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National News
EOI now open for 2018 Refugee Youth Leadership Scholarship
We are excited to announce that the selection process is now open for the 2018 Refugee Youth Leadership Scholarship. This scholarship will support a young person from a refugee background, aged 18-25, with demonstrated leadership and advocacy skills, to participate in the annual consultations between the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and NGOs in Geneva, Switzerland in June 2018. The scholarship recipient will be part of the Australian delegation travelling to Geneva, and will participate in a range of activities, including engaging with UNHCR's Global Youth Advisory Council and meetings with high level UNHCR officials, government and other NGOs.
All applicants must apply by submitting an Expression of Interest, addressing key selection criteria, by 5:00pm on Friday 23rd February 2018. All information about the scholarship, including application process, can be found here. Please read this information before submitting an application.
Contact myanprojects@myan.org.au for more information.
Youth in the Global Compact on Refugees
MYAN welcomes the release of the zero draft of the Global Compact on Refugees on 31 January 2018. On review, MYAN is pleased that youth is mentioned as a key stakeholder to be included in decision-making processes and that MYAN’s recommendations to include considerations related to youth has been reflected in the draft, especially under education, jobs and livelihoods and health areas. In early January, MYAN issued a revised version of the advocacy brief on Youth Rights in the Global Compact on Refugees (GCR), available on UNHCR’s website. This was endorsed by UNHCR's Global Youth Advisory Council (GYAC) and presented to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, along with the GYAC's paper, prior to the High Commissioner's Dialogue on Protection Challenges in December 2017. Read GYAC's paper here.
 
Left: Nadine Liddy, MYAN National Coordinator, Filippo Grandi, UN High Commissioner for Refugees and Arash Bordbar. Australian GYAC delegate
Right: Nadine Liddy with GYAC delegates
Australian Migration Programme
MYAN made a submission to the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) on Australia's Migration Programme in response to DHA's discussion paper ‘Managing Australia’s Migrant Intake’. MYAN’s submission focuses on the need to ensure enough spaces for young people in planning Australia’s migrant intake, adequate support structures in Australia for young people from refugee-like backgrounds, and to utilise and simplify the Migration Programme to ensure family reunification for humanitarian arrivals. Read MYAN's submission.
Youth crime in Victoria
MYAN shares concerns of many others about media reporting and the nature of political debate on the issues of youth crime in Victoria. Such debate can have a significant negative impact on many young people and their communities. MYAN supports the finding of the Parliamentary Inquiry into Migrant Settlement Outcomes on the need to provide supports beyond the initial settlement period, and commends the initiative taken by the African community leaders against such political and media discourse, and their call for responsible and balanced reporting by the media. Shared below are a selection of articles for further reading:
Young People from Refugee and Migrant backgrounds in Australia and employment
MYAN is preparing a policy paper on employment and young people from refugee and migrant backgrounds. In 2017, MYAN Australia conducted two consultations with the sector, in partnership with SCOA, and will be conducting consultations with young people across Australia in February/March. We are keen to hear their perspectives on the issues and challenges they face, what has helped in navigating education/training/employment pathways and ideas for what else is needed. Look out for more information about consultations in your state/territory, or email MYAN's Policy and Advocacy Officer, derya@myan.org.au for more information.
Humanitarian and Migrant Youth Arrivals to Australia Information Sheet 2016/2017 - Coming soon!
MYAN is preparing to release its annual Information Sheet on Humanitarian and Migrant Youth Arrivals to Australia for 2016-2017. This year's will be more comprehensive and we will be holding a national teleconference to share key findings - look out for more information! MYAN has been preparing information sheets providing national data on humanitarian youth arrivals by financial year since 2008. See the information sheets from previous years here.
MYAN welcomes recently appointed Minister and Assistant Ministers
Following the recent Federal Government cabinet reshuffle, MYAN Australia welcomes the appointment of Hon. Alan Tudge MP, Minister for Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs, Hon. Jane Prentice MP as Assistant Minister for Social Services and Hon. Dr David Gillespie as Assistant Minister for Families and Children. Once again, we thank Hon. Zed Seselja MP, former Assistant Minister for Social Services for his commitment to youth settlement in his time as Assistant Minister.
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Farewell to founding members of YAN
Founding members of MYAN YAN, L-R: Omar, Sarah, Atima, Yai, Zee, Celia & Paul
MYAN Australia would like to thank Celia Tran (VIC), Mohammed Omar Maroof (ACT), Ziagul Sultani (WA), Yai Mario-Ring and Hadi Rezaie (TAS), Paul Joseph (QLD), Ajer Alier (Atima) Deng (SA), Sarah Yahya (NSW) for their work in helping to establish MYAN's first national Youth Ambassadors Network (YAN).
In 2015, MYAN Australia worked with these young people to set up MYAN's national Youth Ambassadors Network (YAN). Building on the energy and vision of five delegates from MYAN's FUSE 2014 summit, these founding members have helped influence the national agenda for multicultural young people. They will join MYAN's YAN Alumni and we wish them all the best as youth leaders!
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News from around Australia
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QLD - MyQ
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Congratulations to Grace Akaraki, MYAN's Youth Ambassador for QLD, for securing a role representing CALD youth on the Brisbane South PHN Community Advisory Council. This offers an opportunity for Grace to influence decision makers in the health sector on youth issues, but also for Grace to further develop her leadership skills in a formal advisory council. Multicultural Youth QLD (MyQ) will continue to support Grace in her leadership development and we wish Grace all the best in her newly appointed role.
MyQ is planning a multicultural youth forum in May 2018, if you are interested in being involved in the planning, please contact MyQ at admin@myq.org.au
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NSW - MYAN NSW
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In November, MYAN NSW wrapped up a series of workshops with Bankstown IEC's newly arrived refugee students. Three youth facilitators led workshops on Aussie slang, knowing your rights and volunteering. MYAN NSW collaborated with WEAVE Youth Services to invite several Aboriginal youth advocates to speak at the workshops. The term also included a Bankstown Amazing Race where students completed challenges at different youth services. A shared multicultural feast was held to end the term and the students learnt about the Welcome Dinner Project. There was definitely enough biryani for everyone!
In December, the Youth Ambassadors got together for an end-of-year meetup to discuss what 2018 will look like. MYAN NSW Youth Ambassadors started the year with a 'Behind the Scenes' tour of SBS Studios! Onwards and upwards for 2018 - this is just the beginning!
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WA - MYAN WA
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MYAN WA were delighted that a team of young people the Catalyst Youth Summit 2017 presented on the topic of domestic violence.They identified three key solutions: education, more culturally appropriate services, and better media representation at a great final network forum.
MYAN WA is excited to announce success in receiving a Harmony Week grant from the Office of Multicultural Interests (OMI) for a youth film project. Young people will develop and ask questions to WA politicians and key decision makers, with the footage used to create a short 10-minute film by a young film-maker, to be screened during Harmony Week.
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CERD Concluding Observations
On 26 December 2017, the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) released its Concluding Observations on periodic reports of Australia, following the release of the advanced unedited version in early December. MYAN Australia contributed to the Australian NGO Coalition submission for the periodic reporting which can be found here.
BSL Social Exclusion Monitor
The Social Exclusion Monitor, developed by the Brotherhood of St Laurence and the Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, released its update in December 2017 using analysis of Wave 15 of the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) Survey. In measuring social exclusion, the Monitor found that immigrants from non–English speaking countries experience more social exclusion than native-born Australians. 25% of the immigrants experienced exclusion compared to 22% of people born in Australia and 18% of immigrants from English-speaking countries.
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Migrant Small Business Report
CGU released its Migrant Small Business Report on 22 January 2018, based on research conducted with more than 900 business owners. The report highlights that migrant small business owners are making a significant contribution to Australian economy, including creating thousands of new jobs. The report found that more than one third (36%) of migrant business owners believe their cultural background has helped them succeed.
Lancet article on age of adolescence
A new piece was published in The Lancet Child & Adolescence Health about the age of adolescence, saying that adolescence should cover 10 to 24 year olds, and not up to 19 year olds as has been previously argued. The writers argue for an expanded and more inclusive definition of adolescence, and that it is essential to frame laws, social policies, and service systems, as well as funding models, with this developmentally appropriate definition.
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