3 November 2023
This year marks the 75th anniversary of Australia’s largest and longest running settlement program.
The Adult Migrant English Program (AMEP)(opens in a new tab) assists eligible migrants and refugees to learn English and to understand and integrate into the Australian way of life.
The milestone birthday was celebrated with an explosion of music, dance and cultural dress with more than 1000 students and staff across North Metropolitan TAFE (NMTAFE)’s Perth, Balga and Joondalup campuses.
Former AMEP student Feng Yang who spoke at the Perth event, described his AMEP experience as life-changing:
“AMEP gave me lots of experiences. My lecturers were, responsible, smart, humorous and very organised. They used unique teaching methods to help me, and the course was very practical, and we all benefitted from the course in our new life. I can remember there was a unit on how to make an appointment with a plumber, how to do a medical interview, and how to make casual conversations. These topics are quite good for us and help us to settle”.
The program is funded by the Australian Government’s Department of Home Affairs and delivered to students across five NMTAFE locations.
Eligible participants have free access to unlimited hours of English lessons as well as access to childcare. Participants learn speaking, reading and writing skills for everyday living, for work and for further study.
Vanessa Lardicos, Director of Humanitarian Program Operations for the Department of Home Affairs said: “The AMEP is helping eligible new migrants to secure employment, engage with further study, make friends, it also helps children settle, and build a new life in the Australian community.
“The ability to communicate is integral to an individual’s comfort and confidence, to integrate and participate fully in Australian society. The role that the AMEP plays in supporting new migrants in this endeavor cannot be understated, it is huge.”
NMTAFE has been delivering the AMEP since 1998 (when it was Perth Technical College). There are currently around 3,000 students enrolled in the program, supported by 80 lecturers, 26 Government officers and 261 active home tutor volunteers.
NMTAFE’s Director English and Languages, Rania Soliman said: “It is wonderful to see so many people come together to acknowledge and celebrate the positive impact the program has had on so many lives.
“I am incredibly proud of the work we do and would like to acknowledge the incredible dedication and commitment of our staff, both past and present.
“I would also like to say how proud I am of the students who take up the challenge to learn our language and embrace our way of life, their resilience is truly inspiring.”