Reports
The report titled Navigating Youth Settlement in Australia: Challenges and Opportunities by the Multicultural Youth Advocacy Network (MYAN) Australia provides an in-depth analysis of the settlement experiences of young people from refugee and migrant backgrounds across various regions in Australia. The report identifies key challenges these young people face in areas such as education, employment, health and wellbeing, social connectedness, and navigating Australian services and laws. It also highlights the persistent issues of racism and discrimination. Based on national consultations, the report offers insights into the unique needs of these young people and proposes opportunities for improving settlement services and policies to better support their integration and successful participation in Australian society.
- Published in 2023
- Education, Employment, Health and Wellbeing, Migration and Resettlement, Social Cohesion
The report titled Counting Us In: Settlement Experiences of LGBTQI+ Refugee and Asylum Seeker Young Adults by the Multicultural Youth Advocacy Network (MYAN) Australia explores the unique settlement challenges faced by LGBTQI+ young adults from refugee and asylum seeker backgrounds in Australia. It provides insights into their experiences of navigating identity, accessing support services, and integrating into Australian society. The report highlights the additional barriers these young adults face due to their sexual orientation and gender identity, including discrimination, lack of social support, and difficulties in accessing appropriate services. It also offers recommendations for improving service provision to better meet the needs of this vulnerable group and enhance their settlement outcomes.
- Published in 2023
- Human Rights, Migration and Resettlement, Social Cohesion
This report presents the findings from a national consultation conducted by the Multicultural Youth Advocacy Network (MYAN) Australia. The report captures the experiences and perspectives of young people from refugee and migrant backgrounds on racism in Australia. It discusses the prevalence of racism in various aspects of their lives, including education, employment, and public spaces. The report also provides insights into the expectations and recommendations of these young people for the National Anti-Racism Framework, advocating for meaningful involvement of people with lived experiences, the importance of education, and the need for systemic change to promote a more inclusive and equitable society.
- Published in 2022
- Social Cohesion
The report provides an analysis of the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on young migrants in Australia, particularly those aged 15 to 29. The report explores the disproportionate challenges faced by this group in the labour market, including higher unemployment rates, reduced working hours, and the long-term impacts of job losses. It also examines the broader economic implications of these challenges and proposes solutions to improve labour market outcomes for young migrants, highlighting the potential economic benefits of closing the participation rate gap between young migrants and their Australian-born counterparts.
- Published in 2021
- Health and Wellbeing
Developed by MYAN and the Victorian Foundation for Survivors of Torture in collaboration with the National Education Roundtable Steering Group, the paper addresses a significant gap in national policies relating to these students. The paper highlights challenges these students face within Australia’s education system, including low English proficiency, interrupted schooling, and trauma from migration. Systemic issues such as the reduction of EAL/D support services and inconsistent policies across states further hinder their educational progress. The paper also notes a lack of national research into effective strategies to support these students, pointing to the need for better data and analysis to guide future policies and programs.
The COVID-19 pandemic has intensified these barriers, particularly with remote learning exposing inequities in access to digital devices and internet connectivity. Families with limited English proficiency struggled to support their children’s learning at home, and many students faced increased mental, emotional, and financial strain. The paper calls for coordinated action from all levels of government, better funding transparency, and targeted programs to engage parents and ensure schools have the resources to foster inclusive learning environments. Addressing these barriers is crucial to improving educational outcomes for refugee and migrant students, especially in light of the pandemic’s lasting impact.
- Published in 2020
- Education
The National Youth Settlement Framework (NYSF) is a comprehensive guide developed by the Multicultural Youth Advocacy Network (MYAN) Australia to support and measure best practices in youth settlement services for young people from refugee and migrant backgrounds. The framework aims to enhance the settlement outcomes for these young people by providing a structured approach to policy development and service delivery across various sectors, including education, health, and employment. It focuses on fostering active citizenship, which involves the full participation of young people in Australian society, by building their skills, knowledge, and networks.
The NYSF includes good practice capabilities, practical tools, and indicators for achieving successful settlement and integration, ensuring that young people from diverse backgrounds are supported to become active and engaged members of the community.
- Published in 2020
- Migration and Resettlement
This discussion paper focuses on how the Adult Migrant English Program (AMEP) can be improved to better meet the specific English language learning needs of young people from refugee and migrant backgrounds. The paper outlines the importance of English proficiency for successful settlement and participation in Australian society, highlights the challenges young people face in the current AMEP system, and provides recommendations for making the program more youth-focused, flexible, and responsive to their unique circumstances. The paper also discusses the impact of COVID-19 on the delivery of AMEP classes and suggests ways to innovate and adapt the program to better support young learners.
- Published in 2020
- Education
The Women at Risk Visa Holders Consultation Report is a detailed document prepared by the Multicultural Youth Advocacy Network (MYAN) Australia, in collaboration with the Migration Council Australia (MCA). The report focuses on the settlement experiences of women and young people arriving in Australia under the Women at Risk (WaR) visa, a category designed for particularly vulnerable refugee women. The report identifies the unique challenges faced by this cohort, including access to safe housing, social support, and appropriate settlement services, particularly in rural and regional areas. It provides insights from national consultations and interviews with service providers, highlighting the need for a strengths-based, gender-responsive, and youth-specific approach to support WaR visa holders. The report concludes with recommendations for improving settlement outcomes for this vulnerable group through targeted services, better coordination, and investment in research and evaluation.
- Published in 2020
- Housing, Human Rights, Migration and Resettlement
This report to the United Nations (UN) Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (the CERD Committee) examines Australia’s compliance with the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (CERD). The report is intended to inform the Committee’s review of Australia during its 94th session in November 2017.
It has been prepared with substantial input by 26 individuals and non-government organisations (NGOs) from across Australia and endorsed by and 53 NGOs, as listed below. This report seeks to address some of the key concerns and Concluding Observations made by the CERD Committee in its 2010 review of Australia and important issues that have arisen since 2010.
- Published in 2017
- Social Cohesion