Australian League of Immigration Volunteers was an Australian charity. Its main work focused on improving the lives of refugees through volunteering in Australian detention centres. ALIV was the only Australian charity that conducted programs within all immigration detention centres across Australia. ALIV was threatened with deregistration early in 2011, after speculation that it was being run on the principles of Scientology.
Programs
ALIV’s programs are for families in community detention, families in the community on bridging visas, as well as families experiencing difficulties because of the immigration process and/or experiences of torture and trauma in their countries of origin.
Kids and Family Programs
Kids excursion program
The kids program involves volunteers taking kids on activities every 4 weeks on a Saturday. It seeks to improve the happiness of the kids and their quality of life by linking them with their local communities and increasing their level of self-confidence. Past programs include sailing, swimming, caving, rock-climbing, horse-riding and other sports; cultural shows, entertainment, recreation parks and museums. The program seeks to have a positive impact on the happiness of the young people and on their quality of life.
Family excursion program
This program consists of volunteers taking families on activities every 4 weeks on a Saturday. It seeks to provide much needed recreation and bonding time for the families. Past programs include the zoo, the beach, shows, ice-skating, ten-pin bowling, picnics, sporting days, fishing and cooking competitions.
ALIV Charities program
ALIV kids helping other charities in the community In 2006 an ALIV kid said that he wanted to volunteer and help other people. This led to the initiation of the ALIV Charities Program. The program seeks to help the kids volunteering for other Australian charities. The kids are trained in balloon tying, face painting, magic tricks and other skills. They then use these skills to provide fun and entertainment for disadvantaged, disabled and hospitalised children in the community. Past programs include performances at Starlight Rooms in Westmead and Randwick Children's Hospitals, Stewart House, Camp Quality, Magic Mania, Harmony Day Festival and Deaf Society Fair. In October 2006, two ALIV Charities Program kids received STARTTS Humanitarian Awards in recognition of their work in helping other Australian kids
ALIV Teens Program
This program consists of volunteers taking families on activities every 4 weeks on a Saturday. It seeks to develop kids in transition between the Kids and Charities program. The program seeks to be development focused and to assist kids in graduating into the Charity program. Past programs include cooking workshops, dance classes, group activities such as the amazing race and recreational activities.
ALIV Protection Program
The ALIV Protection program seeks to assist and build kids aged 5 – 13 who are falling behind their peers in any one of a broad set of domains. Past sessions have seen volunteers build educational, social, emotional, and literacy skills in targeted kids. The most important part of Protection is fostering a close friendship between volunteer and child. Once a friendship exists, volunteers create and introduce developmental activities to meet the specific needs of a kid. Volunteers can expect to have FUN and build relationships with kids who will benefit massively from the attention. This program does not appear to run at all and with no formalised training provided to volunteers other than an 'orientation' this program potentially place both the volunteer and child at further risk.
ALIV Homework Program
The ALIV Homework Program involve volunteers spending an hour a week after school with kids who need extra help with school. This is usually done at a local library or community centre. After homework there is usually some free time to get food or play sports.
ALIV Camps
ALIV conducts camps every school holidays. Camps seek to provide needed recreational time for the kids while exposing to places that fire their imaginations, expand their knowledge and encourages personal development.
Adult English Program
Adult English Programs are conducted by qualified ESL teachers and volunteer assistants on Saturday afternoons. They seek to provide interactive English classes for adults inside Immigration Detention Centres.
ALIV Villawood Programs
ALIV works with children, families and adults inside the centre and is planning to establish a full-time volunteer program enabling volunteers to work with detainees six days a week.
ALIV Christmas Island Program is a program that sends volunteers to Christmas Immigration Detention Centre for a minimum duration of 4 weeks. The program seeks to provide people with the opportunity to put aside the politics and just do something good. Volunteers work with all kinds of clients from kids, families and women to unaccompanied minors and men. Past activities have included arts & craft, sport, movie nights, English classes, cooking, music, multicultural activities and many more.
ALIV Darwin Programs
ALIV has been invited to bring their programs to Darwin Detention Centres.
