7 Aura locals making a difference: Stella Romagnoli, Program Coordinator, Sunshine Coast Migrant Hub at Baringa Community Centre

With Stockland Aura celebrating its 7th birthday this year, we caught up with Stella to find out more about her role supporting the local migrant community in Aura and her passion for positively impacting people’s lives.

What is your volunteer role at the Baringa Community Centre?
I am the coordinator of Diverse Queensland Workforce (DQW) Program. The DQW program provides FREE opportunities for migrants to get employment through information, training, social connections and education about working in Australia. The personal support is fundamental to welcome new migrants to adjust and integrate into their new space. Aura hosts the highest percentage of migrants in the Sunshine Coast region with 26.6% of people born overseas. Baringa Community Centre is the migrant hub of the Sunshine Coast for employment and other needs and activities.

What do you love most about your job?
Meeting people who are new to this country and to this area and are full of energy, passion and desire to contribute and thrive. The cultural differences from parenting styles to languages and job culture, fascinates me. We created the Welcome Table at Baringa Community Centre to share friendship and food from around the world and the result has been great. We also provide a FREE English Conversation Circle to all who want to join.

When you’re not working, what do you like to do in your spare time and what are your passions?
Family, community and gardening. Two lots of grandchildren spend weekly overnights at our Baringa home. We enjoy the parks and the local eateries, the traditional BBQs with friends, lots of knitting and being involved with local community issues.

If you could have 7 extra hours in a day, how would you spend them?
More gardening, swimming at Kings Beach, watching movies from diverse cultures and catching up with friends.

What does “community” mean to you?
Community is the air I breathe. Without it nothing happens. I’ve experienced the most incredible outcomes in my personal journey and in the journey I help others to navigate. Still, I’d love to see more happening in the intercultural space. I’ve seen incredible changes in people from isolation to thriving and blossoming in a community group setting. We need each other. Here at Baringa Community Centre we have plenty of options for everyone…and other ideas in the pipeline. If you have an idea, please come and talk to us!

Are there any local organisations or initiatives that you are passionate about or admire?
Many! For a long time, Caloundra Community Centre has provided so much support to so many people. I also admire Gateway Care, Vinnies, Salvos, and initiatives originated locally by one or two people that potentially change a life for the better, such as the work of the Sunshine Coast Punjab Welfare Association.

What do you love most about the Aura community?
After 10 years living in a unit walking distance to the beach, I was greatly surprised to wake up by birds, children “owning” the street with bikes and balls and neighbours’ drinks at #3 driveway was like: “Welcome to the 60’s with 2020’s benefits!”

Choose 7 words to describe life in Aura.
Peaceful. Safe. Friendly. Family. Supported. Opportunities. Easy.