A Scoping Exercise Concerning the Needs of the Melton Sudanese Community for Executive Summary February 2013 W S Couche Consultant COUCHE & Associates 237 Punt Rd Richmond 3121 Ph (03) 9428 4932 Email couche@hotkey.net.au
Executive Summary Introduction The Victorian Cooperative on Children s Services for Ethnic Groups (VICSEG), established thirty years ago, provides a range of services and programs for recently settled migrant and refugee families with a focus on developmental opportunities for their children. New Futures Training, the registered training organisation of VICSEG New Futures, aims to create and deliver quality education and training programs in the area of childcare, aged care, disability services, community development, food services and first aid in a supportive environment that is portable, profitable, conforms with national training standards and meets the needs of the students and the childcare and related industries. New Futures Training currently delivers vocational training to more than 3,000 students a year. young people from African backgrounds to pursue their social, recreational and cultural aspirations within the wider communities in the north and west of Melbourne. Over the years the program has included holiday camps, intergenerational activities, sports programs for young men and women, cultural showcasing, homework and study support, etc. A Horn of Africa Youth Justice Program was also funded from 2001 to assist young offenders and their families. It has operated a network of mentors from diverse African backgrounds, community education on the youth justice system and intervention services for young people at risk, a visiting program for those in custody or on orders, support to families during court proceedings and provides intensive case management of young offenders as part of an agency consortium led by Jesuit Social Services. Through its work in local government areas VICSEG also offers a range of family mentoring programs that empower families to navigate the child and family service systems and access supports, facilities and resources for parents and children. These programs support families to confidently utilise and engage with local child and family services in their neighbourhood and participate in activities designed to support their child s development and their understanding of parenting in Australia. VICSEG established the first program in Melbourne targeting young people from Africa more than 15 years ago, when African families had begun to settle in Victoria in large numbers. The Active Young Africans Program continues to be funded under the state government s youth initiative. Its objective has been to enhance the opportunities for (LGAs) surrounding Melbourne particularly Hume, Brimbank, Wyndham and now expanding into Melton and Whittlesea and their related growth corridors, VICSEG has become active in addressing the difficulties confronting refugee families, particularly Africans, as they attempt to 2
transition into newly created estates in these fast growing suburbs where there is serious lack of community infrastructure and support services. VICSEG has also established a Cultural Competence and Service Engagement Project and commenced a series of consultations with the four Child FIRST Alliances in the northwest metropolitan region. These initiatives have further enhanced the work done in these LGAs and are relevant to the capacities that VICSEG brings to Melton. VICSEG has recently employed two part time Sudanese workers a family worker and a youth worker as part of its initial involvement in Melton. Both reside in Melton and are respected members of the Sudanese community. VICSEG is also partnering with New Hope Foundation to assist in the further development of support services to vulnerable refugee families in the area through the Refugee Action Program. New Hope Foundation (NHF) has considerable experience and a proven track record in delivering welfare, employment, educational, social and settlement programs to recently arrived migrants and refugee client groups and communities in the Melton-Wyndham and Western Melbourne regions. The organization has in the past assisted a significant number of refugee/special Humanitarian Program entrants through the Integrated Humanitarian Settlement Strategy and continues to do so through the Humanitarian Settlement Service program in partnership with AMES. To assist VICSEG in understanding and documenting the range of services and activities already available in Melton, the needs of the growing Sudanese community and identify some elements of the particular contribution VICSEG could make it has commissioned a consultant - Bill Couche to undertake a scoping project in Melton. The consultant s initial brief involves undertaking research, consultations and other necessary action towards the formation of a consortium of community organisations and Government agencies that work together to develop an integrated services response to the needs of African/Sudanese newly settled migrant and refugee, children, youth and families in Melton. People of Sudanese background are currently one of the fastest growing groups in Australia. The latest Census in 2011 recorded 19 372 Sudan-born people in Australia. The 2011 distribution by state and territory showed Victoria had the largest number with 9,535 followed by New South Wales (5,626), Queensland (2,582) and Western Australia (2,722). The age distribution showed 26.6 per cent were aged 0-14 years, 24.4 per cent were 15-24 years, 36.4 per cent were 25-44 years, 10.2 per cent were 45-64 years and 2.5 per cent were 65 and over. Of the Sudan-born in Australia, there were 10 320 males (54.2 per cent) and 8730 females (45.8 per cent). The sex ratio was 118.2 males per 100 females. Information from the 2011 census indicates there were 316 Sudan-born people in Melton. Of that number, 74 were in the 0-15 years age group, 91 were in the 15 24 years age group and 98 were in the 25 44 years age group. However these figures do not include people born outside Sudan but who came to Australia from Sudan after some time there or children born in Australia since their parents arrived. Estimates, although not verifiable in the context of this exercise, put the current population at more than double the 2011 census number with considerable variation now in the various age cohorts. 3
Outcomes of the Scoping Project In the course of undertaking the scoping project over sixty people from more than twenty five organisations or units within larger organisations delivering services in the City of Melton have been interviewed and five Melton secondary schools have been approached to undertake a short survey on numbers of Sudanese students and several categories There is a cohort, therefore, of children in the 0 to 5 age group who are in grave danger of commencing their formal primary school education with only limited school readiness as a result of Common themes arising from interaction with the key stakeholders include Services generally are aware of Sudanese families settling in Melton and the new estates being developed in and around the township area and believe, based on anecdotal evidence, that the 2011 ABS statistics seriously under represent the actual numbers of Sudanese refugees living in the Melton community. Generalist health and community services, particularly those focused on families and early years services, are able to highlight the issues confronting Sudanese families settling in Melton and their general support needs but based on usage of those services are categorical that the Sudanese are seriously under-represented in the use of the services. Almost every service interviewed, including those with the responsibility of delivering specialist health and community services to referred clients, highlighted the difficulties and challenges of engaging members of the Sudanese community and delivering information and services in a culturally appropriate way. inadequate preparation for a formal learning environment, not being socialised to integrate with other children across a range of backgrounds and with the potential for unidentified cases of developmental delay and special needs. There is cohort of Sudanese young people who are struggling with the transition to adulthood in a country with a culture that includes different norms, customs and expectations, unfamiliar institutions and codes of practice and rites of passage that are unclear and confusing. In some cases this causes conflict within families and a disconnected from elements of the mainstream. There is clearly also a cohort of young Sudanese, both male and female, who are still enrolled at school but because of the their limited education before arrival and other issues relating to resettlement struggle within the secondary school 4
system and who without supplementary and alternative support will give up and leave. This scoping exercise has also identified the involvement of and challenges facing other important contributors to the support and integration of the Sudanese within the context usually of services to a wider group of migrant and refugee communities including other Africans. Three mainstream churches, (Anglican, Roman Catholic and Uniting) have Towards an Integrated Community Response There are number of existing networks that meet to share information and discuss issues of mutual interest and concern in relation to services and activities in Melton that embrace early childhood development, schooling, youth and new and emerging communities. However, as VICSEG and New Hope Foundation have identified and are taking steps to address, missing is a concerted effort and commitment to work closely together on the holistic engagement and embracing of the Sudanese community to jointly identify and implement responses to their issues and needs in culturally appropriate ways. significant African membership and are involved in various other ways of supporting Sudanese families settling in Melton. Each highlighted the challenge in enabling the Sudanese to worship in their own particular style and language with the importance of achieving participation in the general life of their parishes and the wider community A literature search has revealed important research, a number of reports on and evaluations of programs that confirm much of the information elicited through the interviews of significant stakeholders and which in many cases highlight programs that have successfully addressed the issues identified. Given that recently VICSEG has appointed two part time staff to work with Sudanese families and youth and New Hope Foundationhas appointed a part time counsellor with specialist experience in working with African and other refugee communities, it is important that these workers not only deliver services and activities to their chosen constituencies but also support organisations in Melton that deliver mainstream and specialist health and welfare services to engage with the Sudanese in culturally appropriate ways and support Sudanese clients to access and use those services. One way of strengthening such an outcome for Sudanese families would be for the VICSEG Melton Family Worker in Melton to become involved in the existing network meetings and activities to provide information and offer 5
support consistent with her understandings, experience and skills particularly in the area of early years services In the existing services and activities for youth there are at least four African workers engaged in particular action to address youth issues and needs that focus on the Sudanese and other African young people. An important opportunity presents itself for VICSEG s Youth Worker to join these workers and form their own cooperative network to support and assist each other and strengthen their relationships with other organisations and groups, including the Melton Youth Advisory Network (MYAN) In response to the already articulated need for a better understanding of Sudanese culture and the delivery of health, education and other community services there is an important opportunity for VICSEG, in conjunction with others (e.g. New Hope Foundation, the Centre for Multicultural Youth, MacKillop Family Services) and based on their work elsewhere, to set up cross culture training workshops for workers in those sectors who are dealing with or likely to engage with members of the Sudanese community Due for completion in May 2013 the Melton Library and Learning Hub, at a cost of $20 million, will consist of approximately 3500 square metres over two levels and be located in McKenzie St, Melton. The building will house the library s collection and also provide a central focus for lifelong learning and community activity through the inclusion of a number of flexible spaces to cater for large and small groups as well as formal and informal community and learning opportunities. It will offer Maternal and Child Health services, children s programs, community groups and clubs use of the facilities where people can drop in or just come and have a coffee at the kiosk. It will include a seminar room, facilities for family and local history research, study and discussion areas as well as multimedia and computer-based learning areas. This facility provides an unprecedented opportunity in Melton itself to bring together a range of community service organisations, including those working with CALD communities, for closer cooperation, better integration of services and shared use of common facilities and resources A Possible Model for Melton Purpose To implement a pilot/demonstration program over three years with an action/research evaluation component that strengthens and supports the integration of Sudanese refugee families moving from the inner suburbs as part of a wave of second stage settlement into new emerging communities in and around Melton Overarching Principle The work will be undertaken in the context of a holistic, family centred strength s based approach to, supporting, working with and mentoring Sudanese men, women, children and young people. A strong focus on cooperative planning and service development with other organisations working in the region, Government, philanthropy, the Sudanese and wider community will also be a feature 6
Recommendations - Elements of the Model Recommendation 1 - Project Development and Management Appointment of a full time Program Coordinator to take responsibility in Melton (possibly located at the newly established library community services hub when completed) for the ongoing local planning and development, dayto-day operations, relationships with partners, other service providers and key stakeholders and the supervision of other VICSEG workers to ensure appropriate participation in key forums and general networking. Recommendation 2 - Work with Families to Improve Sudanese Access to Mainstream Health and Early Years Services Increase the capacity of the VICSEG Melton based work with Sudanese families and children to at least one full time equivalent position to enable increased active engagement of Sudanese families, the building of relationships with key service providers and participation in key networks and forums related to the development and operation of mainstream health and early years services Recommendation 3 - Playgroups Develop VICSEG New Futures work with Sudanese families to include the formation of several Supported Playgroups in appropriate locations and link them with local activities for families and children Recommendation 4- Training in Children s Services Use the operation of the VICSEG model of Supported Playgroups as potential recruitment sites for Sudanese parents interested in undertaking accredited Children s Services training and provide subsequent and ongoing support and mentoring to enable them to gain employment in child care and family day care Recommendation 5- Work with Youth - Linking Up with Other Youth Activities Increase the capacity of the VICSEG Melton based work with Sudanese youth, fathers and guardians to at least one full time equivalent position to enable the formation of relationships with key youth service providers and participation in key networks and forums related to the provision of services to boys, youth and men Recommendation 6 - Heading Out Together Project Develop the role of the part time Sudanese Youth Worker to implement and expand the existing Heading Out Together project and other activities involving fathers, guardians and boys including assisting and involving clients in the range of other activities offered by complementary services and programs. 7
Recommendation 7 - A Pathways Program for Sudanese Youth Disengaging from Mainstream Education In conjunction with schools, youth focused services, Melton Learning Board and the Brimbank Melton LLEN and based on existing initiatives in the region, develop a pilot program that targets young people who are not coping or have not coped with the transition into mainstream middle years secondary education. Core elements of the proposed program would include, youth engagement strategies, case management and individual pathways planning, exploring areas of possible employment, engagement of employers, appropriate skill development and training, work experience and outcomes that might include traineeships, apprenticeships, employment, return to education Recommendation 8 - Cross Cultural Training Set up, in conjunction with others (e.g. New Hope Foundation and the Centre for Multicultural Youth), cross culture training workshops for workers in those sectors who are dealing with or likely to engage with members of the Sudanese community and other refugee communities. Recommendation 9- Sudanese Community Reference & Advisory Committee Facilitate the establishment a committee of leading men and women active in the Melton Sudanese community and beyond to assist in the co-design, development and implementation of the project and ensure its cultural appropriateness at all stages Recommendation 10- Professional Reference Group and Service Provider Working Groups Establish a reference group of key people made up of stakeholders, agencies, service providers and Government departments providing services within the Melton LGA to form a reference group that meets regularly to oversee and monitor the development and evaluation of the project. Service provider working groups would be established to address particular issues on a short term basis, e.g. participation in kindergarten 8
Concluding Comments Given its more than thirty year history of pioneering leadership in developmental work with migrant and refuge communities VICSEG New Futures is ideally placed to assist the development of a consortium of community organisations for the implementation of an integrated response to the needs of CALD communities that are part, in many instances, of a secondary settlement wave from the inner suburbs to Melton and its new fast growing surrounding housing estates. VICSEG New Futures brings to Melton not only its many years of experience in practical on the ground settlement support services for children and families, but also its considerable contribution to the education, training and employment pathways of migrants and refugees from parts of the world where education and employment opportunities are extremely limited even if they exist at all. Also of significant importance is the organisation s recent developmental work in the LGAs of Brimbank, Hume and Wyndham, where it has replicated and refined its model of supported playgroups as a vehicle for early childhood development, culturally appropriate parenting in Australia, information about the range of generic health, education and welfare services and improved literacy in English. To this work VICSEG New Futures has very successfully introduced Family Mentoring by workers and volunteers from the same cultures and is now, in collaboration with others, at the forefront of filling a void through its cross cultural training of community workers. There is no doubt that the alliance with New Hope Foundation, which is a well-recognised and successful provider of migrant and refugee resettlement services in the region, and the potential collaborations with other organisations working in the area, together provide an important development opportunity. Furthermore VICSEG New Futures has the runs on the board elsewhere and valuable links already with the Melton Sudanese community. Melton is a community that is already sensitive to the present and emerging needs of new migrant communities and through such structures as the New and Emerging Communities Network, the Melton Youth Advisory Network and the Police and Schools Consultative Committee is attempting to bring organisations into closer cooperation and joint action It is clear from this project proposal that there is no shortage of relevant groups who want to be involved in the consultations arising from this scoping project and people who are willing to serve on future working groups to bring about change and the development of appropriate responses to the various needs identified. Although the initial focus will be on the Sudanese, the proposed demonstration project has the approach and the capacity to influence the service responses to the needs of other migrant and refugee groups and strengthen the ongoing development of improved services and community infrastructure directed at building a Melton community where the more than 100 different cultural groups are better integrated into the mainstream. 9