Students Against Racism named Community Group of the Year

Students Against Racism, made up of current and former TasTAFE students, have been recognised with an award for the significant contribution they make to the community.

The group won the Tasprint Community Group of the Year award at the Tasmanian Community Achievement Awards on 4 December. The awards encourage, acknowledge and reward the valuable contributions that individuals, communities and businesses contribute to making Tasmania a better place.

Students Against Racism is based in the Young Migrant Education Program at TasTAFE and open to any young person interested in building understanding about people who are settling in Tasmania. Over the past 14 years they have trained over 450 young people from multicultural backgrounds along with Tasmanian-born young people to deliver presentations, workshops, theatre performances, speeches, and activities to reduce racism.

Members have shared their personal stories of the refugee journey to over 16,000 people across regional Tasmania as well as in Launceston and Hobart. Through this work of educating and connecting with the wider Tasmanian community, the young people have gained skills, support, empowerment and connection.

They have created a range of presentations, activities and theatre performances and adapt these to meet the needs of the audience they are working with. The group has worked with all ages and all backgrounds. This includes Tasmania Police recruits to driver mentors and Centrelink workers, along with primary, high school college, TasTAFE and university classes. The group has also developed a Students Against Racism ‘training package’ and have inspired multicultural young people to establish similar groups in Victoria, Queensland and regional New South Wales.

Along with the training to deliver the workshops, the group organises a range of opportunities for the young people involved to develop skills in different areas. SAR members have completed first aid courses, manual handling training, work experience, leadership and confidence building workshops, job seeking classes, resume writing, mock interviews and team building activities as well as personal development and pathway guidance coaching.

The young people involved in the group are contributing to the Tasmanian community and also supporting each other and empowering themselves in practical ways to build a sense of self and belonging.