Hootan – Asylum Seeker Resource Centre (ASRC)
Hootan began volunteering at the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre (ASRC) in 2019. His role in the ASRC Foodbank involves driving the van to various organisations that donate fresh produce to the ASRC and supporting the people who shop at the Foodbank, guiding them through the centre.
Hootan’s reasons to volunteer are very entangled with his past. He migrated with his family to Australia and sought asylum back in the 80s. They had fled Iran after the Islamic Revolution and moved to Italy and the US before finding a home here.
Being so close to people seeking asylum is a reminder for Hootan of where he comes from and what life can be like for those without a stable place to call home.
“I know firsthand what it is like to be displaced and I want to help the way we were helped when we first arrived,” explains Hootan.
Like many other people seeking asylum, Hootan is grateful for the privilege to be in Australia and have the life he has here. He doesn’t take anything for granted.
“Being in a place like the ASRC, surrounded by like-minded people who are all connected by a single purpose and vision, is just amazing.”
Click here to find out more about volunteering with the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre.
Volunteered recently?
Have an experience you'd like to share with us? Tell us your story! Vollies of the West celebrates the many individuals who volunteer their time in Melbourne’s west to make a difference in our community!
Share your volunteer journey with us or be inspired by these stories to kick start your volunteer experience!