Fearing going home: Australia's return of rejected asylum seekers, temporary refugees and others from refugee-like situations. Recent changes in government policy, combined with international political developments, mean that increasing numbers of asylum seekers and temporary refugees are being deemed ineligible for protection and removed from Australia or from Australian-run facilities. Notwithstanding the government's assessment that such people do not have protection needs, many live in acute ....Fearing going home: Australia's return of rejected asylum seekers, temporary refugees and others from refugee-like situations. Recent changes in government policy, combined with international political developments, mean that increasing numbers of asylum seekers and temporary refugees are being deemed ineligible for protection and removed from Australia or from Australian-run facilities. Notwithstanding the government's assessment that such people do not have protection needs, many live in acute fear of their pending return. They may indeed be returned to situations of danger, deprivation and desperate poverty. This project aims to research and document the plight of 'returnees' as they face the prospect of repatriation and then, to the extent possible, after they have been repatriated.Read moreRead less
Australian diasporas and brain gain: exploring current and potential transnational linkages. The research will investigate current and potential future roles of diasporas in both Australia and overseas in facilitating trade and investment. The study will examine their political, cultural and kinship ties with homelands and map the geography of seven diasporas in Australia. This will provide new data that describes the character, motivations and movements of diasporas in Australia. Data analysis ....Australian diasporas and brain gain: exploring current and potential transnational linkages. The research will investigate current and potential future roles of diasporas in both Australia and overseas in facilitating trade and investment. The study will examine their political, cultural and kinship ties with homelands and map the geography of seven diasporas in Australia. This will provide new data that describes the character, motivations and movements of diasporas in Australia. Data analysis will determine the current and potential role diaspora play in adding value to Australian society through 'brain gain' and 'circulation' versus 'brain drain'. Findings will inform migration and social policy aimed at maximising benefits of migration.Read moreRead less
Promoting Well-Being in Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Groups: Towards Evidence-Based Practice. In order to serve families from diverse communities properly, we require models of well-being that reflect the unique circumstances of their lives and culture. At present, the helping professions lack models of well-being that are sensitive to cultural diversity. Therefore, the study will develop models of well-being that are unique to four different cultural groups: Anglo-Australians, Vietnam ....Promoting Well-Being in Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Groups: Towards Evidence-Based Practice. In order to serve families from diverse communities properly, we require models of well-being that reflect the unique circumstances of their lives and culture. At present, the helping professions lack models of well-being that are sensitive to cultural diversity. Therefore, the study will develop models of well-being that are unique to four different cultural groups: Anglo-Australians, Vietnamese, Maltese and Italians. We will compare community members' conceptions of well-being with those of the professionals helping them. The research will produce theory regarding cross-cultural well-being and will inform practice as well.Read moreRead less
Rebuilding Life After Migration for Young Refugees and Migrants . This project aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of refugee and migrant youth settlement experiences and its impact on psychological wellbeing and the role of support services. It will focus on the policies and practices that shape the settlement experiences of refugee and migrant youth which promote their psychological wellbeing. The study will provide settlement sectors and service providers with crucial new knowledge ....Rebuilding Life After Migration for Young Refugees and Migrants . This project aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of refugee and migrant youth settlement experiences and its impact on psychological wellbeing and the role of support services. It will focus on the policies and practices that shape the settlement experiences of refugee and migrant youth which promote their psychological wellbeing. The study will provide settlement sectors and service providers with crucial new knowledge of how settlement policies and practices can foster refugee and migrant psychological wellbeing. Outcomes of this project will include the development of research-based guides to good policy and practice in settlement services to improve psychological wellbeing outcomes for immigrant communities.Read moreRead less
Reducing health disparities for culturally and linguistically diverse peoples. This project aims to develop a greater understanding of migrants and the factors that predict poor health outcomes related to blood-borne viruses and sexually transmitted infections. The delayed access by migrants to healthcare from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds results in late diagnosis, low treatment uptake, and poorer health outcomes, with enhanced risk of infection and increased burden on the h ....Reducing health disparities for culturally and linguistically diverse peoples. This project aims to develop a greater understanding of migrants and the factors that predict poor health outcomes related to blood-borne viruses and sexually transmitted infections. The delayed access by migrants to healthcare from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds results in late diagnosis, low treatment uptake, and poorer health outcomes, with enhanced risk of infection and increased burden on the health system. The data collected in this project will assist in developing health services to meet these needs.Read moreRead less
Social Networks, Belonging and Active Citizenship among Migrant Youth in Australia. This project will focus on youth from three Australian migrant communities at the centre of recent debates about migrant integration, intercultural conflict and social cohesion. It will investigate the role of formal and informal networks in creating among migrant youth a sense of belonging to the mainstream society. The project redresses a critical gap in popular and official understandings of the social fabric ....Social Networks, Belonging and Active Citizenship among Migrant Youth in Australia. This project will focus on youth from three Australian migrant communities at the centre of recent debates about migrant integration, intercultural conflict and social cohesion. It will investigate the role of formal and informal networks in creating among migrant youth a sense of belonging to the mainstream society. The project redresses a critical gap in popular and official understandings of the social fabric of Australia and will provide benchmark data for improved government and community services in the area of migrant youth. It will examine and assess the role of social networks in informing young people's sense of belonging and active participation in the community of citizens.Read moreRead less
Pathways to active citizenship: Refugee youth and their transition from school to further education, training and employment. Young refugees account for about half of Australia’s humanitarian intake. They have enormous potential to enhance the nation but they face distinctive challenges to complete higher education or training and find employment. This study focuses on improving education and employment outcomes among refugee youth aged 15-24, in partnership with Australia’s leading refugee yout ....Pathways to active citizenship: Refugee youth and their transition from school to further education, training and employment. Young refugees account for about half of Australia’s humanitarian intake. They have enormous potential to enhance the nation but they face distinctive challenges to complete higher education or training and find employment. This study focuses on improving education and employment outcomes among refugee youth aged 15-24, in partnership with Australia’s leading refugee youth settlement agency. The youths’ successful emergence as fully participating Australian citizens is desirable both for society and for the individuals concerned as it directly affects their permanent cultural, social and economic contribution to the nation at large. It is an under-researched area with important policy significance.Read moreRead less
Filipino-Australians: Networks, Identities, Communities. Today, Australia has over 100,000 Filipino-origin citizens. There are growing trade, diplomatic and security relations between Australia and the Philippines. Both nations have English as a common language, comparable educational systems, and respective elective affinities with the US. Across the Pacific first world nations, modern Filipino diasporas are utilising dynamic forms of knowledge and business practice and as a result are developi ....Filipino-Australians: Networks, Identities, Communities. Today, Australia has over 100,000 Filipino-origin citizens. There are growing trade, diplomatic and security relations between Australia and the Philippines. Both nations have English as a common language, comparable educational systems, and respective elective affinities with the US. Across the Pacific first world nations, modern Filipino diasporas are utilising dynamic forms of knowledge and business practice and as a result are developing novel forms of culture and identity. In mapping these cultural forms and emerging identities, the research will raise the profile of Filipino-Australians as a group with under-appreciated and under-utilized potential for contributing to Australia's economic and cultural role in the Asia-Pacific region.Read moreRead less
Settlement outcomes of Syrian-conflict refugee families in Australia. This project aims to focus on the policy responses to, and settlement outcomes for, Syrian-conflict refugee families in Australia with an emphasis on employment and education. The Syrian conflict has generated an unprecedented flow of refugees across Europe and other countries, including Australia. These countries face new challenges in providing successful settlement outcomes for the refugees. Utilising a longitudinal study o ....Settlement outcomes of Syrian-conflict refugee families in Australia. This project aims to focus on the policy responses to, and settlement outcomes for, Syrian-conflict refugee families in Australia with an emphasis on employment and education. The Syrian conflict has generated an unprecedented flow of refugees across Europe and other countries, including Australia. These countries face new challenges in providing successful settlement outcomes for the refugees. Utilising a longitudinal study of 250 refugee families and fieldwork in key areas of high refugee settlement in NSW, Victoria and Queensland, this project will generate comparative insights to identify policy and program responses that lead to the most successful settlement outcomes. Improved employment, education and settlement outcomes for refugees will have economic, social and cultural benefits for Australian society and improve the quality of life of refugees.Read moreRead less