Relive the 2020 conference here with our gallery of photos.
30 September 2021
About the conference
The fourth conference in 2020 was hosted in partnership with QUT (Queensland University of Technology) on 13-14 February 2020.
The conference theme was “The Challenge of Change”. In standing up for fair treatment of refugees, we face many obstacles but giving up is a luxury refugees cannot afford. Our challenge is to embolden ourselves to maximise our potential for creating change.
Key documents
2020 Conference Report
Read the report on the 2020 Refugee Alternatives conference, held in Brisbane.
2020 conference video: Watch the opening plenary for Refugee Alternatives 2020
Watch the opening plenary for Refugee Alternatives 2020, where the panellists discussed the meaning of 'lived experience'.
2020 Program
The 2020 conference was held over two days, with a third day for side events.
You can read the 2020 program here, or download the program.
Read the Program for the 2020 conference
Size : 12.3 MB Format : PDF
Speakers
Aamir Ali, Hope Co-Op
My name is Aamir Ali. I am from Pakistan and currently living in Melbourne with my family. I am studying a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering (HONS) at Victoria University Melbourne. I am the board member of Hope Co-op (designer), a cooperative organisation run by asylum-seekers for asylum-seekers.
My name is Aamir Ali. I am from Pakistan and currently living in Melbourne with my family. I am studying a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering (HONS) at Victoria University Melbourne. I am the board member of Hope Co-op (designer), a cooperative organisation run by asylum-seekers for asylum-seekers.
Amiel Nubaha, Thousand Hills Inspire, Rwandan Association of Queensland
Born and raised up in a refugee Camp, Mr Amiel Nubaha migrated to Australia in 2009 aged 14 through the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Resettlement Program. Despite of his recent refugee ordeal, Amiel recently graduated with a Bachelor of Law/Bachelor of Criminology and Criminal Justice from Griffith University. Amiel is a current President of the Rwandan Association of Queensland Inc., a Founder of Thousand Hills Inspire- Life Coach and Amiel currently sits on the Youth Advisory Committee of the Minister for Employment and Small Business and Minister for Training and Skills Development. A former Youth Member for Woodridge Electorate (2018-2019). Amiel is an active member of the Queensland Multicultural Youth Council, a not-for profit organisation that initiates targeted services and programs to improve life outcomes for young people aged between 12 and 30 in Queensland. Amiel was recently nominated by the Queensland Government to be one of the 3 2019 Young Achiever Finalists because of his ongoing outstanding work within communities from culturally and linguistically diverse background. Amiel was a Caux Scholar at the 2009 Caux Scholars Program Switzerland, a program which teaches students to identify and analyze conflicts, to understand the factors that create and sustain conflicts, and to use practical methods to diffuse conflicts through global disciplines in conflict prevention, negotiation, development studies, international relations, legislation and policy, and transitional justice. Amiel is currently employed as a Caseworker at Cherbourg Youth Justice Service Centre.
Born and raised up in a refugee Camp, Mr Amiel Nubaha migrated to Australia in 2009 aged 14 through the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Resettlement Program. Despite of his recent refugee ordeal, Amiel recently graduated with a Bachelor of Law/Bachelor of Criminology and Criminal Justice from Griffith University. Amiel is a current President of the Rwandan Association of Queensland Inc., a Founder of Thousand Hills Inspire- Life Coach and Amiel currently sits on the Youth Advisory Committee of the Minister for Employment and Small Business and Minister for Training and Skills Development. A former Youth Member for Woodridge Electorate (2018-2019). Amiel is an active member of the Queensland Multicultural Youth Council, a not-for profit organisation that initiates targeted services and programs to improve life outcomes for young people aged between 12 and 30 in Queensland. Amiel was recently nominated by the Queensland Government to be one of the 3 2019 Young Achiever Finalists because of his ongoing outstanding work within communities from culturally and linguistically diverse background. Amiel was a Caux Scholar at the 2009 Caux Scholars Program Switzerland, a program which teaches students to identify and analyze conflicts, to understand the factors that create and sustain conflicts, and to use practical methods to diffuse conflicts through global disciplines in conflict prevention, negotiation, development studies, international relations, legislation and policy, and transitional justice. Amiel is currently employed as a Caseworker at Cherbourg Youth Justice Service Centre.
Ana Pocrnjic, Queensland Program of Assistance to Survivors of Torture and Trauma (QPASTT)
Ana has worked at QPASTT for over 10 years in a variety of roles. Ana has worked therapeutically in a counselling context with people affected by symptoms of complex trauma for nearly 10 years and took up a management role in the last two years, supporting staff who are in direct contact with our client groups, both in individual counselling and community development capacities.In the last 2 years Ana has spent time working across 5 regional locations in QLD. Regional settlement offers a wealth of unique opportunities and connections for our clients, as well as battle it’s own specific challenges.
Ana has worked at QPASTT for over 10 years in a variety of roles. Ana has worked therapeutically in a counselling context with people affected by symptoms of complex trauma for nearly 10 years and took up a management role in the last two years, supporting staff who are in direct contact with our client groups, both in individual counselling and community development capacities.In the last 2 years Ana has spent time working across 5 regional locations in QLD. Regional settlement offers a wealth of unique opportunities and connections for our clients, as well as battle it’s own specific challenges.
Annabelle Allimant, Community Member; Individual and Systems Advocate
Annabelle Allimant is originally from Chile; trained as a Social Worker; has held clinical and leadership positions in the multicultural NGO sector over the last 20 years. Annabelle has been a state and national representative to strategic key networks on issues, barriers and system advocacy affecting people from CALD backgrounds. More recently Annabelle works as Social Work Team Leader in Queensland Health.
Annabelle Allimant is originally from Chile; trained as a Social Worker; has held clinical and leadership positions in the multicultural NGO sector over the last 20 years. Annabelle has been a state and national representative to strategic key networks on issues, barriers and system advocacy affecting people from CALD backgrounds. More recently Annabelle works as Social Work Team Leader in Queensland Health.
Anne Hilton, Communify, Asylum Circle
Anne has a background in teaching, project management, counselling and advocacy in the community sector, including disability, domestic violence, institutional and child sexual abuse, humanitarian settlement and refugee and asylum seeker support. Anne also spent 12 months as a counsellor in a Darwin immigration detention centre. Presently Anne works at Communify/Asylum Circle. The focus of her work has been sector development and collaboration to respond to the needs of people seeking asylum. Anne is currently the Coordinator of the Asylum Seeker and Refugee Assistance (ASRA) Program in Queensland.
Anne has a background in teaching, project management, counselling and advocacy in the community sector, including disability, domestic violence, institutional and child sexual abuse, humanitarian settlement and refugee and asylum seeker support. Anne also spent 12 months as a counsellor in a Darwin immigration detention centre. Presently Anne works at Communify/Asylum Circle. The focus of her work has been sector development and collaboration to respond to the needs of people seeking asylum. Anne is currently the Coordinator of the Asylum Seeker and Refugee Assistance (ASRA) Program in Queensland.
Apolina Balebanga, Multicultural Youth Australia
My name is Apolina Balebanga. I migrated to Australia in 2008 from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. I am currently studying a Bachelor of Law and International Relations- motivated by my passion for legality and the importance of ensuring fundamental legal doctrine such as the rule of law. I am a member of the Multicultural Youth Council from the Ipswich region. I am also a member of the Ipswich Youth Council. I am generally motivated by my passion to ensure young people are being heard nationally and locally. More specifically, I am an advocate for equal opportunity and work to ensure that opportunities are effectively communicated to young people of migrant and refugee background.
My name is Apolina Balebanga. I migrated to Australia in 2008 from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. I am currently studying a Bachelor of Law and International Relations- motivated by my passion for legality and the importance of ensuring fundamental legal doctrine such as the rule of law. I am a member of the Multicultural Youth Council from the Ipswich region. I am also a member of the Ipswich Youth Council. I am generally motivated by my passion to ensure young people are being heard nationally and locally. More specifically, I am an advocate for equal opportunity and work to ensure that opportunities are effectively communicated to young people of migrant and refugee background.
Arash Bordbar, Asia Pacific Refugee Rights Network (APRRN)
Arash Bordbar, 26, is originally from Shiraz in Iran. Arash is the Chair of Asia Pacific Refugee Rights Network (APRRN) and is also currently working with the CMRC as a Youth Worker. Arash is also the Co-chair of the UNHCR Global Youth Advisory Council. Arash was awarded the Young People’s Human Rights Medal in 2016 for his advocacy on human rights in Australia and the Asia Pacific, chosen to be an Australian Ambassador since 2018 for Australia Day. He has been selected as a Peace Ambassador for One Young World in 2018 and 2019. Arash is also part of the Amnesty Refugee Advisory Group that strategises and campaigns for the resettlement process for refugees across the world. This year Arash was selected as a Women Deliver Young Leader Ambassador in 2019.
Arash Bordbar, 26, is originally from Shiraz in Iran. Arash is the Chair of Asia Pacific Refugee Rights Network (APRRN) and is also currently working with the CMRC as a Youth Worker. Arash is also the Co-chair of the UNHCR Global Youth Advisory Council. Arash was awarded the Young People’s Human Rights Medal in 2016 for his advocacy on human rights in Australia and the Asia Pacific, chosen to be an Australian Ambassador since 2018 for Australia Day. He has been selected as a Peace Ambassador for One Young World in 2018 and 2019. Arash is also part of the Amnesty Refugee Advisory Group that strategises and campaigns for the resettlement process for refugees across the world. This year Arash was selected as a Women Deliver Young Leader Ambassador in 2019.
Beata Ostapiej-Piatkowski, Romero Centre
Beata is a fierce advocate for the rights of Non- English speaking background women and children seeking safety as their fundamental human right. Beata has extensive experience in working with people from refugee backgrounds within the context of seeking asylum, sexual assault, domestic violence, mental health, child safety, and intergenerational/intercultural youth issues. She is originally from Poland and has a background in psychology. She has personally experienced great dichotomies of civil rights during her journey of seeking asylum and, living in different countries. She is on the Board of the Refugee Council of Australia while managing the Mercy Community Romero Centre for people seeking asylum in Queensland.
Beata is a fierce advocate for the rights of Non- English speaking background women and children seeking safety as their fundamental human right. Beata has extensive experience in working with people from refugee backgrounds within the context of seeking asylum, sexual assault, domestic violence, mental health, child safety, and intergenerational/intercultural youth issues. She is originally from Poland and has a background in psychology. She has personally experienced great dichotomies of civil rights during her journey of seeking asylum and, living in different countries. She is on the Board of the Refugee Council of Australia while managing the Mercy Community Romero Centre for people seeking asylum in Queensland.
