DIMIA Annual Report 2001-02
REPORT ON PERFORMANCE OUTCOME TWO
This outcome seeks a society which values Australian citizenship, appreciates cultural diversity and enables migrants to participate equitably.
Its supporting departmental outputs are:
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settlement services
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translating and interpreting services
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Australian citizenship
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appreciation of cultural diversity.
Successful achievement of the outcome depends upon the efforts of a wide range of stakeholders - Commonwealth, State/Territory and local government, businesses, educators, community organisations, the wider community and individual settlers in Australia.
Outcome Two goals are therefore achieved incrementally over time and not by outputs of any one year.
This chapter outlines some indicators of the extent to which the outcome is being achieved, as well as the contribution made by the department.
EXTENT TO WHICH SETTLEMENT PLANNING ARRANGEMENTS AND PROGRAMS EQUIP MIGRANTS AND REFUGEES TO PARTICIPATE IN SOCIETY
Settlement planning and services are coordinated under the National Integrated Settlement Strategy (NISS) to ensure that migrants and refugees receive the help they require to enable them to participate equitably in society.
Outcomes are reviewed annually by Settlement Planning Committees constituted in each State/Territory and are reported to the Ministerial Council on Immigration and Multicultural Affairs (MCIMA).
Targeted settlement services, administered by DIMIA, such as the Integrated Humanitarian Settlement Strategy (IHSS), Adult Migrant English Program (AMEP), Migrant Resource Centres (MRCs), Migrant Service Agencies (MSAs), organisations funded under the Community Settlement Services Scheme (CSSS) and fee-free translating and interpreting, complement the broad range of mainstream services that facilitate settlement and are accessed by newly-arrived migrants.
Indicators of migrant participation in Australian society are generally very positive, with migrants recording outcomes broadly similar to the Australian population over time.
A longer-term view of some indicators for all overseas-born compared to Australian-born shows:
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unemployment rates: 6.5 per cent for overseas-born compared with 6.3 per cent for Australian-born (May 2002, ABS Labour Force Survey)
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skilled workers: 40.7 per cent of overseas-born employed in skilled occupations compared with 37.3 per cent of Australian-born (May 2002, ABS Labour Force Survey) (Fig. 16)
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educational participation rates for 15-24 year olds: 69.2 per cent for overseas-born compared with 52.7 per cent for Australian-born (December 2001, ABS Transition from Education to Work Survey) (Fig. 17).
Some migrant groups achieve outcomes above those of the Australian-born population and some below depending on factors such as occupational skills, English proficiency and the economic conditions at the time of entry.
Broadly, settlement services target groups with lower English proficiency and participation outcomes. The department is also developing strategies to increase settlement support in rural and regional Australia.
A pilot client survey on the effectiveness of DIMIA funded community services started in 2001-02 and will be completed in 2002-03. The survey has focussed on service delivery by MRCs, MSAs and community organisations funded under the CSSS.
The survey is exploring how these services have helped migrants and refugees settle in Australia and where value could be added to improve outcomes for clients.
Four locations were chosen for this initial survey (Dandenong, Cairns, Townsville and the ACT), with clients, service providers and community stakeholders in these locations providing input to the survey through focus groups and other qualitative survey methods.
The results of this initial survey will be available in 2002 and will be used to inform future evaluation processes.
EXTENT TO WHICH THE SETTLEMENT NEEDS OF REFUGEE AND HUMANITARIAN ENTRANTS ARE MET
Under the IHSS 7,885 entrants had access to a comprehensive range of services including early health assessment and intervention, accommodation support, initial information and orientation assistance, household formation support and community support for refugees.
Of these, 3,154 were refugees, 2,684 were Special Humanitarian Program entrants and 2,047 were Temporary Protection Visa Holders. Temporary Protection Visa Holders are eligible only for the early health assessment and intervention services of the IHSS.
The department has signed 38 contracts with community-based and commercial organisations to deliver IHSS services. The IHSS operates in all states and territories of Australia including some regional areas of New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland and Tasmania.
The phased implementation of the IHSS model for the provision of initial settlement services to Humanitarian Program entrants which commenced in July 2000 has been completed, with the final contract being signed in May 2002.
The IHSS is currently being evaluated. Terms of reference for the evaluation focus on whether the IHSS is currently identifying and meeting the needs of its clients in an equitable, efficient and timely manner, in accordance with the specified objectives, outcomes and IHSS service principles.
In addition, client surveys are being conducted in Western Australia to assess the level of satisfaction with IHSS services. Similar surveys will continue in other states and territories in 2002-03.