Multicultural Services | Yarra City Council

Yarra is a vibrant, culturally diverse community, with 29% of its residents born overseas. Multiculturalism contributes to the unique character of Yarra and also plays a vital role in the growth and development of tourism. We are committed to celebrating diversity in the community and to providing support to newly arrived residents.

Who lives here?

According to the 2011 Census, 19% of Yarra residents were born in a non-English speaking country, and 23% speak a language other than English.

Top 10 Birthplaces of residents

Top 10 languages (other than English) spoken in Yarra

Multicultural Partnerships Plan 2015-2018

The Multicultural Partnerships Plan aims to make Yarra a place where all people feel welcome and can participate in community life regardless of their race, culture, religion or language.

Yarra Multicultural Advisory Group

The Multicultural Advisory Group's role is to help us to build relationships and communication with multicultural communities in Yarra.

Language Services

If you speak a language other than English, Council has a Multilingual Telephone Line which helps you to communicate with us in your preferred language through an interpreter.

You can telephone Yarra City Council by calling the following phone numbers in your language:

Arabic 9280 7930
Cantonese 9280 1932
Greek 9280 1934
Italian 9280 1931
Macedonian 9280 1936
Mandarin 9280 1937
Spanish 9280 1935
Turkish 9280 1938
Vietnamese 9280 1939
Other languages 9280 1940

Victorian Interpreter Card and Interpreter Symbol

The Victorian Interpreter Card and Interpreter Symbol is used to help anyone with low English proficiency to use language services and help us book interpreters.

When you see the interpreter symbol sign it means that language assistance is available. Show your interpreter card to our staff to request an interpreter.

Download and print the Victorian Interpreter Card.

We welcome refugees and asylum seekers

The City of Yarra has been a Refugee Welcome Zone since 2002.

A Refugee Welcome Zone is a local government area that has made a commitment to welcome refugees into the community, uphold the human rights of refugees, show compassion and enhance cultural and religious diversity in the community.

We value and are committed to promoting cultural, linguistic and religious diversity, community harmony and respect for all.

For further information go to Refugee Welcome Zones.

If you would like to donate time, money or material aid, please see this list for services helping people seeking asylum.

Refugee week

Refugee Week is Australia's annual activity to raise awareness about the issues affecting refugees and celebrate the positive contributions made by refugees to Australian society.

We acknowledge Refugee Week each year with an event which aims to highlight the contributions refugees have made to this country, while raising awareness to these issues.

Yarra Settlement Forum

The Yarra Settlement Forum (YSF) is a network of agencies located in the City of Yarra who provide services for refugees, asylum seekers and newly arrived migrants. YSF meets monthly and aims to address barriers for multicultural communities which can limit participation in community life.

Anti-Racism

Yarra City Council is proud to have joined forces with some of Australia’s leading businesses, sporting bodies and non-government organisations to support the “Racism. It stops with me” campaign.

We Stand Together Project

The We Stand Together project aims to empower people experiencing racial and religious abuse and attacks in the community. The project has produced a wallet-sized card for residents providing them with information if they are a target or a bystander to racial or religious vilification, encouraging them to report to police or anonymously via crimestoppers. The card also provides advice on what to do in the case of being a bystander or target of abuse.

This project is a collaboration between Yarra City Council, Carringbush, Neighbourhood Justice Centre, Cohealth, Fitzroy Legal Service, New Hope – Micare, Victoria Police and the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission.

Please see the cards in a range of languages below:

And A3 Posters to print and share: