00:02Amir Abdallah is a new homeowner, a third-year apprentice and plays goalie at his local hockey club.
00:10He's also a refugee who fled Iraq because of ISIS and its genocide of the Yazidi people.
00:16We had to run away from my house, my town, and then we had to go to the mountains.
00:23The 21-year-old credits hockey for helping him adapt to life in Australia.
00:28These people have got some really complex needs and she had a vision that sport could be the thing that
00:33helps these people get a sense of belonging in the community.
00:36One program in Toowoomba is setting Yazidi refugees up for success.
00:41When they come to belong in hockey, they improve their language skills, they improve their confidence, and that actually enables
00:46them to be able to get work.
00:48Chana Ali arrived in Australia in 2024.
00:51It's very hard when you came to a different country and you don't know anything about it.
00:56The program has helped her find her feet.
00:58Yeah, they help us a lot. Not just playing the hockey, they help us how to make new friends there,
01:04how to meet other peoples in different countries.
01:08Volunteers at the Toowoomba Hockey Club help out in more ways than one.
01:12They teach hockey, but they also provide transport, help with English learning, and advocate for the new arrivals.
01:17Girls, we're going to try and score a goal.
01:19First session they come along, you know, a bit shy, don't have much English, but then over the course of
01:25a few months, suddenly they're one of the leaders here.
01:28More than 140 refugees have taken part since the program started in 2023.
01:34Amir was one of the first graduates.
01:37They're like a part of my life now, and they're like family to me.
01:41Building a community.
01:42San Francisco
01:42.
01:42Jim
01:42.
01:42.
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