OUR GOALS
- Support the positive integration and settlement into Australia of African Australians, especially those who have arrived from violent and traumatised circumstances;
- Promote human rights, social justice and equal opportunities, especially for those who are victims of conflicts;
- Build trust and connections within African Australian communities and with wider mainstream Australian society;
- Develop and nurture a sense of responsibility and self-determination in African Australian young people;
- Link young African Australian woman and men to positive role models through mentoring programs and sport activities;
- Enable African Australian young people and women to have a voice, and increase their involvement and influence within their communities and broader Australian society
- To encourage all Australians to embrace reconciliation, tolerance, openness and goodwill;
- Work and be part of Australian reconciliation networks for an Australian united society; and
- Create opportunities and initiatives that contribute to African and other global peace and positive community building initiatives.
OUR GUIDING PRINCIPLES
Our 11 guiding principles are the fundamental, moral and ethical beliefs shared by our membership and supporters. They represent our core values and what our organisation considers important in terms of a context for our Vision and Mission. They have provided a framework for decision-making about our Core Business and priority actions.
- Builders of Peace – contributing through example and program initiatives to the development of peace, unity, reconciliation and integration both within the Australian community and international settings.
- Integrity and Transparency - ensuring the highest ethical and professional standards in all activities and processes, and building strong sense of trust, respect and reliability with members, stakeholders and supporters.
- Respect for Diversity and Human Dignity - opposing all forms of discrimination and exclusion whether based on race, ethnicity, gender, age, ability, religious belief, social circumstances or sexual orientation.
- Collaboration and Networking - ensuring a high level of stakeholder cooperation, partnership, solidarity and networking, and engagement in dialogues and actions with other organisations sharing our goals and values.
- Social justice, human rights, equal opportunities and Inclusion - valuing the contribution and engagement of all members and targeting our support and services to those members most vulnerable, excluded and disadvantaged.
- Youth Empowerment and Engagement - providing our young people with the confidence, experiences, knowledge, skills and supports that enable them to participate effectively, responsibly and fully in their communities and mainstream Australian society.
- Local and Global Thinking - achieving positive contributions at both the local community level and within international settings.
- Goodwill, Giving and Altruism - developing an organisational culture built upon the values of altruism, benevolence, goodwill, reciprocity and magnanimity.
- Asset and Opportunity Focus - building upon the capacities, creativity, skills, resources, experiences, diversity and passions our membership and communities
- Innovation and Creativity - creating an organisational culture that feeds on innovation and the desire to do things better.
- Organisational and Financial Sustainability - focusing on long term financial support, professional excellence and capacity building of our members and employees.
PEOPLE, PRINCIPLES & PROGRAMS:
Working with people
IFORAP uses a ‘strengths-based approach’ in all community activities. IFORAP builds upon the inherent skills within individuals and communities, advancing their capacity to build peaceful kinships that provide sustenance in our everyday lives. Healthy individuals, in turn, produce families and communities that have hope and face the future with dignity, self-respect and respect for others. Working in collaboration with existing services and traditional practices, IFORAPs projects amplify local resources.
IFORAP acknowledges the different roles played within a community, encouraging the validation of gender roles, elders, young people, and people with disability. Participation in meaningful roles in one's family, community or workforce creates a sense of self-worth in addition to a sense of belonging.
Working with principle
IFORAP upholds its principles of non-discrimination and equal access to its programs for all individuals or communities. IFORAP is not based in religious ideation nor holds any political affiliation: it is an independently orchestrated organisation.
Working with programs
When individuals or communities work together for a common goal and make use of the resources in ways that benefit all, they build trust and community esteem. Working together provides an avenue through which one can cross social barriers of power, age, status, culture and language. IFORAP acknowledges the importance of promoting sustainable local land development and resource management, shifting the entire responsibility from governments or external corporations to communities and individuals.
Providing pathways for working together toward a goal produces social capital and the acknowledgement of commonality. As the community gathers resources, it too accumulates knowledge and wisdom.
OUR AIMS
IFORAP is a non-profit organisation, a charity organisation that aims to promote human rights, social justice and equality of opportunity among all humanitarian entrants, including those who experienced atrocities in their countries of origin.
Our mission is to unify ethnic groups, tribes, and members of religions who experienced division, discrimination and racism in their past and who are now living in Australia, to enable them to build strong communities in their countries of settlement.
IFORAP aims to take a comprehensive approach to the following:
- Promotion and restoration of basic human rights, social justice and equality for all human beings.
- Building affirmative relationships between individuals from different ethnicities, in to bring peace to communities.
- Nurture functional homes with access to dignified, safe and sustainable livelihoods
- Empower of women, young people and people with disability, expanding their participation in community activities, policy-making and peace building.
VOLUNTEERING
Volunteers are a very important part of our organisation. They bring life experience, values and heart to our programs and service delivery. At IFORAP no amount of time or effort is too small, we live in busy times and appreciate any amount of time and energy our volunteers give.
It is important to us that we provide and promote a healthy working environment for our volunteers. We are our commitment to model national standards within our organisation and ensure compliance with the national standards and relevant legislation.
We look forward to meeting you and hope you enjoy the experience of working as part of our team. Please contact us for further information.
About the organisation
INTERNATIONAL FORUM OF RECONCILIATION AND PEACE
Strengthening individuals and communities to build capacity by cultivating sustainable outcomes with dignity and ownership.
Our Partners
