The LMA does not only accommodate the needs of Muslims from all nationalities, we also cater for our fellow Australians by providing tours of Lakemba Mosque, historical, cultural and educational information about the history of the Muslims in Australia and about issues pertaining to the needs of the community.

The LMA also offers and administers Cross Cultural and Religious Awareness Workshops for external agencies including the Department of Defence, Schools, the Department of Corrective Services (Juvenile Justice Centres and Adult Correctional Centres) and other bodies. Such workshops and seminars run by the LMA hope to:

• Provide and assist service providers to develop culturally and religiously appropriate services and programs that meet the diverse needs of its clients.
• Increase staff awareness of Islamic beliefs & practices and their importance to the Muslim way of life.
• Correct myths and misconceptions held about the role and position of Muslim Women within the Islamic and general community.
• Identify barriers to access & equity issues for Muslim women and strategies for addressing these barriers.
• Highlight good practice models undertaken by the Muslim community in partnership with government and non-government based agencies.
• Strengthen links between the Muslim community and other service providers in order to provide timely religiously appropriate services.

Community Settlement Officer

The LMA focuses on addressing the needs of the Islamic Community by servicing newly arrived migrants, refugees and humanitarian entrants and others with particular settlement difficulties through the provision of casework, information and referral services.
The LMA also has contact with a number of independent groups which meet for social and settlement support. Please visit our LMA office for contact details of these groups.

A community settlement officer is available to see clients to provide information, advocacy, support and referral for people who have recently arrived in Australia. Where specialist assistance is needed clients will be assisted to make appointments and connect with the relevant specialist service.

Immigration advice for Newly Arrived Immigrants

Community Settlement Officers staffed by the LMA are available to provide Immigration Advice to clients who have been in Australia for a short period of time.  However, advice is only provided in the areas of Humanitarian and family migration.

For more information, immigration forms can be downloaded from the DIMA website www.immi.gov.au or can be obtained from our LMA office located at 84 Wangee Rd Lakemba.  Our Community Settlement Officers will assist clients to undertake the application process and will provide an assessment of the appropriateness of an application.

On a final note, the LMA believes community development and education is the key to a successful community. As a result, we understand the importance of administering information sessions, educational programs and training.

Such projects work closely with relevant mainstream service providers in establishing networks and raising awareness of the special needs of the Islamic Community.