Overview of Taking the Initiative

Taking the Initiative has been designed for police around Australia, to help them get to know what other jurisdictions are doing to improve their relationships with Australia's new arrivals.

It is also a useful resource for settlement service providers and others interested in learning about the work being undertaken by police, how it is planned and implemented.

Taking the Initiative contains useful links to important resources for police, including the Department of Immigration and Citizenship profiles of new communities such as Sudanese, Congolese, Karen and Chin Burmese.

It also provides links to other relevant resources such as the Diverse Australia Program, the Settlement Grants Program, police websites and other service providers.

The department would like to acknowledge the significant contributions made by police and other stakeholders Australia-wide in the development of this resource. The department is very pleased to be able to highlight this work and the many success stories.

Taking the Initiative also includes a small number of profiles of individuals who, in their roles as liaison officers, have been integral in championing these types of initiatives.

Note: The projects and programs referred to are examples of initiatives that assist in the development of positive relationships between police and new arrivals, and engage with new and emerging communities. The department does not represent that they are best practice and nor has the department formally evaluated them. If you are considering implementing a similar initiative you should only do so after contacting the initiative contact officer and, of course, obtaining all of the necessary approvals from your own organisation's management.