Multicultural Communities

Wollongong has a great mix of people from different cultures. This makes our city a better place for everyone, with a rich combination of languages, food and cultural traditions.

We welcome and support people from all cultures in Wollongong. Our current multicultural support services include:

• Language aide and interpreter services
• Australian citizenship ceremonies
• Information guides in several community languages - you can find these on our Language Services page.
• Our English Language Support Directory
• Support for refugees
• Community language books in our libraries.

We also celebrate and raise awareness of Wollongong’s cultural diversity through many of our events and programs like our Australia Day celebrations, and the Wollongong Living Books program. See our Events Calendar to find out what's happening.

Local Services

Here are some key non-Council groups that provide services and support to multicultural communities in Wollongong:

• Illawarra Multicultural Services
• Multicultural Communities Council of Illawarra (MCCI)
• Migration Heritage Project
• SCARF
• Association of Illawarra Community Languages Schools Inc

Community Hubs

Community Hubs are welcoming places where migrant and refugee families, particularly mothers with young children, come to connect, share, and learn.

There are three Community Hubs in the Wollongong area:

• Wollongong Public School
• West Wollongong Public School
• Warrawong Public School

Mental Health in Multicultural Communities

Seeking help for mental health issues can be hard, especially if you are from a multicultural background. In this short video, Rasha Hasan speaks about her experiences, and how mental health services gave her the support and strength to get through hard times.

This video was created for National Mental Health Awareness Month 2022. Special thanks to SCARF Refugee Support and TAFE NSW - Wollongong.