Issue Three:
House of Welcome Catering
House of Welcome Catering (HW Catering) is a thriving social enterprise located in Granville, NSW, dedicated to empowering people seeking asylum and refugees, by providing meaningful employment opportunities and pathways through fusion-inspired global cuisine. One of the most challenging barriers for people seeking asylum and refugees in Australia is the difficulty in securing a foot in the door for employment, due to a lack of relevant work experience in the Australian job market. HW Catering was established in 2018 to meet this need. Through the power of food, connection and community, HW Catering addresses barriers to employment whilst assisting clients in navigating complex systems, building confidence and achieving independence and self-determination. By offering hospitality work experience and training under the guidance of professional chefs, HW Catering lays the foundation for trainees to acquire crucial skills and knowledge needed to enter and thrive in the Australian workforce. The program includes professional guidance, wrap-around casework support, food security, housing, recognised industry skills building, and access to English language classes. This approach ensures a smooth and tailored transition for each individual, meeting their needs and recognising and supporting their strengths.
“When I was working there, I felt that I was living with my family… everything that I needed, like material aid, financial assistance, and food was provided to me. I try to express how I really felt in my heart. You provided the accommodation for me; now I have shelter, a roof to live under, and rest properly. I forgot about the violence I came from. Now I am happy. You provided me with everything that a human being needs to survive on this planet. My survival is House of Welcome.” – House of Welcome Catering Trainee
HW Catering embodies cultural responsiveness in their inclusive approach that empowers individuals from diverse backgrounds, particularly people seeking asylum and refugees. The program creates a space for cultural exchange and meets the diverse and complex needs of participants who require holistic support. By using food as a powerful connector, the team encourages trainees to incorporate their personal experiences, rich traditions, and valuable knowledge into the kitchen. This flexible model also ensures that each trainee moves at their own pace. The inclusion of cultural navigators to help translate not just language but also work practices means that participants can learn skills such as knife safety and hygiene protocols within a culturally safe context that values the diverse backgrounds and needs of each participant. HW Catering’s holistic approach to inclusion and thriving combines meaningful employment and wrap-around support. This strategy helps participants build confidence, self-advocacy, and pathways to independence and self-sufficiency. This approach is particularly important for women and families, who may face unique challenges related to childcare and cultural expectations. Importantly, this program celebrates rich cultural diversity and life experiences, viewing difference as an asset.
HW Catering also nurtures a sense of belonging and collective empowerment through their community engagement approach. This social enterprise combines food, mentorship, and a strong sense of community to help strengthen both individual and wider society. Food serves as a platform for trainees to utilise their unique skills and strengths, build new lives and make lasting impacts to their communities that reflect their diverse experiences. The comprehensive support offered, such as mental health support, housing services, and casework helps trainees navigate the complexities of settling in a new country while gaining hands-on workplace experience. Ultimately the mentorship, tailored training, and food come together to create a shared and supportive environment that empowers trainees to thrive and take ownership of their future.
HW Catering has made remarkable strides in empowering people seeking asylum and refugees. Since 2018, the program has provided meaningful employment opportunities and training to over 19 trainee chefs, with an impressive 85 per cent of participants securing employment within three months after completing their traineeships – a far higher success rate than comparable refugee employment programs. The catering service has successfully fulfilled 1,244 catering orders since its beginning, delighting 71,853 satisfied customers with its fusion-inspired global cuisine. Participants reported that the program increased their skills, training and positively influenced their confidence to seek employment opportunities. The catering program’s unwavering dedication was also evident during the COVID-19 pandemic. Faced with unprecedented challenges, the team swiftly pivoted their operations, with the team forging partnerships with local councils to create new opportunities such as providing snack packs, meeting surging demand and community needs head on. Through strategic alliances with community organisations, HW Catering can create pathways to stability for some of the most vulnerable in our community who face significant barriers to healthcare, legal support, and employment opportunities. These partnerships, whether with local councils or community groups, reflect a shared commitment to the long-term social change and systemic support. Since 2018, HW Catering has been committed in crafting a recipe for change, serving hope and opportunity while cultivating community and belonging through food, with its impact resonating far beyond the kitchen.
Evidence in practice
Cultural responsiveness extends beyond an understanding and acknowledgement of differing cultural views and experiences. Cultural responsiveness is an active commitment to addressing and challenging power imbalances, both between the practitioner and the client and in the broader society (Olcoń, Rambaldini‑Gooding & Degeling, 2023). It aims to enhance access and quality of services, and improve outcomes for individuals, through the “integration of culture in service delivery” (Centre for Cultural Competence Australia, 2013, as cited in Green, Bennett, & Betteridge, 2016).
Community engagement refers to the collective involvement of individuals in the decision-making and delivery of communally beneficial activities and initiatives. This approach generates an array of benefits for individuals such as fostering collective growth, strengthening social connections, and increasing self-confidence and a sense of empowerment. As a result, community engagement improves community and health outcomes, and leads to positive and sustainable social change (Attree et al., 2011).
References
Attree, P., French, B., Milton, B., Povall, S., Whitehead, M., & Popay, P. (2011). The experience of community engagement for individuals: a rapid review of evidence. Health and Social Care in the Community, 19(3), 250–260. Available from https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdfdirect/10.1111/j.1365-2524.2010.00976.x
Green, S., Bennett, B., & Betteridge, S. (2016). Cultural responsiveness and social work: a discussion. Social Alternatives, 35(4), 66–72.
Olcoń, K., Rambaldini‑Gooding, D., & Degeling, C. (2023). Implementation gaps in culturally responsive care for refugee and migrant maternal health in New South Wales, Australia. BMC Health Services Research, 23(42), 1-12. Available from https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1186/s12913-023-09066-7.pdf
St Francis Social Services (2023). St Francis Social Services Annual Report. Available from https://static1.squarespace.com/static/63fc6b89a7fcf927d88d9018/t/6503a1624e5ef03eed72f7e9/1694736745278/SFSS+Annual+Report+2023.pdf
