Melbourne-based multicultural communications and translation agency, Ethnolink, founded by Greek Australian Costa Vasili in 2011 at the age of 20, has just made waves in the industry.
The agency was recently awarded a two-year contract with the Office of the eSafety Commissioner (eSafety) for the provision of translation services, following a competitive tender process. The focus of the contract is to make online safety resources accessible to Australians in a range of languages.
Inspired by his father’s story of migration to Australia from Cyprus in the 1970s and the challenges he faced due to his limited knowledge of English, Vasili founded Ethnolink with the mission to help people overcome language barriers in securing services and information provision.
Raised in Melbourne’s multicultural suburbs of Keysborough and Dandenong, Costa Vasili said he was naturally drawn to the field of multicultural communication.
His peers and friends represented almost every corner of the globe.
Now with almost 50 full-time employees, Ethnolink provides translation services for over 150 languages to government and private clients.
Vasili’s mother, Chrissie, of Australian Cypriot descent, played a crucial role in Ethnolink’s inception, helping with admin duties in the early days and providing valuable advice and encouragement.
Vasili said, “Growing up, my father’s journey and his ability to create a prosperous life for us was a huge inspiration. Ethnolink’s mission is at its core to help people overcome language barriers and improve social cohesion for migrants.”
The eSafety contract is a significant milestone for Ethnolink as it expands its services into online safety.
