On Arrival: Challenges and Opportunities Around Early-Stage Resettlement of Refugees in Australia

TL;DR

This study explores refugees' perceptions of initial support services in Australia during the first six months, highlighting challenges and opportunities for improving early-stage resettlement and integration.

Contribution

It provides qualitative insights into refugees' experiences across three resettlement phases, informing design considerations for CSCW systems to enhance support.

Findings

Refugees face ongoing challenges in initial and ongoing settlement phases.

Immediate services impact long-term integration outcomes.

Refugee experiences vary across different resettlement phases.

Abstract

When refugees arrive in a host country, the form of immediate help and support they receive from various service providers sets the stage for successful settlement, integration, and social cohesion. This paper presents results from an exploratory study that investigated refugees perceptions of initial services received upon migration, in the first six months of their arrival. In collaboration with a refugee settlement services provider, we engaged 12 newly-arrived refugees in a qualitative study that employed a photo-diary study and semi-structured interviews. Based on our findings, we present refugees experiences over three phase, immediate services upon arrival, initial-settlement experiences, and ongoing settlement experiences. Through an in-depth unpacking of these phases, we show ongoing efforts and challenges associated with resettlement, and present implications for design for CSCW researchers.