Specialised and Intensive Services (SIS)

 

Advance Diversity Services offers short-term support (up to six months) for eligible humanitarian entrants and other visa holders with complex needs, to access services and develop skills to manage intense and critical needs independently. Services are offered to clients who live/work/study in the St George and Sutherland Shire areas.

Who’s eligible for SIS?

Refugee and humanitarian visas:
  • Refugee visas (subclass 200, 201, 203 and 204)
  • Global Special Humanitarian visa (subclass 202)
  • Protection visa (subclass 866)
  • Temporary Protection visa (subclass 785)
  • Temporary Humanitarian Stay visa (subclass 449) 
  • Temporary Humanitarian Concern visa (subclass 786)
  • Safe Haven Enterprise visa (subclass 790)
Other visa streams:
  • Partner (Migrant) visa (subclass 100)
  • Child visa (subclass 101)
  • Orphan Relative visa (subclass 117)
  • Partner (Provisional) visa (subclass 309)
  • Partner (Temporary) visa (subclass 820)
  • Partner (Permanent) visa (subclass 801)
  • Resolution of Status (Temporary) visa (subclass 850)
  • Resolution of Status visa (subclass 851)
To be eligible for SIS, holders of a visa appearing in the other visa streams list must also:
  • have low English proficiency, and 
  • come from a refugee-like background.
Please refer to DHA’s website via link below for further information:

Support for complex needs

People who are eligible for SIS often face complex or multiple barriers to managing their most critical needs. SIS helps people find support to manage:

  • Disability
  • Health needs that are severe, critical, long term and/or unmanaged
  • Mental health issues
  • Homelessness or housing instability
  • Domestic or family violence
  • Child and youth welfare concerns
  • Family and/or relationship breakdown
  • Social isolation
  • Financial hardship
  • Legal issues

How to refer a person for SIS

The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) must approve a referral for a person to receive SIS.
To make a referral, organisations or individuals should complete the SIS Referral Form on the DHA website. Please click here to access the form.

Welcoming Staff

Many of our staff members are from refugee or migrant backgrounds and are familiar with the challenges of settling in a new country.

Targeted Support

The needs of new arrivals are diverse, so we’re here to help you with housing, income support, education and employment, and other social needs. 

Speaking Your Language

Our experienced staff speak many languages, which can help you easily access services and make a smoother transition to feeling at home.

Friendship and Belonging

We run groups and information sessions, including driver education, health workshops, learning English, cultural clubs and support for families to help you settle in.

‘If you are experiencing complex barriers to accessing mainstream support (health, housing, family, financial), SIS may be able to help you.’

 

 

Want to know more?

Call us or email us to see if you’re eligible for support. Drop into our Hurstville office for more information, and speak to our bilingual staff about your needs (Telephone Interpreting Service is available if we do not speak your language).

Our Support

The SIS Program is funded by the Department of Home Affairs. ADS delivers SIS in collaboration with Settlement Services International.

ADS is also part of a larger consortium, the NSW Settlement Partnership (NSP), which is led by Settlement Services International (SSI). 

.