Morrison Government announces ongoing support for migrants in their communities
Federal Minister for Social Services, Paul Fletcher, and Assistant Minister for Children and Families, Michelle Landry, have announced $4.13 million in continued funding for three organisations specialising in migrant settlement services.
The Migration Council Australia, Centre for Multicultural Youth and the Settlement Council of Australia will receive additional funding from 1 January 2019 to 30 June 2022 as part of the Department of Social Services’ Families and Communities Program.
“This funding will enable the organisations to continue to provide advice to Government about how best to support migrants to fully participate in employment and the community more generally,” said Mr Fletcher.
“This is an important part of our Liberal National Government’s plan for keeping Australians together.
“These organisations play an import role in assisting migrants in fostering social participation, economic well-being, independence and increased community connectedness.”
Ms Landry said the funding will ensure the organisations develop and share best practice across the settlement sector for things such as, governance, service delivery models, understanding client needs, migrant and refugee employment and participation in education.
“It is important for the Government to support organisations that promote social cohesion and diversity within the Australian Community,” Ms Landry said.
“The Families and Communities Program supports newly arrived migrants through a range of services focussed on strengthening relationships, building parenting and financial management skills, and providing support for better community connections.”
Services available to refugees and other migrants include English language lessons, employment services, education and training, housing, health and wellbeing support, transport, civic participation, family and social support.
BACKGROUND:
Migration Council Australia (MCA)
In response to the Australian Government’s announcement to increase the Humanitarian Program, the MCA worked with the Settlement Services Advisory Council to develop the Friendly Nation Initiative, a business led strategy that seeks to increase employment, mentoring, training and internship opportunities for refugees and humanitarian migrants. MCA have also established the Judicial Council on Cultural Diversity (JCCD) chaired by the Honourable Chief Justice Chris Kourakis. The JCCD developed and released a National Framework to Improve Accessibility to Australian Courts for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Women and Migrant and Refugee Women and Recommended National Standards for Working with Interpreters in Courts and Tribunals.
Multicultural Youth Advocacy Network (MYAN)
MYAN have developed and launched the National Youth Settlement Framework that word to guide youth settlement policy and service delivery in Australia. To support the framework, MYAN also developed a range of resources and training tools based on the Framework that build the capacity of government and non-government sector to better meet the settlement needs of young people.
Settlement Council of Australia (SCOA)
SCOA have developed and implemented the National Settlement Services Outcomes Standards. The standards are aimed at establishing a consistent set of best practice benchmarks that reflect the work of settlement services. SCOA have worked to deliver training on the National Settlement Services Outcomes Standards to settlement service providers and other interest organisations across Australia.