Instagram story viewer> @westwelcomewagon> Posts

West Welcome Wagon

@westwelcomewagon

2.2K

followers

342

following

West Welcome Wagon is a volunteer-run charity supporting asylum seekers and refugees in Melbourne’s west.
Email us at [email protected]

POSTS STORIES REELS TAGGED

Sharing some wonderful feedback from someone we recently helped. by @westwelcomewagon

8

0

25 days ago

Story of Impact – Vidia’s Next Steps

When Vidia and her family arrived from Afghanistan in September 2023, they arrived with little more than hope and the courage to begin again.

Soon after arriving, Vidia, her mother, brother and sister came to West Welcome Wagon for support. None of the family spoke English, so Vidia opened a translation app on her phone and typed a message in Dari. She held it up for us to read:

"I am here to learn English, to drive and to work."

It was a simple sentence that captured everything Vidia hoped her new life in Australia could be. We helped the family choose the household essentials they needed to establish their home. It was an extremely hot day, and when we saw Vidia's mother struggling in the heat, we drove the family home. It was a small act of welcome at the beginning of their settlement journey.

Today, Vidia speaks fluent English, has her driver's licence, has completed further training and is actively looking for work. Despite her determination, she continues to hear the same response from employers: "You don't have Australian experience."

Vidia's story reflects the experience of many refugees and people seeking asylum. They have the motivation, skills and determination to work, they simply need the opportunity to gain experience, build confidence and connect with employers. by @westwelcomewagon

7

0

a month ago

A fond farewell to our online store 💙

After many wonderful years, we’ve made the difficult decision to close the West Welcome Wagon online store.

It hasn’t been an easy decision, but with sales declining and most of our remaining stock now sold, we feel it’s the right time to close this chapter.

Over the years, our store featured some very special products created or sourced to support West Welcome Wagon — including bespoke t-shirts, beautiful gift cards, aprons and merchandise designed for us by a local artist. We also partnered with Who Gives A Crap to offer toilet paper and tissues.

We are especially grateful to our wonderful local partners High Tees and Kenshi Candles, who helped make the store so special.

But above all, we want to say a huge thank you to the amazing volunteers who managed our online store over the years. 💙

From photographing and listing products, processing orders, to answering questions and keeping everything running behind the scenes, these volunteers gave their time, energy and creativity so generously. They have been absolutely incredible, and we simply couldn’t have done it without them.

To everyone who purchased from our store, bought our products as gifts, shared our store or supported our partnerships — thank you. Your support has helped us continue welcoming and supporting refugees and people seeking asylum across Melbourne’s west.

While our online store is closing, our work continues.

Thank you for being part of the journey. 💙 by @westwelcomewagon

10

0

a month ago

🧡🧡 DONATION REQUEST 🧡🧡

Spring/Summer Clothing Needed! 👕☀️

Our clothing tubs are looking empty again, and we’re getting ready for the warmer months. We’d love your help to restock!

We’re especially looking for good quality clothing for:
👧 Girls
👦 Boys
👖 Men’s trousers and jeans

If you have clean, good quality Spring/Summer clothing your family no longer needs, please consider donating it to West Welcome Wagon. Every item helps provide practical support to people seeking asylum and refugees in Melbourne’s west.

To donate, please email our donations team at donate@westwelcomewagon.org.au with the details of your items, and they’ll guide you from there.

Thank you for helping us keep our tubs stocked and our clients supported. ❤️

#DonationRequest #WestWelcomeWagon #ClothingDonations #MelbournesWest #CommunitySupport by @westwelcomewagon

14

0

a month ago

🚚 Volunteer Driver Needed – Thursdays
We’re looking for a volunteer driver to assist us every Thursday for 3 hours.

Working alongside our Storeperson, you’ll help load and unload the van and deliver essential household items directly to the homes of refugees and people seeking asylum across Melbourne’s west.

We have equipment to make loading and unloading safer and easier, including a hydraulic lift on our van, and you’ll be supported by our Storeperson.

We’re looking for someone who:

Has a current driver’s licence
Is confident driving a van
Is comfortable assisting with loading and unloading household goods
Is reliable and available every Thursday for 3 hours
Enjoys meeting people and being part of a friendly volunteer team
No previous experience with West Welcome Wagon is necessary. However you will be required to sign our Volunteer Agreement and provide a current Working With Children Check. We will provide an induction and support you along the way.

If you’re interested, please send an email to volunteer@westwelcomewagon.org.au. And if you know someone who might be a great fit, please tag them or share this post.

Come and help us deliver more than just furniture — help us deliver a welcome. 💙 by @westwelcomewagon

11

2

a month ago

💙 The power of community in action

We’re incredibly grateful to Greater Western Water for funding three of our Community Reach Out Days in 2026.

Across Melton and Wyndham, we welcomed 128 families - more than 640 adults and children - and distributed approximately 7.5 tonnes of essential clothing and household goods.

But Reach Out Days are about so much more than the goods.

They’re places where families can choose what they need with dignity, choice and respect. They’re places to reconnect, meet new people, share stories and build a sense of belonging.

We were also delighted to have the Greater Western Water Customer Care team join us, providing clients with a welcoming opportunity to ask questions about water bills, concessions and hardship support.

At our June event, the team helped one family resolve a water billing issue after they had not received a bill for more than 12 months - securing a substantial financial concession for the household. 💙

And there’s an environmental impact too. Together, we have helped divert 7.5 tonnes of donated goods from landfill, giving quality items a second life.

As one client said at our Wyndham Reach Out Day:

“Please come visit us at home and share a meal with us.”

For us, that says everything.

Thank you, Greater Western Water, for helping us create opportunities for welcome, connection, dignity and belonging.

This is the power of community. 💙

#WestWelcomeWagon #GreaterWesternWater #CommunityReachOutDay #RefugeesWelcome #PeopleSeekingAsylum by @westwelcomewagon

30

1

a month ago

Great night out for @missionpoint154 Opportunity Frocks raising money for @westwelcomewagon with Lauren, Rhonda, Mick and Shannon #melbourne #fashion #style taken in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia by @westwelcomewagon

41

3

2 months ago

Spent the morning with the team at @westwelcomewagon and honestly, it’s one of those organisations that quietly changes lives every single day.

For over 13 years they’ve been helping asylum seekers and refugees, including many families right here in Maribyrnong, turn an empty house into a home. From beds and couches to kitchen essentials, they’ve support more than 500 families with the basics that so many of us take for granted.

Huge shout out to CEO Colette McInerney and every single volunteer. Your kindness, generosity and hard work are what make our community so special.

This is what makes the west the best. People showing up for one another, welcoming new neighbours and proving that community is about action, not just words. ❤️ #fyp #foryou #explore by @westwelcomewagon

134

0

2 months ago

💙 A heartfelt thank you to our friends at Warrandyte Uniting Church 💙

We were absolutely delighted to receive another incredible delivery from the wonderful community at Warrandyte Uniting Church.

This generous group of supporters has been standing alongside West Welcome Wagon for many years, and we are so grateful for their ongoing kindness, commitment and belief in our work supporting refugees and people seeking asylum.

Their latest delivery was not only incredibly generous, it was beautifully packed, carefully labelled and prepared with so much thought and care. This makes such a difference to our volunteers and warehouse team, helping us sort, store and distribute items efficiently to families when they need them most.

Every box and bag represents the generosity of community members who have taken the time to donate quality household items and essentials, knowing they will help someone create a home and feel welcomed in a new community.

To the Warrandyte Uniting Church community, thank you. We love having you as part of the West Welcome Wagon family and truly appreciate your ongoing support. 💙

Together, we are helping families rebuild their lives with dignity, connection and hope. by @westwelcomewagon

17

0

3 months ago

💙 Our hearts are full, our clothing tubs are overflowing, and our community has once again shown what kindness looks like. 💙

When we put out an urgent call for winter clothing, we hoped our community would respond.

You did, and then some.

Just a week ago, we were worried about how we would prepare 38 clothing bundles for newly arrived refugee and asylum seeker families. Our shelves were almost empty, and demand was growing every day.

The response has been so overwhelming that we now have enough winter clothing to meet our immediate needs. At this stage, we kindly ask that you hold onto any further winter clothing donations while we work through the incredible generosity we've received.

Today, thanks to your incredible generosity, our warehouse is filled with warm jackets, coats, jumpers, pants and winter essentials. Because of you, families arriving with very few belongings will have the warmth they need to get through their first Melbourne winter.

Every donation is so much more than clothing. It provides warmth, comfort and dignity, and sends a powerful message to our newest neighbours: you are welcome here.

To everyone who donated, shared our appeal, encouraged friends and family to give, or dropped off clothing at our warehouse - thank you! Your kindness and generosity continue to inspire us every day.

We’ll be sure to let you know when we are ready to accept winter clothing donations again. In the meantime, thank you for standing with us and helping create a more welcoming community for everyone. 💙

Together, we're helping families not just survive winter, but feel at home. ❤️ by @westwelcomewagon

22

0

3 months ago

Such an honour to sit down with Fay from West Welcome Wagon.
This organisation, run mostly by volunteers, supports over 450 refugee families in Melbourne's west.
Tune in to hear their story.
A story that deserves to be heard.

Tomorrow at 10am and 7pm on Westsider Radio. 📻 taken in Yarraville, Victoria, Australia by @westwelcomewagon

71

29

3 months ago

Beyond the Surface, we sit down with the volunteers, social enterprise founders not-for-profit organisations that make Melbourne's west so special.

Episode 01, we're talking to West Welcome Wagon.

Tune in tomorrow at 10am or 7pm on Westsider Radio. 🎙 ❤️ by @westwelcomewagon

22

3

3 months ago