Young Newly Arrived Migrants And Refugees In Australia

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Young NewlyArrived Migrantsand Refugees inAustraliaUsing Digital Storytelling Practices to Capture SettlementExperiences and Social CohesionDr Peter BanselDr Nida DensonDr Emma KeltieLilly MoodyGeorgina TheakstoneApril 2016Young and Well CRCUnit 17, 71 Victoria CrescentAbbotsford VIC 3067 Australiayoungandwellcrc.org.au

Young Newly Arrived Migrants and Refugees inAustraliaUsing Digital Storytelling Practices to Capture Settlement Experiences and SocialCohesionDr Peter BanselSenior Research FellowSchool of Social Sciences andPsychologyWestern Sydney UniversityDr Nida DensonSenior Research FellowSchool of Social Sciences andPsychologyWestern Sydney UniversityDr Emma KeltieSenior Research OfficerInstitute for Culture and SocietyWestern Sydney UniversityLilly MoodyResearch AssistantInstitute for Culture and SocietyWestern Sydney UniversityGeorgina TheakstoneResearch AssistantInstitute for Culture and SocietyWestern Sydney UniversityISBN: 978-1-74108-410-8Suggested citation: Bansel, P., Denson, N., Keltie, E., Moody, L., Theakstone, G. (2016)Young Newly Arrived Migrants and Refugees in Australia: Using Digital Storytelling Practicesto Capture Settlement Experiences and Social Cohesion. Young and Well CooperativeResearch Centre, Melbourne. Young and Well CRC 2016This work is copyright. Apart from any use as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, nopart may be reproduced by any process without prior written permission from the Young andWell CRC. Requests and enquiries concerning reproduction and rights should be addressedto the Chief Executive Officer, Young and Well CRC, 17 / 71 Victoria Crescent, AbbotsfordVIC 3067, AustraliaCopies of this guide can be downloaded from the Young and Well CRC websiteyoungandwellcrc.org.au2// Safe. Healthy. Resilient.

AcknowledgementsThe Western Sydney University research team –Dr Peter Bansel, Dr Nida Denson, Dr EmmaKeltie, Lilly Moody and Georgina Theakstone – are highly appreciative of the efforts of staffat the School of Social Sciences and Psychology and the Institute for Culture and Society insupporting this project. We would like to thank Savannah Pride, AMES Dandenong MigrantCentre, Melaleuca Refugee Centre and Organisation X (who requested not to be named) fortheir assistance and support in recruiting and organising the young people for the workshopsand advising the team at various points of the project.We would also like to sincerely thank the young people who participated in the project fortheir insights and contributions during the digital storytelling workshops and in the onlinesurvey.Young and Well Cooperative Research CentreThe Young and Well Cooperative ResearchCentre is an Australian-based, internationalresearch centre that unites young people withresearchers, practitioners, innovators and policymakers from over 70 partner organisations.Together, we explore the role of technology inyoung people’s lives, and how it can be used toimprove the mental health and wellbeing of youngpeople aged 12 to 25. The Young and Well CRCis established under the Australian Government’sCooperative Research Centres Program.youngandwellcrc.org.au3// Safe. Healthy. Resilient.Western Sydney UniversityWestern Sydney University is a modernresearch-led metropolitan university establishedin the late 1980s. Western Sydney Universitynurtures a distinctive, high-impact researchculture, committed to enhancing our region'scultural, economic, environmental andeducational development, and is responsive tocontemporary challenges in Greater WesternSydney and beyond.westernsydney.edu.au

Table of contentsYOUNG NEWLY ARRIVED MIGRANTS AND REFUGEES IN AUSTRALIA . 2ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS . 3TABLE OF CONTENTS . 4EXECUTIVE SUMMARY . 5INTRODUCTION . 8BACKGROUND . 101.1 RECRUITMENT . 121.2 PARTICIPANTS . 131.3 ONLINE SURVEY . 151.4 DIGITAL STORYTELLING AND CREATIVE CONTENT PRODUCTIONWORKSHOPS. 161.5 OBSERVATIONS AND FIELD NOTES . 172KEY FINDINGS . 182.1 MULTICULTURAL AUSTRALIA. 192.2 BELONGING . 20. 222.3 ASPIRATIONS . 222.4 CHALLENGES . 232.5 EDUCATION . 253IMPLICATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS . 274CONCLUSION . 30REFERENCES . 31AUTHOR BIOGRAPHIES . 344// Safe. Healthy. Resilient.

Executive summaryPurposeThis report presents the findings of a research project capturing the settlement experiencesand social cohesion of newly arrived young migrants and refugees, and how these youngpeople transition into Australian communities. This project was conducted by the Young andWell CRC, and aimed to gather information on the experiences of young migrants andrefugees aged 12-25 years of age who currently live in Australia. This project had two broadaims. The first aim was to provide a snapshot of the experiences and personal narratives ofyoung migrant and refugee youth. The second aim was to give young migrants and refugeesan opportunity to contribute to the development of community and professional resourcesthat will lead to greater awareness of the needs of newly arrived migrants and refugees in thewider community.BackgroundNewly arrived migrants and refugees are a marginalised group in society, and subject to arange of socio-cultural inequities that impact on their health and well-being. These issues canbe compounded by traumatic experiences, forced displacement (in the case of refugees),and cultural dislocation. The transition period can therefore be a difficult time for migrantsand refugees as they adjust to life in Australia. This period can also present a unique set ofchallenges for young people, whose experiences can be exacerbated by difficulties inbridging education and language gaps, experiences of discrimination and bullying, and thechallenges associated with negotiating a path into adulthood (Refugee Council of Australia,2009).A growing number of those arriving in Australia under the humanitarian and migrantprograms are young people under the age of 25. Forty-two percent of humanitarian entrantsand 26% of migrants in the skilled stream entering in the last five years were under 25 at thetime of arrival (Department of Social Services, 2015). Of migrants under the age of 25 whoentered Australia from 2010-15, the majority (61%) were in the skilled stream, 27% in thefamily stream, and 12% were in the humanitarian stream (DSS, 2015). The major regionsfrom which the young people originated from are southern Asia (29%), Chinese Asia (16%),and the United Kingdom (11%). The major countries from which the young people originatedfrom under the migration programme are: India, China, UK, Philippines, Pakistan, IrishRepublic, Vietnam, South Africa, Nepal, and Malaysia. In terms of migrants per state, 30%are in New South Wales, 24% in Victoria, 14% in Western Australia, 12% in Queensland, 1%in the Northern Territory, and 2% in ACT. In this study, there were a total of 36 young people5// Safe. Healthy. Resilient.

who participated in the digital storytelling workshops. Of the 36 young people, there were 19females and 17 males. The young people came from the following countries: Afghanistan,Iran, Pakistan, Lebanon, Sri Lanka, Iraq, Philippines, Vietnam, Myanmar, Sudan, Uganda,Congo and Kenya. In terms of how long the young people had been in Australia, it rangedwidely, from 3 weeks to 10 years.Study DesignThe research included 3 main research activities: an online survey; digital storytellingdeveloped in creative content production workshops, and; observations and field-notes takenduring the workshops. The purpose of the online survey was to provide a snapshot of theexperiences of young migrants and refugees in transitioning to life in Australia. The creativecontent production workshops provided an in-depth examination of the experiences andpersonal narratives of young migrant and refugee youth.Key FindingsThe findings drawn primarily from both the digital storytelling and creative content productionworkshops and observations and field-notes, along with some of the open-ended responsesto the survey, informed the development of five key findings about the following:1) Multicultural Australia2) Sense of Belonging3) Aspirations4) Challenges5) EducationParticipants noted their initial surprise at the diversity they observed when they arrived inAustralia. They suggested that this visible diversity in Australia allowed them to feel more atease and less conspicuous than they had anticipated. The participants emphasised theimportance of community organisations to their developing sense of belonging, both in theirlocal community and as Australians. The young people were extremely appreciative of theservices, support and social activities organised by the organisations and the opportunity toengage with other multicultural young people. In terms of aspirations, the participants sharedsimilar aspirations with most young Australians: to ‘get a secure and decent job’ - in a bank,become a nurse, join the army; study at a good university; get a car; find a partner, buy ahome and have a family. Many recognised that improving their English language skills wouldopen up opportunities, emphasised that they wanted to build a life here and that theyconsidered that their future children would be Australian. In terms of challenges, many of the6// Safe. Healthy. Resilient.

young people spoke of the challenge of learning English, understanding English in school,struggling to catch-up with the curriculum and becoming language brokers for parents whodidn’t speak English (and therefore relied on them to navigate certain systems such as healthor social services. Navigating public transport and getting lost contributed to feelinguncomfortable and embarrassed, and navigating bureaucracy and the legal system aroundeveryday activities such as learning to drive and gaining a driving license were a source ofconfusion and frustration. However, they also stated that once they found friends and startedstudying that things got easier. This points to the central importance of schools as places forlanguage learning, building friendships and integrating into their new communities andAustralian society.Implications & RecommendationsDespite the small sample size of young migrants and refugees in this study, there were anumber of key recommendations that emerged from the project. The followingrecommendations are provided to assist young people from a migrant or refugee backgroundas they transition into Australian communities.1. Recommendation: the Australian government should provide increased funding forcommunity organisations to help young migrants and refugees (and their families)transition to life in Australia.2. Recommendation: the Australian government should provide funding for sportsorganisations and/or sports activities in schools and community organisations as a way tohelp young migrants and refugees increase their sense of belonging and connectedness.3. Recommendation: there should be increased opportunities for young migrants andrefugees to access English language courses to improve their English language skills.4. Recommendation: The Australian Government should provide young migrants andrefugees increased access to education and training that leads to a career pathway.5. Recommendation: The Australian Government should provide increased educationopportunities through multiple sources and services, both formal and informal, to youngmigrants and refugees and their families to build everyday skills.7// Safe. Healthy. Resilient.

IntroductionAustralia is a diverse and multicultural society. In 2015, the proportion of Australians bornoverseas hit a 120-year peak, with more than one-fourth (28%) of Australia’s population (6.6million people) having been born overseas (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2016). A recentpress release by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS 2016) asserts that overseasmigration has contributed more than half of the population growth in Australia since 2005(ABS 2016). According to the 2011 Census data, approximately 3.7 million youth (aged 1224) live in Australia; of these, almost 600,000 were born overseas, and a subset ofapproximately 48,000 are refugees (Multicultural Youth Advocacy Network Australia [MYAN],2014).While many migrants and their children may have chosen to come to Australia, others (e.g.,refugees) may have been escaping war, famine, or conflict in their home country and mayhave come to Australia alone or without all their family members. Thus, the socioeconomic,cultural, religious, and personal backgrounds of these populations are by no measurehomogeneous, and as a result, their transition experiences may be diverse and theirindividual challenges multifaceted. Furthermore, the settlement process presents a range ofchallenges which can undermine social integration and negatively impact health andwellbeing (Foundation for Young Australians [FYA], 2009), placing these groups at a greaterrisk of social exclusion and entrenched disadvantage over the course of their lives (Centrefor Multicultural Youth [CMY], 2006).Young migrants and refugees in particular face the vast challenges of adjusting to a newsocial and cultural environment while simultaneously negotiating a path into adulthood.These unique experiences, coupled with the fact that an increasing number of those arrivingin Australia are young people under the age of 25 (Department of Social Services, 2015),reflects a need to understand the experiences of this growing group and to address thechallenges they face as they transition into Australian life.The aim of this pilot project was to examine the issues and experiences of young migrantsand refugees aged 14-25 years. We were interested in seeking young people’s stories andperspectives on a broad range of issues related to social cohesion, including identity, healthand wellbeing, education, technology and access to services.The research asked 4 key questions:8// Safe. Healthy. Resilient.

1. How are the young people adjusting to life in Australia?2. How do the young people feel about their local area, neighbourhood and Australia atlarge?3. How do the young people use the internet and social support services?4. How do the young people feel about their health and general wellbeing?The project focused on how young newly-arrived migrants and refugees transition into ourcommunities and involved three main research activities: an online survey; digital storytellingdeveloped in creative content production workshops, and; observations and field-notes takenduring the workshops. The purpose of the online survey was to provide a snapshot of theexperiences of young migrants and refugees in transitioning to life in Australia. The creativecontent production workshops provided an in-depth examination of the experiences andpersonal narratives of migrant and refugee youth.The methodology adopted in the digital storytelling workshops represents an innovative andparticipatory approach which sought to not only explore the experiences of these youngpeople in creative ways, but also to transfer a set of digital literacy skills which can enhanceparticipation in, and engagement with, social and cultural life. The workshops used iPadsinstalled with the iMovie application which are accessible and simple platforms for carryingout a range of creative practices. These new technologies open up exciting possibilities forcreative expression and active participation which can serve to empower young people fromvulnerable and disadvantaged backgrounds.9// Safe. Healthy. Resilient.

BackgroundAccording to the 2011 Census data, the top 10 birthplaces of CALD born youth aged 12-24are (in decreasing order): China (18%), India (10%), Philippines (6%), Malaysia (5%), HongKong (4%), Vietnam (4%), South Korea (4%), Indonesia (3%), Singapore (3%), Iraq (2%),and other CALD countries (40%). Paralleling the top 10 countries of CALD born youth, thetop 10 languages spoken at home for CALD born youth aged 12-24 are (in decreasingorder): Mandarin (18%), English (15%), Cantonese (6%), Arabic (5%), Vietnamese (4%),Korean (3%), Punjabi (3%), Hindi (3%), Indonesian (2%), Tagalog (2%), and other languages(38%). Overall, there is great diversity in the languages spoken at home, with over 200different languages/dialects represented overall (MYAN, 2014).We conducted a literature review regarding the experiences of young migrants and refugeesin Australia. The majority of the research on migrants and refugees in Australia has beenconducted on adults, with an emerging focus on the experiences of young people aged 1425. In addition, while there are some studies on young people more broadly, these tended tobe on culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) youth, with no distinction amongst thoseborn in/out Australia, migrants (e.g., first generation, second generation, etc.) and/or refugeeyouth. There is also very little research on the mental health, wellbeing, social support andcommunity connections they experience (MYAN, 2014).Findings from the literature review identified a number of issues that young migrants andrefugees face as they transition to a new life in another country such as Australia. Theseinclude: Adapting to a new culture and language (MYAN, 2014). Lack of familiarity with Australia’s social systems (MYAN, 2012) Negotiating issues of belonging and identity in a cross-cultural context (MYAN, 2014). Experiences of racism and discrimination (VicHealth, 2008) Difficulties accessing health and community services (Victorian Department of HumanServices, 2008) Difficulties accessing health services for mental health problems (de Anstiss et. al2009) Bridging education and language gaps in new schooling environments (RefugeeCouncil of Australia, 2009)10// Safe. Healthy. Resilient.

Negotiating family and community relationships during a period of adolescenttransition (National Youth Affairs

24) live in Australia; of these, almost 600,000 were born overseas, and a subset of approximately 48,000 are refugees (Multicultural Youth Advocacy Network Australia [MYAN], 2014). While many migrants and their children may have chosen to come to Australia, others (e.g.,

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