Welcome to The Indian (Sub-Cont) Crisis & Support Agency (ICSA) An NGO with a focus on the bespoke needs of the Indian Subcontinent Community in Australia, that has broadened into the wider Culturally Linguistically and Diverse (CALD) and Non-English Speaking (NESB) Communities. We have no eligibility criteria for any service, only limitation in capacity (for now).
ICSA was formally launched by the Lord Mayor of Parramatta on 30 July 2014 at Deloitte Parramatta, as a volunteer run entity operating as a Social Enterprise. We are an organisation that is owned by the community, run by the community for the community. Our operations are based on our own unique client-centric model that is focused on efficiencies and innovation to deliver on social outcomes.
ICSA was initially established as a direct response to the growing numbers of migrants whose paths of migration is no longer as permanent residents (or pending PR), but have experience extended periods of temporary residency. The changes in migration pathways have come with their own unique and new social, welfare and financial issues. Temporary Resident Migrants (TRM) are some of the most vulnerable and under-represented groups of people in our society therefore highly open to exploitation.
The experience of the real and ongoing difficulties for TRM, we observed that people from a CALD or NESB background even when their residency is not a barrier can easily fall through the gaps and equally be without support, advice or guidance of what is available to them. Most clients referred to us have often been through a cycle of visiting various agencies for assistance before coming to us and either there are few options for them or they weren’t aware of how to communicate their real needs; as such most of our clients are the Gap Community.
The Gap Community pay taxes, can get fined, pay penalties etc. funds that resource services that most people enjoy, however don’t get fair access or the same level of service as everyone else, (for many reasons); an inequity which we seek to address through working with the local community sector & public services, developing bespoke services for identified gaps and advocacy.
We are a small but highly professional team of volunteers dedicated to social equity and justice; regardless of background.