About us

The Victorian Arabic Social Services (VASS) started in 1986 as a network of workers who met regularly to discuss issues of concern to the Arabic–Speaking–Background (ASB) communities in Victoria. VASS grew over the years to become a state-wide key service provider with specialist expertise and knowledge in working with ASB communities and advocating on their behalf. VASS is an incorporated not-for-profit association managed by a Board of Management elected by VASS members at an Annual General Meeting. VASS has a current charitable status which includes:

Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR)

- Charity Tax Concessions

- Income Tax Concession

VASS members come from a broad spectrum of occupations including community, welfare and social workers, counselors, psychologists, teachers, doctors, lawyers, academics, engineers, accountants, artists, business analysts, IT specialists, government workers, self employed consultants, students and volunteers.

Who are Arabic speaking background communities?

Arabic-Speaking-Background communities are people who identify with one or more of the following characteristics:

• Born in one of the 22 countries of the Arab World *
• Have ancestral link to the Arab World.
• Speak Arabic as a second language after their native language and have their own identity (e.g. Assyrian Chaldean, Kurdish, Armenian)

Arab World is made up of 22 countries who are members of the Arab League of Nations and where the Arabic language is an official language.

The following countries are members of the Arab League of Nations:

• Algeria
• Bahrain
• Comoros
• Djibouti
• Egypt
• Iraq
• Jordan
• Kuwait
• Lebanon
• Libya
• Mauritania
• Morocco
• Oman
• Palestine
• Qatar
• Saudi Arabia
• Somalia
• Sudan
• Syria
• Tunisia
• United Arab Emirates
• Yemen