The Centre for Multicultural Youth is a Victorian not-for-profit organisation supporting young people from migrant and refugee backgrounds to build better lives in Australia. CMY was established in 1988 and was the first organisation in Australia to work exclusively with migrant and refugee young people.

Their purpose is to ensure that young people have every opportunity to succeed in Australia. Through a combination of specialist support services, training and consultancy, knowledge sharing and advocacy, they are working to remove the barriers young people face as they make Australia their home.

The young people they work with tell them they prefer not to be defined by labels. It is important however, to explain that most of their work focuses on young from migrant and refugee backgrounds, 12-25 years old, with a particular priority on those who are newly-arrived to Australia.

Young people can encounter significant barriers as they try to settle in Australia.

Alongside the challenges of growing up, they are figuring out how things are done and adjusting to unfamiliar cultural, academic and social expectations.

Their sense of wellbeing and belonging can be considerably diminished by factors such as racism and discrimination. These barriers are often compounded and magnified by services and systems that are ill-quipped to provide the specialist support needed.

Despite these complex issues, they know that young people have the enterprise, resilience and optimism to contribute to the continued prosperity of Australia. By engaging them as experts in their own lives and focusing on their strengths, they can be empowered to adapt and thrive.

CMY is committed to maintaining an organisation where children and young people are safe, respected and empowered.