Administered Items

• Adult Migrant English Programme
• Assistance for former child migrants
• Grants for Living in Harmony
• Grants for migrant community services
• Grant to the Federation of Ethnic Communities’ Councils of Australia
• National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpretors Ltd – Contribution
• National Action Plan to Build on Social Cohesion, Harmony and Security – community engagement
• National Action Plan to Build on Social Cohesion, Harmony and Security – state/territory partnerships
• Welfare of humanitarian minors without parents in Australia

Adult Migrant English Programme

Objective

• Maximise the participation of migrants and humanitarian entrants in the Australian community through the provision and management of a quality national English language tuition programme for adults that meets the needs of its clients.

Description

The Adult Migrant English Programme (AMEP) provides English language tuition for eligible migrants and humanitarian entrants who do not have functional English, as follows:

• refugee and humanitarian entrants under the age of 25 may be eligible for up to 910 hours of English language tuition
• refugee and humanitarian entrants aged 25 or older may be eligible for up to 610 hours of tuition
• other migrants are eligible for up to 510 hours of tuition.

The tuition is designed to provide clients with basic language skills to help them settle successfully in Australia. The programme, with administered expenses of $155.8 million, is managed through 18 contracts for tuition and two for associated services. The two non-tuition contracts relate to research, professional development and publications provided by the AMEP Research Centre; and quality monitoring and accreditation of service providers provided by the National ELT Accreditation Scheme Limited (NEAS).

Performance

The Special Preparatory Programme (SPP) provides supplementary tuition in a tailored, supportive environment to eligible refugee and humanitarian entrants with special needs as a result of their pre-migration experiences, such as torture or trauma, or to clients who are under the age of 25 years who have low levels of formal schooling (between 0-7 years).

This tuition helps clients by preparing them for the more formal teaching environment in which the AMEP is delivered.

In 2006-07, 83 per cent of SPP participants continued on to the AMEP, compared to 85 per cent in 2005-06. Reasons given by clients for not continuing include health, family, employment and personal issues.

English language achievement measurement

The AMEP uses Certificates in Spoken and Written English (CSWE), a competency-based national curriculum and assessment framework to measure English language achievement. The CSWE consists of three levels – Level 1 (beginners), Level 2 (post-beginners) and Level 3 (intermediate) and recognises three stages of learning based on the client’s previous learning experience. Clients who achieve the required competence for a particular level receive a certificate. Clients who complete modules within a CSWE certificate level receive a record of achievement.

English language outcomes are strongly influenced by factors such as the client’s English language skills on entry to the programme, the number of hours of tuition received, the client’s age and the level of education the client had before coming to Australia.

Reach

Reach measures the extent to which eligible migrants and humanitarian entrants take up their AMEP entitlement. The registration rate for adult settlers who arrived in the first three quarters of 2006-07 and who self-determined a need for English tuition was 73 per cent, compared with the 2005-06 rate of 71 per cent.

Retention

Retention measures the average number of hours a client remains in the programme. Retention in 2006-07 for all exiting clients was 389 hours, compared with 384 hours in 2005-06.

Quality monitoring

NEAS is responsible for accrediting AMEP service providers and conducting ongoing quality monitoring. These processes ensure that only providers offering high standards of English instruction and administrative practice continue to be accredited providers within the AMEP.

In 2006-07, NEAS conducted accreditation and quality monitoring of all 18 AMEP service providers around Australia undertaking 68 visits. All service providers retained their accreditation.

Research

The AMEP Research Centre, a consortium of Macquarie and La Trobe Universities, provides research, professional development, publications and information services for the AMEP.

The centre hosted the seventh annual AMEP conference in 2006. The theme, of Cultures of Learning, invited teachers to reflect on the connection between students’ past learning experiences and the learning skills needed to engage in vocational education and training to prepare for employment in Australia. The centre’s professional development services in 2006 and 2007 included two national forums and a teaching literacy and numeracy course.

New publications produced included seven titles in the Fact Sheet series, one title in the Teaching with New Technology series and three readers for learners with low literacy in the Stay Safe series.

Assistance for former child migrants

Objective

• Provide practical support and assistance to former child migrants who arrived in Australia post-World War II.

Description

Approximately 6000 children were sent to Australia from child-care institutions in the United Kingdom and Malta throughout the 20th century, with 3000 children arriving in the post-war period between 1945 and 1970. The children were placed in charitable and religious institutions in New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria and Western Australia.

Funding was provided by the Australian Government over a number of years to help former child migrants to:

• undertake reunion visits to Britain and Malta
• trace family members and receive counselling for reunion visits
• commemorate former child migrants in the Australian community through the establishment of memorials in each state.

Performance

The travel fund ceased to operate on 30 June 2006 and all unspent funds were returned to the Australian Government on 21 September 2006.

During 2006-07, the Child Migrants Trust provided tracing and counselling services to 772 clients, 35 of which were new clients in 2006-07. A total of 386 clients received post-reunion support in 2006-07. Total expenditure for the year to 30 June 2007 was $150 000.

All states have held their dedication ceremonies with the last memorial being unveiled in Melbourne in September 2006.

Grants for Living in Harmony

Objective

• Provide funding to eligible community organisations to address local issues affecting community harmony.

Description

The Living in Harmony Funded Community Project programme is designed to provide additional resources needed by not-for-profit organisations to develop projects and to help Australians build positive community relations in a culturally diverse society.

Performance

During the year, 561 organisations applied for funding under the programme. The department funded 43 applications which reflected the priority areas of new and emerging communities, young people, interfaith and Indigenous Australians.

These projects are expected to contribute to social cohesion and integration by facilitating community participation and a sense of belonging and to continue the multiplier effect of the nearly 400 projects that have been funded since the programme began in 1998.

Grants for migrant community services

Objective

• Ensure that funding agreements and work programmes are satisfactorily delivered for all Settlement Grants Programme (SGP) and Community Settlement Services Scheme (CSSS) grants.

Description

The Australian Government provides funding for grants to community-based organisations under the SGP and CSSS.

The settlement services target group is defined as:

• permanent residents who have arrived in the previous five years as humanitarian entrants and family stream migrants with low English proficiency
• communities that need help to develop their capacity to organise, plan, and advocate for services and are receiving significant numbers of new arrivals who are in the settlement services target group
• dependants of skilled migrants in rural and regional areas with low English proficiency.

Eligible organisations are funded to provide the following settlement services:

• provision of information, referral and casework services to new arrivals
• community capacity building
• service planning, participation and integration.

SGP-funded organisations establish links with mainstream services to facilitate access to these services for their clients.

Under the SGP, funding to organisations is made on a project basis, with funding priorities for particular regions and communities determined by an annual needs-based planning process.

This planning process identifies the priority needs of new arrivals, ensuring that the SGP delivers services that are responsive to changing settlement patterns and needs.

Payments to funded organisations are dependent on specific performance measures being met. Organisations are required to report quarterly, providing information on the progress of the work programme, financial details and statistical data on client contacts. The service delivery and reporting obligations are detailed in the funding agreement.

Performance

A total of $30.8 million was provided for the SGP in 2006-07 to support the settlement needs of migrants. A total of 210 (SGP) grants and 99 CSSS grants were funded. Some additional funding was also provided to 21 Migrant Resource Centres and Migrant Service Agencies (MRC/MSA) to support their CSSS grants during the transition from core funding to project funding.

Funding for SGP and CSSS grants totalled $29.5 million, additional funding of $1.2 million was provided to MRC/MSAs and $150 000 was allocated to training.

The SGP started on 1 July 2006. This programme was developed following a review of settlement services, detailed in the May 2003 Report of the Review of Settlement Services for Migrants and Humanitarian Entrants.

The SGP combines funding previously provided to Migrant Resource Centres/Migrant Service Agencies (MRCs/MSAs) and the Community Settlement Services Scheme (CSSS).

The funding priorities of the SGP are determined through an annual assessment of settlement needs designed to target funding to those communities and locations in greatest need of settlement assistance.

Grant to the Federation of Ethnic Communities’ Councils of Australia

Objective

• Enable the Federation of Ethnic Communities Council of Australia (FECCA) to provide advice to the government on the views and needs of ethnic communities in Australia.

Description

The government provided a grant of $400 000 to FECCA in 2006-07 to help in meeting this objective.

Performance

FECCA’s activities included promoting the value of cultural diversity to the broader community; adopting an advocacy role on behalf of its constituency; providing leadership and support to communities; and establishing a range of partnerships so it can work more closely with leading agencies to progress mutual objectives.

The performance measure of 95 per cent of agreed performance indicators met was substantially achieved by FECCA. Its major achievements included:

• development and dissemination of policy papers on citizenship, Australian values and Australian demographics
• launching the new FECCA website and publishing three editions of the magazine Australian mosaic
• working with the media, including issuing 28 media releases and giving around 100 media interviews
• working closely with strategic partners and other organisations to promote the benefits of cultural diversity and deliver better outcomes for communities
• supporting the Australian Partnership of Religious Organisations multi-faith forum in June 2007 which attracted 175 participants.

National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters Ltd – Contribution

Objective

• Set and maintain high national standards in translating and interpreting and support the ongoing development of a pool of accredited translators and interpreters that is responsive to the changing needs of the Australian society.

Description

The National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters Limited (NAATI) is a company limited by guarantee and is the only national accreditation authority for interpreters and translators in Australia. The Australian Government and state and territory governments contribute to NAATI funding and the members of NAATI are the nine ministers responsible for citizenship and/or multicultural affairs in each jurisdiction. In 2006-07 the Australian Government contribution was $507 000.

Performance

NAATI continued to deliver services in accordance with its objectives and the changing needs and demography of Australian society. Results achieved in 2006-07 were positive and contributed significantly to maintaining high national standards in translating and interpreting.

A total of 2036 new translators and interpreters were accredited by NAATI in 2006-07. Translation and interpreting accreditation tests were available in 49 languages, six more than in the 2005-06.

National Action Plan to Build on Social Cohesion, Harmony and Security – community engagement

Objective

• Fund non-government organisations to conduct community-based projects that build on social cohesion, harmony and security.

Description

The community projects funding, managed by the department under the National Action Plan for community engagement enables communities to build capacity and develop leadership skills to ensure that the communities themselves have involvement and ownership of the objectives of the plan.

Projects included leadership training for young people and women, inter-faith dialogues, conferences and forums, mentoring for young people and production of publications about Islamic culture. Projects have been funded in NSW (11), Victoria (11), Queensland (3), ACT (3), and Tasmania (2).

Performance

In 2006-07, 10 projects were funded under the National Action Plan community projects programme to encourage leadership and participation, particularly by women and young people and encourage positive relations between Muslims and non-Muslims in Australia.

Funding originally approved for one project has been re-allocated to two existing projects, bringing the total number of funding agreements to nine.

One example of a community project is the Canberra Muslim Community’s youth development programme, which is building leadership, management and communication skills. It is doing this through youth camps, a religious quiz night, interactive discussion and study circles to explain Islamic principles and teachings within the context of Australian society.

Another example is the University of Newcastle project which produced printed and electronic publications to provide information to Australians about Muslim beliefs, practices and customs. The publications included frequently asked questions and ideas for relationship building. A brochure was distributed to police, academics, councils and the broader community. An information booklet was also produced for Muslims new to Newcastle to assist with their adjustment to living in a new city and country. The resources have been very well received in Newcastle and beyond, and the university has found it challenging to keep up with demand.

National Action Plan to Build on Social Cohesion, Harmony and Security – state/territory partnerships

Objective

• Partner state and territory governments in projects that contribute to National Action Plan implementation.

Description

During 2006-07, eight new projects were implemented with state and territory governments to address education, employment, social cohesion and national security, particularly within the Muslim community.

Performance

On 16 July 2006, the Australian Government announced a $35 million package of initiatives to implement the National Action Plan until 2010. Included in this was an annual amount of about $460 000 to establish new partnership projects with state and territory governments. Eight partnership projects have been negotiated, agreed through formal Memoranda of Understanding or funding agreements, and started. Four 2005-06 partnership projects were carried over into the 2006-07 financial year.

Projects in 2006-07 built on previous work, addressed at least one of the four National Action Plan focus areas (employment, education, integrating communities and enhancing national security) and achieved a balance between government support and community responsibility.

The 2006-07 state and territory partnership projects achieved the following National Action Plan outcomes:

• provision of employment and training opportunities for individuals who are disadvantaged in the labour market
• engagement of vulnerable individuals in social, cultural and sporting activities
• increased awareness of the implications of Australia’s cultural and religious diversity
• engagement of members of Australia’s Muslim communities with law enforcement agencies.

Examples of these partnerships are:

• the Muslim Aquatic Recreation Project established by the Royal Life Saving Society of Australia in partnership with the New South Wales and Victorian governments, which increased community access to aquatic facilities, provided employment opportunities in pool life-guarding and swim instructing and trained approximately 700 young people in water safety.
• the Muslim Employment Worker Project in partnership with the Queensland Government employed two workers of the Muslim faith to support unemployed people disadvantaged in the labour market. In its first 12 months the project had 80 registered clients with 40 participants gaining employment.

Welfare of humanitarian minors without parents in Australia

Objective

• Ensure that appropriate guardianship, monitoring and settlement support arrangements are in place for all unaccompanied humanitarian minors (UHMs) in the UHM Programme.

Description

Unaccompanied humanitarian minors are non-citizen children who arrive in Australia without parents to care for them. Some UHMs have a relative over the age of 21 years to provide care and are called non-wards. UHMs who do not have a suitable relative become wards of the minister under the Immigration (Guardianship of Children) Act 1946 (IGOC Act). The minister’s functions as guardian under the IGOC Act are delegated to officers of the child welfare agency in each state and territory.

The Australian Government and state governments work together to provide settlement services to UHMs through the UHM programme whether they arrive lawfully or unlawfully, or as part of the offshore resettlement programme.

The UHM programme seeks to ensure effective welfare supervision and settlement support is provided to minors while they live in Australia or until the year they turn 18. It is funded through cost sharing agreements between the Australian Government and state governments.

Performance

At 30 June 2007, there were 657 UHMs in the UHM programme, 641 of whom arrived under the offshore component of the Refugee and Humanitarian Programme and another 16 who were granted temporary or permanent protection visas onshore.

During the course of the 2006-07 programme year 379 UHMs entered the programme and 406 left the programme. A total of 1063 UHMs were assisted under the UHM Programme in 2006-07.

In 2006-07, total Australian Government funding for state authorities through cost-sharing agreement for the UHM Programme was $1.9 million.