Australia Invests $1.3 Million For Refugee Youth Project
Deputy Premier and Attorney-General Rob Hulls today announced a $1.32 million funding boost to extend a successful refugee youth project from a pilot into a three-year program.
Mr Hulls said the funding would allow the pilot project run by iEmpower Pty Ltd to expand and reach a broader audience after its initial success working with 23 disengaged young refugees aged 18 to 24 years old.
“The expansion of this project is recognition of the pilot’s success in reaching young refugees and helping them connect, or reconnect, with the community,” Mr Hulls said.
“Through a series of workshops and individual sessions over five months, participants are taught about justice, tolerance and fairness in society.
“They develop basic skills, such as critical thinking and problem solving, and learn to build confidence in themselves, greater levels of resilience and self-reliance, and respect for the community and the rule of law.
“Participants learn about the justice system and visit courts where they hold discussions about the impact of crime on victims and the community.
“The program also helps the young refugees gain employment or enrolment in vocational training. The results speak for themselves with all 23 of the pilot participants employed, studying or engaged in an education project.”
Mr Hulls said it was the first Australian project of its kind to operate with refugee youth in a justice setting and received considerable support from refugee communities and other services.
“Today’s announcement is further proof that the Brumby Labor Government and the Department of Justice are innovative leaders in addressing refugees and justice related issues,” he said.
“This state-wide project will run three programs in its first year, targeting young people from the Braybrook, West Heidelberg and Dandenong-Springvale areas, before adding a program focussed on women and a regional program in the second year.”
The youth project is part of the Justice for Refugees Program which aims to improve access to legal protection and information about rights and responsibilities for refugee communities and will be in Footscray on Monday for a community expo.
“The Justice for Refugees Program was established to counter considerable levels of disadvantage, social dislocation and cultural differences that newly emerging refugee communities in Victoria have experienced,” Mr Hulls said.
He congratulated all involved in the successful development of the project and praised its ability to reach out and help young refugees.
“Whether you were directly involved in this project or not, everyone in the state working towards a better life for refugees in Victoria should be proud of this achievement,” he said.
Mr Hulls today also announced the winners of the Department of Justice’s 2009 scholarships, which assist students from refugee communities pursuing tertiary studies in justice-related fields.
Keysborough student, Kur Thiek, who was born in Sudan and arrived in Australia in 2005, was awarded the major $10,000 scholarship to assist with his Bachelor of Arts (Communications and Criminology) at Monash University.
The three recipients of $5000 minor scholarships were: Mr Godefa G’her from West Footscray who was born in Ethiopia and moved to Australia in 1995, Mr Peter Ajak from Hoppers Crossing who was born in Sudan and moved to Australia in 2003, and Ms Almedina Mesic from Cairnlea who was born in Bosnia and Herzegovina and moved to Australia in 1998.
“I’d like to congratulate all the scholarship recipients and wish them well for the future, especially with their tertiary studies,” Mr Hulls said.
Education Minister and Member for Melbourne Bronwyn Pike applauded the scholarship recipients and said the expansion of the youth project would be a benefit for the entire community.
“Helping refugees connect, or reconnect with the community is not only important for those individuals, but it adds to the diverse and multicultural harmony we all enjoy in Victoria,” Ms Pike said.
Topics: Brumby Labor Government, community, confidence, critical thinking, education, fairness, funding, Governance, iEmpower, justice, problem solving, refugee, refugee youth project, self reliance, skills, social dislocation, society, tolerance, Victoria, youth
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