The Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission is supporting the Australian Human Rights Commission and its partners to consult the public over the the development of the National Anti-Racism Strategy. The aim of the strategy is to promote a clear understanding in the Australian community of what racism is and how it can be prevented and reduced. Race Discrimination Commissioner Dr Helen Szoke is leading the development of the strategy. She is very keen to hear how racism affects communities around Australia, and what we should be doing about it. If you didn’t make it to one of the earlier public consultation meetings in Victoria, you can still have your say online by filling out an online survey, or writing a response to a discussion paper by 11 May, via the Australian Human Rights Commission website. 

The Office of Multicultural Affairs and Citizenship invites you to a public information session about the Cultural Precincts and Community Infrasturcture funding round which will be held on Saturday 5 May from 10.30am - 11.30am at the State Library of Victoria Conference Centre, Seminar Room 1, Entry 3, 179 La Trobe, Melbourne. The Victorian Government's $12 million Cultural Precincts and Community Infrastructure Fund (CPCIF) aims to enhance cultural precincts and community facilities in Victoria, and secure the longevity of Victoria's important community assets. The CPCIF supports projects that enhance the identity of cultural precincts and projects that increase access to community-owned facilities by Victoria's culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD)communities. The funding round for 2012 opens on 5 May 2012. Small and major grants will be available to CALD organisations for the restoration or construction of community-owned facilities, and to local council areas across Victoria to enhance cultural precincts. RSVP to omac@dpc.vic.gov.au Funding guidelines and application forms will be available on our website at www.multicultural.vic.gov.au from 5 May 2012.

The Australian Government is undertaking consultations about the key issues and challenges facing people from culturally diverse backgrounds who work in the building and construction industry. If you work in this industry, or have a story about it, please come along to an important meeting on Thursday 19 April, 6-8pm at the Multicultural Hub (Blue Room), 506 Elizabeth St, Melbourne. Employers and employees are encouraged to attend to discuss issues within the building and construction industry. The outcomes of these consultations will inform further work on information and education programs.

A Macquarie University PhD scholarship (MQRES) is available in the Department of Sociology affiliated with an Australian Research Council Discovery Grant entitled “Everyday Multiculturalism at Work”. A PhD candidate is sought to work on a topic related to this project. The exact thesis topic can be negotiated and interdisciplinary approaches are welcome. Interested candidates must be Australian (or New Zealand) citizens or have permanent Australian residency status to qualify for a full scholarship. International candidates may be considered for a tuition only scholarship. Candidates should have either an honours or a master's degree in sociology, cultural studies, anthropology, human geography, or a closely related discipline. Candidates will be required to develop their own independent PhD project entailing fieldwork based research in either Singapore or Australia. For full details of the topics and how to apply visit the website.

Australia’s largest ethnic community radio station, 3ZZZ, is seeking ethnic community groups who may not have a radio voice in Melbourne to get in touch, with a view to establishing a program on 3ZZZ. On offer is free training and support for communities accepted into the program, as well as free access to studios and equipment and mentoring for new broadcasters and group committees. For more information contact manager, Martin Wright, on 0400 968 446 or email manager@3zzz.com.au

We love to hear what you have planned. You can submit your events and details of any new resources with a multicultural focus via the form on our website. These get added to our online Community Noticeboard and Events Calendar. Selected listings will be included in the VMC Update each fortnight. Click on the link below to find out what's going on around multicultural Victoria.