The Multicultural Youth Advocacy Network Australia and the Refugee Council of Australia are very pleased to share with you Speaking Up: The Global Refugee Youth Consultations in Australia Report.
This report presents the findings and recommendations from consultations with young people that took place across Australia with your support and input earlier this year. We wanted to say a very big THANK YOU to each and every one of you for your time and effort to bring this opportunity to young people across Australia.
The report is under strict embargo until tomorrow at noon (Wednesday 23 November 2016) when it will be launched in Canberra by UNHCR's Regional Representative, Thomas Albrecht. Following the launch we would encourage you to share the report and findings widely - and to use #GRYC and #speakingup in your social media posts!
For more information on the GRYC and the GRYC in Australia please visit www.myan.org.au
--- STRICT EMBARGO UNTIL 12pm 23 NOVEMBER 2016 ---
SPEAKING UP
The Global Refugee Youth Consultations in Australia Report
REPORT LAUNCH - Canberra, 23 November 2016
Young people from refugee and asylum seeking backgrounds have enormous potential to be active participants in and contributors to Australian society but commonly face a range of barriers that results in their voices being marginalised in policy and practice.
As part of a global project that aims to amplify refugee youth voices in decisions that affect them, earlier this year more than 500 young people from refugee and asylum seeking backgrounds (aged 15-24) participated in consultations across Australia.
Participants spoke about the challenges young people seeking asylum and who are recognised refugees face, both prior to and after arriving in Australia. They shared their issues of concern and identified a range of solutions and recommendations for addressing these.
Today in Canberra UNHCR's Regional Representative, Thomas Albrecht, launched Speaking Up: The Global Refugee Youth Consultations in Australia Report. This report presents the voices and recommendations of those young people from refugee and asylum seeking backgrounds who took part in these consultations and contributes to national and international advocacy on issues for refugee and asylum seeking young people.
At the launch, Nadine Liddy, MYAN Australia National Coordinator, said the report's publication was timely given the focus on young people in the recent announcement of a review into settlement outcomes of migrants and refugees in Australia.
“In this report we hear directly from young people about their experiences of forced migration and the challenges of beginning a new life in Australia, and we have young people telling us what they need to overcome these challenges" Ms Liddy said.
“Young people from refugee and asylum seeking backgrounds want to contribute and be active members in the communities in which they settle. We need to listen to their recommendations and support them to see these implemented.”
