The older folk had spent decades as a part of Melbourne’s vibrant social fabric – from diverse migrant backgrounds including Filipino, Vietnamese, Polish and Assyrian. They and their families had played an important part for decades in making Melbourne the city that we know today, through work, language, culture, celebrations, music and more.

Meanwhile the young people were new to Australia, having already overcome incredible challenges along the humanitarian migrant journey. They were just beginning their new lives in Melbourne with the same enthusiasm and energy as the seniors had, many years ago.

Both young and old, well-established or newly-arrived, had something in common: the courage that it takes to start over in a new country, learn a new language, and build a new life.

So what better way to celebrate their commitment, courage and contributions to our community – than a day at the beach?

It was into our Spectrum Migrant Resource Centre bus – and off we went to Port Melbourne!

First order of the day? HAVE FUN. A group of participants giggled and kicked sand into the air in a game of beach football. And those who preferred relaxation over sports strolled along the water’s edge, sharing stories, looking for shells and enjoying the fresh breezes.

Arm in arm with friends, it was that rare opportunity to stop, relax and recharge. And for some, this was a brand-new Australian experience.

Our community partners LifeSaving Victoria gathered us all together for some important lessons on water safety and skills – vital information for anybody living in Australia – and even our senior ladies took turns selecting their preferred boogie boards.

Then splash! Into the water we all went.

Remember your first moment on a boogie board, the rush of catching your first wave? That was the feeling our group members got to experience for the first time.

Young Asmaa, who came with her sisters, was full of smiles at her first ever visit to the beach.

Along with creating good memories and that all-important sense of connection, our intergenerational beach day was also a chance for some of our Spectrum teams to chat to our younger participants about careers, and support options for those who also carry the extra responsibility for being carers for their family members.

With so much ahead of them on their journey, the presence of the older generation may have been a relief to the young people – a reminder that they too will find their place, build community, and become an important and established part of Melbourne as the years roll on.
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At Spectrum, we’ve been reflecting lately on our history. We’ve just turned 45 and many of our first-ever clients, humanitarian migrants from Vietnam, would be nearing their 90th or even 100th birthdays. We have been proud to support families for several generations.

Our relationships with our communities go deep. And bringing both old and young together, established and new, is a reminder that care can have positive impacts for generations.

We have learned so much from the clients we have walked alongside since 1980 – and we hope that in another 45 years, these young people are some of our proudest alumni.

But for now, we’re just grateful to have had another day of sunshine, smiles and catching waves together.

Kelsey Dattoli, Communications Coordinator

Spectrum Migrant Resource Centre