The Council provides a range of direct services to the community in the form of advice, advocacy, referral, education, information and support.

These include:

Community Settlement Services Scheme provides casework and community development services to humanitarian entrants, women and the aged.

Family Support Service: provides casework, advocacy, referral and support services to individuals and families.

Intensive Family Support Service: provides intensive support to families in crisis.

Links to Learning Program: provides educational support and tutorials for high school students who experience difficulties in accessing and participating in formal learning.

Find out more about Youth Initiatives >>

Problem Gambling Project: provides a counselling service to problem gamblers and their families. Community education and training programs are also organised as part of this service. Download these fact sheets for more information about problem gambling:

- What is Problem Gambling (English) (Arabic);

- Signs and Impacts of Problem Gambling (English) (Arabic);

- Treatment of Problem Gambling 3A (English) (Arabic) 3B (English) (Arabic);

- Problem Gambling and Financial Counselling (English) (Arabic);

- Problem Gambling Treatment Centres (English) (Arabic).

Vulnerable Families Project: provides support to women with young children, organises and resources a number of women's groups.

Arabic Carnivale
A month long annual cultural, educational and artistic event held in various areas around NSW.

Australian Arab Women's Awards
An annual Awards program established in 1999. Presentation of the Awards takes place at the closing celebration of Arabic Carnivale.

Arabic Youth Quiz
A yearly event established in 1998 and held over two days during Arabic Carnivale. Click here to find out more about the Quiz.

HSC High Achievers Awards
A yearly event established in 2003 that recognises the academic achievements of Arab Australian students who have completed their Higher School Certificates.

Find out more about youth initiatives >>

Cross Cultural Awareness Seminars
The Council organises regular cross-cultural seminars with the aim of raising greater awareness about Arab Australians. Topics include: History, Patterns of Arab Migration to Australia, Insight into the Australian Arabic Community, the Australian Arabic Muslim Community, Refugee Issues and Youth Issues.

Volunteer Program
The Council welcomes volunteers who wish to work with the community in a variety of roles and capacities. There are a number of different schemes in which volunteers can become involved, making use of all the different skills and talents that the community has to offer. Volunteers are linked to specific projects relating to their skills, qualifications and area of interests. Some of the roles undertaken by volunteers include assisting in the organisation of various events and activities, tutoring English to Arabic speaking migrants, layout and general clerical duties.

Volunteers can be self referred or referred by other services.

Download the volunteer application form>>

Arabic Workers' Network
This network is a valuable forum that encourages and promotes skills development and information exchange amongst Arabic workers. The network meets bimonthly. Information sessions and training workshops are also organsised.

To become a member of this network, email your details including your name, position, organisation, address, phone and fax numbers to info@arabcouncil.org.au. Type "include me on the AWN mailing list" in the subject message box of your email.

The Council has undertaken a range of projects over the years. Some of these include:

- A range of profiles about the Arabic speaking community in the various Local Government Areas in NSW.

- Arab Australians Today-Citizenship and Belonging" Conference in conjunction with the University of Sydney

- Get Up Stand Up", a magazine produced by the students of the HELP project

- Hands On", a magazine produced by the students of the Circuit Breaker Program

- Let That Be Understood", a video made by young people about young people

- like Engraving in Stone", a Child Protection training resource and educational video, Winner of the Multicultural Marketing Awards, Community category in 1997.

- Al Minbar", Council's bilingual newsletter

- Development of a standard Arabic Terminology

- Like Shifting Sands" a video about Arab Australian women

- AIDS Community Education Prevention program

- Community Legal Education Project

- Covering and organising the "Australian Arab Community Participation or Marginalisation"

- Publishing the proceedings of "the Arabic Community...Realities and Challenges" seminar.