In Term 4, Manton House has been transitioning to a new House charity: the Asylum Seekers Centre in Newtown. The Asylum Seekers Centre supports people who have arrived in Australia and are unable to go back home because of the threat of persecution. While they are waiting to be granted a protection visa to stay here, people seeking asylum are given bridging visas that allow them limited rights.

The Asylum Seekers Centre offers much-needed services that would otherwise be difficult to access. This includes legal assistance, health care, hot lunches, groceries, employment assistance, English classes, recreational activities and some assistance to meet their financial and accommodation needs. The Centre is the first contact point for many people entering Australia seeking asylum, and supported 2,600 people from 79 countries in 2016, many of who escaped persecution, conflict and trauma.

This term, each Mentor Group in Manton House is collecting food and toiletries for the Asylum Seekers Centre Food Bank, with three boys delivering the food on Friday of their designated week. The boys are given a tour of the Centre and get to see the food bank in operation.

From 2018, the partnership with the Asylum Seekers Centre will enable other ‘hands on’ and student-led service learning opportunities for boys in Manton House, as well as developing their knowledge and understanding of asylum as a global issue.

Mark Case 
Head of Manton House