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Humanitarian Settlement Services (HSS)

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Settlement support for humanitarian clients

The Humanitarian Settlement Services (HSS) program assists humanitarian clients in their early settlement period in Australia. HSS replaces the Integrated Humanitarian Settlement Strategy (or IHSS) and like its predecessor, HSS provides a suite of services delivered through a coordinated case management model.

In supporting humanitarian clients to begin their new lives, the HSS program focuses on capacity building; building clients' confidence and ability to participate economically and socially in the wider Australian community; and equips them with the knowledge and skills they will need to access services in the future. Support through the HSS is tailored to individual client needs, including the specific needs of young people.

Services provided

Services provided through a coordinated case management approach under the HSS program may include:

  • on arrival reception and induction
  • assistance with locating short term and long term accommodation
  • information about and referral to mainstream agencies and to other settlement and community programs
  • onshore orientation program.

The HSS program works with other settlement and mainstream services to assist clients with their settlement needs beyond the HSS period.

A booklet on the HSS Onshore Orientation Program is available. This booklet provides a broad overview of the HSS Onshore Orientation Program, the principles which underpin it and the National Orientation Framework that governs its delivery. It also includes personal accounts of new arrivals who have attended the program, profiles of local organisations who deliver settlement information sessions and examples of government agencies which have developed resources to support the program.

A short brochure about the HSS onshore orientation program is also available.
See:
Humanitarian Settlement Services – Onshore Orientation Program Booklet – 2011 ( 814K B PDF file)
Humanitarian Settlement Services – Onshore Orientation Program Brochure – 2011 ( 249K B PDF file)

Further information

Further Information is available.
See:
Fact Sheet 66 – Humanitarian Settlement Services
Humanitarian Settlement Services: Reduced Services For Former Bridging Visa E Holders