YOUNG PEOPLE AND THE REFUGEE AND HUMANITARIAN PROGRAM

People aged less than 30 years on arrival now comprise the significant majority and a growing proportion of new arrivals to Australia under the Refugee and Humanitarian Program.

In recognition of this, the Refugee Council of Australia (RCOA) undertook a literature review and series of youth consultations across three Australian states and the Australian Capital Territory in 2008-09 with the aim of developing a targeted and informed strategy for the ongoing engagement of refugee young people in advocating to have their needs and concerns addressed and ideas recognised at a national level.

The Amplifying the Voices of Young Refugees Project was premised upon the belief that listening to the voices of young refugees and humanitarian entrants within national forums, such as RCOA’s own annual community consultations, will facilitate the development of advocacy strategies, policy recommendations and project initiatives that are informed by and responsive to the priorities of a key and currently under-heard population. RCOA believes that this will in turn lead to the development of more sensitive public policies to address their concerns, while also positively influencing broader community understandings of the experiences and contributions of young refugees.

A report from this project detailing priority settlement issues identified by refugee young people and effective youth engagement strategies is available here.

Research on education and training pathways

One of the recommendations from RCOA's national youth consultations was to further consult young people and relevant member organisations on key issues of concern to them, and develop corresponding position papers and advocacy strategies. With education and training clearly identified as a priority issue of concern for young people, RCOA is currently working on a research project exploring post-compulsory education and training pathways in NSW, drawing together existing literature and research, looking at different 'models of excellence' from NSW and across Australia, and identifying gaps and recommendations through consultation with key stakeholders.

An annotated bibliography of relevant literature can be downloaded here.

RESOURCES

General l Alcohol and Drugs l Education and Training l Employment and Financial Problems l Family Issues l Health and Wellbeing l Housing and Homelessness l Police and Legal Issues l Racism and Discriminaiton l Sport and Recreation l Transport

General

Centre for Multicultural Youth (2006). Refugee Young People and Resettlement: Information Sheet No.14, September 2006, CMY, Carlton. Available at http://www.cmy.net.au/Assets/288/2/InfoSheetNumber14-RefugeeYoungPeopleResettlement.pdf

Centre for Multicultural Youth Issues (2006). Settling In: Exploring Good Settlement for Refugee Young People in Australia, Policy Paper, December 2006, CMY, Carlton. Available at http://www.cmy.net.au/Assets/305/2/SettingIn.pdf

Coventry, Guerra, Mackenzie and Pinkney (2002). The Wealth of All Nations: Identification of Strategies to Assist Refugee Young People in Transition to Independence, Australian Clearinghouse for Youth Studies for the National Youth Affairs Research Scheme. Available at http://www.fahcsia.gov.au/sa/communities/pubs/wealthofallnations/Pages/default.aspx

Francis, S and Cornfoot, S (2007). Multicultural Youth in Australia: Settlement and Transition, Australian Research Alliance for Children and Youth, Woden, ACT. Available at http://www.cmy.net.au/Assets/213/1/youth_in_australia_settlement_and_transition_october_2007.pdf

Francis, S and Cornfoot, S (2007). Working with Multicultural Youth: Programs, Strategies and Future Directions, Australian Research Alliance for Children and Youth, Woden, ACT. Available at
http://www.cmy.net.au/Assets/212/1/working_with_multicultural_youth_programs_october_2007.pdf

Office of Multicultural Interests (2009). “Not Drowning, Waving”: Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Young People at Risk in Western Australia. Available at http://www.omi.wa.gov.au/publications/youth/Not%20Drowning.pdf

Refugee Health Research Centre (URL). Good Starts Research for Refugee Youth, La Trobe University, Melbourne. Available at http://www.latrobe.edu.au/rhrc/refugee_youth.html

Selvamanickam, S, Zgryza, M, and Gorman, D (2001). Coping in a New World: The Social and Emotional Wellbeing of Young People from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Backgrounds, Queensland Transcultural Mental Health Centre, Queensland Health and Youth Affairs Network of Queensland Inc. Available at http://www.yanq.org.au/images/stories/Documents/coping_in_a_new_world.pdf

Victorian Foundation for the Survivors of Torture (2000). A Guide to Working with Young People who are Refugees, VFST, Brunswick. Available at http://www.survivorsvic.org.au/LiteratureRetrieve.aspx?ID=25048

Victorian Settlement Planning Committee (2005). Good Practice Principles Guide for Working with Refugee Young People, Department for Victorian Communities, Melbourne. Available at http://www.cmy.net.au/Assets/177/1/GPPguide_for_working_with_refugee_yp.pdf

Youth Action and Policy Association NSW (2004). Issues for Young Refugees, YAPA, Surry Hills, NSW. Available at http://www.yapa.org.au/youthwork/facts/Issuesyoungrefugees.pdf

Alcohol and Drugs

Department of Human Services (2000). Drugs in a Multicultural Community: A Assessment of Involvement, Victorian Government Publishing Service, Melbourne. Available at http://www.health.vic.gov.au/drugservices/pubs/drugsmulti.htm

Drug and Alcohol Multicultural Education Centre (2005). Are Refugees at Increased Risk of Substance Misuse?, DAMEC, NSW. Available at http://www.damec.org.au/downloads/Refugee_Drug_Alcohol_Vulnerability.pdf

DrugInfo Clearinghouse (ed.) (2006). Newly Arrived Refugees and Drug Prevention, Australian Drug Foundation, West Melbourne. Available at http://www.druginfo.adf.org.au/newsletter.asp?ContainerID=newly_arrived_refugees

Education and Training

Cassity, E and Gow, G (2006). Making Up for Lost Time: Young African Refugees in Western Sydney High Schools, Centre for Cultural Research, University of Western Sydney. Available at http://uws.clients.squiz.net/__data/assets/pdf_file/0016/46321/MakingUpForLostTime_complete.pdf

Centre for Multicultural Youth Issues & South East Local Learning and Employment Network (2004). Pathways and Pitfalls: Refugee Young People in and Around the Education System in Greater Dandenong, CMYI/SELLEN, Melbourne. Available at http://www.cmy.net.au/Assets/189/1/Sellen_ESLreport.pdf

Chegwidden, P and Thompson, A (2008). Filling the Gap: Discussion Paper. Granville Multicultural Community Centre, NSW. Available at www.gmcc.org.au/Filling%20the%20Gap_report.pdf

Earnest, J, Housen, T and Gillieatt, S (2007). A New Cohort of Refugee Students in Perth: Challenges for Students and Educators, Teaching and Learning Forum. Available at http://lsn.curtin.edu.au/tlf/tlf2007/refereed/earnest.html

Moore, H, Nicholas, H & Deblaquiere, J. (2008). ‘Opening the Door’: Provision for Refugee Youth with Minimal/No Schooling in the Adult Migrant English Program. Project 2.1: ‘Modes of Delivery for SPP Youth’, AMEP Research Centre, Commonwealth of Australia. Available at http://www.ameprc.mq.edu.au/docs/research_reports/research_report_series/Opening_the_door.pdf

Refugee Education Partnership Project (2007). The Education Needs of Young Refugees in Victoria, Victorian Foundation for the Survivors of Torture Inc, Brunswick. Available at http://www.survivorsvic.org.au/LiteratureRetrieve.aspx?ID=25058

Victorian Settlement Planning Committee (2008). Pathways and Transitions: Post-compulsory Education, Work and Refugee Young People, Centre for Multicultural Youth, Carlton. Available at http://www.immi.gov.au/media/publications/settle/_pdf/07_08/pathways-transitions-2008.pdf

Employment and Financial Problems

Berman, G and the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission (2008). Harnessing Diversity: Addressing Racial and Religious Discrimination in Employment, Victorian Multicultural Commission and VEOHRC, Melbourne. Available at http://www.humanrightscommission.vic.gov.au/publications/reports%20and%20discussion%20papers/harnessing%20diversity%20report.asp

Refugee Council of Australia (2008). Who Bears the Cost of Australia’s Special Humanitarian Program? Research into the Impact of Travel Costs on New Special Humanitarian Entrants and their Proposers, RCOA, Sydney. Available at http://www.refugeecouncil.org.au/docs/resources/reports/Travel_Costs_report.pdf

Family Issues

Brough, M, Gorman, D, Ramirez, E and Westoby, P (2003). ‘Young Refugees Talk about Well-being: A Qualitative Analysis of Refugee Youth Mental Health from Three States’, Australian Journal of Social Issues 38(2): 193–209. Available at http://eprints.usq.edu.au/915/1/Brough_Gorman_Ramirez_Westoby_NESB_Youth_Art_AJSI_Awaiting_Publisher%27s_Advice_14_July_06.pdf

Centre for Multicultural Youth Issues (2005). Resource Kit for Newly Arrived Youth Support Service (NAYSS) Workers, CMYI, Carlton. Available at http://www.cmy.net.au/Assets/515/1/NAYSS_ResourceKit.pdf

Family Relationship Services Australia. Forging a Future: Relationships and Refugee Families, FRSA, online resource. Available at http://www.frsa.org.au/site/Forging%20a%20future:%20relationships%20and%20refugee%20famili.php

Health and Wellbeing

Brough, M, Gorman, D, Ramirez, E and Westoby, P (2003). ‘Young Refugees Talk about Well-being: A Qualitative Analysis of Refugee Youth Mental Health from Three States’, Australian Journal of Social Issues 38(2): 193–209. Available at http://eprints.usq.edu.au/915/1/Brough_Gorman_Ramirez_Westoby_NESB_Youth_Art_AJSI_Awaiting_Publisher%27s_Advice_14_July_06.pdf

Gifford, S, Bakopanos, C, Kaplan, I and Correa-Velez, I (2007). “Meaning or Measurement? Researching the Social Contexts of Health and Settlement among Newly-arrived Refugee Youth in Melbourne, Australia”, Journal of Refugee Studies Vol. 20, No.3, Oxford University Press, pp.414-440. Available at http://jrs.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/reprint/fem004?ijkey=7DfrdfuDwLyGAwZ&keytype=ref

Multicultural Health and Support Service (2008). Working with Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Communities on Issues Relating to Blood Borne Viruses (BBV) and Sexually Transmissible Infections (STI), NRCHC. Available at http://www.ceh.org.au/downloads/MHSS_resource_manual_April08_2nd_ed.pdf

NSW Health Multicultural Health Unit (2008). African Refugee Women and Young Refugee Women’s Health Project, NSW Health. Available at http://www.hnehealth.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/64652/REFUGEE_WOMEN_AND_YOUNG_REFUGEE_WOMEN_final1.pdf

Tsoulis, E (2007) ‘Young Refugees – Identity and Wellbeing’ in Synergy, 3: pg 23. Available at http://www.mmha.org.au/mmha-products/synergy/2007-no-3-young-voices/attachment_download/file

Housing and Homelessness

Centre for Multicultural Youth Issues (2001). Homeless Twice: Exploring Resettlement and Homelessness for Migrant and Refugee Young People, CMYI, Carlton. Available at http://www.cmy.net.au/Assets/178/1/HomelessTwice.pdf

Police and Legal Issues

Centre for Multicultural Youth Issues (2007). Does Age Really Matter? CMYI, Carlton. Available at http://www.cmy.net.au/Assets/291/2/InfoSheetNumber17-DoesAgeMatter.pdf

Multicultural Youth South Australia Inc (2009). Under the Radar: Young Refugees Living on the Margins, MYSA, Adelaide. Available at http://mysa.com.au/projects.html#utr

Refugee Health Research Centre (2007). Promoting Partnerships with Police, Good Starts for Refugee Youth, Broadsheet #2, September 2007, RHRC, Melbourne. Available at http://www.latrobe.edu.au/rhrc/documents/broadsheet-2.pdf

Springvale Monash Legal Service (2008). Comparative Analysis of South Sudanese Customary Law and Victorian Law, SMLS, Springvale. Available at http://www.smls.com.au/pdfs/publications/2008/comparative_paper.pdf

Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission (2008). Rights of Passage: The Experiences of Australian-Sudanese Young People, VEOHRC, Melbourne. Available at http://www.humanrightscommission.vic.gov.au/pdf/rights_of_passage.pdf

Racism and Discrimination

Berman, G and the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission (2008). Harnessing Diversity: Addressing Racial and Religious Discrimination in Employment, Victorian Multicultural Commission and VEOHRC, Melbourne. Available at http://www.humanrightscommission.vic.gov.au/publications/reports%20and%20discussion%20papers/harnessing%20diversity%20report.asp

Carland, S, and Chandra-Shekeran, K (2003). No Space for Racism: Young People’s Voices and Recommendations, WYPIN, Footscray. Available at http://home.vicnet.net.au/~wypin/nospaceforracism_lowres.pdf

Refugee Health Research Centre (2007). Experiences of Discrimination Among Refugee Youth in Melbourne, Good Starts for Refugee Youth, Broadsheet #4, November 2007, RHRC, Melbourne. Available at http://www.latrobe.edu.au/rhrc/documents/broadsheet-4.pdf

Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission (2008). Rights of Passage: The Experiences of Australian-Sudanese Young People, VEOHRC, Melbourne. Available at http://www.humanrightscommission.vic.gov.au/pdf/rights_of_passage.pdf

Sport and Recreation

Centre for Multicultural Youth (2008). Playing for the Future: The Role of Sport and Recreation in Supporting Refugee Young People to ‘Settle Well’ in Australia, CMY, Carlton. Available at http://www.cmy.net.au/Assets/185/1/PlayingForTheFuture.pdf

Network of Immigrant and Refugee Women Australia Inc (2009). Submission to Government: The Role of Sport for Young Immigrant and Refugee Women, NIRWA, Harris Park NSW. Available at http://www.cmy.net.au/Assets/1171/1/NIRWARoleofSportforYoungImmigrantandRefugeeWomen.pdf

ABC National Radio (2007). ‘Sporting Refugees’ on The Sports Factor Presented by Mick O’Regan, Guests: Jasmina Bajraktarevic-Hayward (STARTTS) and Mohammed Baaruud (STARTTS). Available at http://www.abc.net.au/rn/sportsfactor/stories/2007/1957727.htm

Transport

Refugee Health Research Centre (2008). Newly Arrived Refugee Communities and Driving, Good Starts for Refugee Youth, Broadsheet #7, May 2008, RHRC, Melbourne. Available at http://www.latrobe.edu.au/rhrc/documents/broadsheet-7.pdf