In recognition of the needs of migrants, refugees and other humanitarian entrants in the outlying areas of Cairns, in partnership with various Information, Support, Neighborhood and Community Centres and other service providers, MSS has developed an outreach program for the delivery of services to migrants in outlying rural/remote areas. Contacts, over time, with agencies providing services in the outreach reveal that migrants in those areas would not or could not travel to Cairns to have their issues addressed. Through the outreach Community Settlement worker and dedicated volunteers, MSS conducts regular visits to the areas of Innisfail, Atherton, Mareeba and Mossman to deliver services and keep in touch with migrant issues and concerns in those areas.

Through the Outreach service Settlement Consultative Committees (SCC) have been established in Innisfail, for the Johnstone Shire and on the Tablelands, covering the Atherton, Mareeba, Dimbulah, Herberton and Ravenshoe. The SCCs are made up of local service providers, government and non-government and representatives of local migrant communities and provide a forum to air local issues and a mechanism to address these issues at a local level. They also come up with strategies to facilitate and encourage migrants' fullest participation in all facets of community life.

Another objective of the SCCs is to promote understanding and appreciation within the mainstream local community of the linguistic and cultural diversities present in the community. The SCCs are open to all members in the community. If you want to know more about MSS outreach services and the local SCC you may contact Migrant Settlement Services and ask for the Outreach Worker.