Thrive works with large employers and SME's in Australia, and we are encouraged by their willingness to employ refugees and open them to small business opportunities. These organisations see the broader potential that refugees across Australia can offer, but the capacity to connect them to jobs and small business opportunities is currently restricted due to a lack of systems coordination.
Today Thrive is working to build the capacity to connect more refugees to jobs and small business opportunities across the Australian economy. By working together with Government, large employers, SMEs, service providers, refugees and local communities we can accelerate the path to financial self-reliance, magnify local integration efforts, build greater social cohesion and deliver economic value for local communities and all Australia.
June 2024
Thrive releases latest economic findings on its refugee clients contributing over $60Million to the Australian economy
Results of annual Thrive Refugee Client Impact Survey show improved business confidence
During Refugee Week Australia — Tuesday 18th June 2024 – Thrive Refugee Enterprise (Thrive), the Australian NGO enabling refugees with finance and planning support to start their own business, today released its latest client economic findings that adds more than 750 small businesses to the Australian economy, contributing over $60Million per annum.
Huy Truong, Thrive Refugee Enterprise Co-founder and Executive Chairman said: "For Thrive to have achieved this economic outcome for arrived refugees in Australia is testament to their entrepreneurial spirit, work ethic and determination. It’s also an endorsement of Thrive’s strategy to apply $15Million of financial capital, commercial analysis and support to refugees that have largely been excluded from… read more
June 2024
Thrive releases latest economic findings on its refugee clients contributing over $60Million to the Australian economy
Results of annual Thrive Refugee Client Impact Survey show improved business confidence
During Refugee Week Australia — Tuesday 18th June 2024 – Thrive Refugee Enterprise (Thrive), the Australian NGO enabling refugees with finance and planning support to start their own business, today released its latest client economic findings that adds more than 750 small businesses to the Australian economy, contributing over $60Million per annum.
Huy Truong, Thrive Refugee Enterprise Co-founder and Executive Chairman said: "For Thrive to have achieved this economic outcome for arrived refugees in Australia is testament to their entrepreneurial spirit, work ethic and determination. It’s also an endorsement of Thrive’s strategy to apply $15Million of financial capital, commercial analysis and support to refugees that have largely been excluded from… read more
June 16 - 22
Refugee Week 2024: Finding Freedom through Economic Participation
Thrive is helping Australia’s refugees find their freedom through facilitating a pathway into small business and self-employment.
The Refugee Council of Australia has named Thrive Refugee Enterprise the key Economic Participation Partner for Refugee Week 2024, which takes place from the 16th to 22nd of June.
This year’s Refugee Week theme “Finding Freedom” – with a focus on family – encapsulates the profound journey of resilience, strength, and unity that defines the refugee experience. This Refugee Week, we aim to shed light on the transformative power of familial bonds as well as chosen bonds in the face of adversity and emphasise the crucial role families play in providing solace, support, and a sense of belonging to those forced to flee their homelands.
Thrive will be participating in Government and local community group events across Australia to celebrate 2024 Refugee Week.
June 20
Event
MP Andrew Giles Refugee Day Event (during Refugee Week 2024)
The Office of the Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs, Andrew Giles is hosting an event in Sydney to celebrate Refugee Week this year. The Office has named Thrive Refugee Enterprise an official support partner for this event, with both senior representatives from Thrive and its refugee client community attending.
June 20
Event Location
Australian National Maritime Museum, Sydney
Settlement Services international (SSI), Refugee and Migrant Jobs and Skills Summit 2024 & Billion Dollar Benefit Report Launch
Senior representatives from Thrive will be attending and participating in this event.
June 2024
Opinion
Migrants and refugees are part of the solution to Australia’s critical challenges, not its cause.
Opinion piece by Huy Truong, Co-founder and Executive Chairman of Thrive Refugee Enterprise
The recent discussion on cutting permanent migration and the humanitarian program has raised a strong sense of dejavu – and not in a good way.
I was studying in the US in 1997 when One Nation and its warnings about ‘being swamped’ by Asians and need to cut migration first appeared in the public and political discourse. I have to say, as an Asian Australian refugee, it was incredibly confronting and uncomfortable. Not surprisingly, I was asked by a number of Americans and other nationalities for my response… read more
June 2024
Announcement
Thrive Refugee Enterprise announces Thrive Refugee Advisory Committee (TRAC)
Thrive Refugee Enterprise is excited to announce the formation of our new Thrive Refugee Advisory Committee (TRAC), bringing together eight Thrive refugee clients who are successfully running their own small businesses across Australia. We welcome Atefeh Hekmat, Alaa kadem, Farhia Nur Ahmed, Pouran-Dokht Rouhi Golgoo, Reveka Hurtado, Samiulla Noori, Ihor Sydorenko and Jankey Osman Joweesh to TRAC.
TRAC will help advise Thrive on operational priorities and opportunities to further grow economic participation among refugees that delivers a flow on contribution to the Australian economy.
March 2024
Acknowledgement
Thrive Refugee Enterprise Advisory Council & Board of Directors help shape economic participation among refugees
Thrive Refugee Enterprise would like to acknowledge the valuable advice and support we receive from our Advisory Council and Board of Directors that helps shape economic participation among refugees. Thank you to Advisory Council members John Curtis, David Gonski, Martin Parkinson and Christine Holgate, and our Board of Directors Exec Chair Huy Truong, Anna Curtis, Finn Pratt, Cath Scarth, Sandy Chakravarty and Yung Ngo.
The Advisory Council and our Board of Directors are passionate about the mission of Thrive – to build a brighter future for refugees in Australia by facilitating a pathway into small business and self-employment through business planning, financial capital and ongoing support. Since 2017 over 1500 refugees seeking or considering starting a small business have accessed financial and business support from Thrive. Over 750 small businesses have started or accelerated, contributing approx. $60 million per annum to the Australian economy.