MYAN hosted Australia’s third national youth leadership summit for young people from refugee and migrant background– FUSE 2019 – from 14-17th April in Melbourne. Building on the success of FUSE 2014 and FUSE 2016, and with the themes of ‘Connect, ‘Ignite’ and Trailblaze’, FUSE 2019 was once again a unique and transformative opportunity for young Australians from refugee and migrant backgrounds to build leadership and advocacy skills, expand their networks and connect with peers from across Australia.
Over 3 days, delegates participated in skills building workshops, heard from experienced advocates working in diverse sectors, explored key issues and solutions facing young people from refugee and migrant backgrounds, and engaged with decision-makers and MPs from the state and commonwealth level.
Given the timing of the federal election, FUSE 2019 also utilised MYAN Australia’s election policy platform to inform discussions and guide advocacy on the final day ‘pitch’ to MP Tim Watts, Sen Janet Rice and Australia’s National Children’s commissioner, Megan Mitchell. Delegates presented on education and training, employment, settlement support, health and well-being and youth participation and inclusion.
- 88.89% of delegates indicated that they felt confident in advocacy skills after attending FUSE. This was a shift from the 39% of delegates who indicated they felt confident in the same area prior to FUSE.
- 99% of delegates indicated that they learnt new skills in leadership at FUSE 2019 that they thought could help them in future leadership and advocacy activities.
- 80% suggested they felt more confident in community organising and pitching skills after participating in FUSE 2019.
- 99% reported that they were likely to apply what they learned to promote their rights and interests and those of young people. The same delegates also stated that they are most likely to be involved in creating change in their communities.
- 70% of delegates stated that they were very likely to get involved in advocacy while 80% suggested that they were very likely to get involved in community organising/events to engage with other young people.
“I feel really pumped. Once I head back to my community I will be sharing with my peers and my friends what I have learnt based on the experiences of other young leaders from different states in Australia. We had some very informative sessions and we have learnt lots, especially new ways to explore our leadership in our communities and how we can come up with ideas and new approaches, how we can get projects done and what resources are available to us to help us through that process. I’d recommend this to other young people who are eager to get out there and make a change in their community.”
Recommendations were:
- Working directly between government and businesses to establish a government accreditation system that rewards businesses who can work towards being inclusive, eliminating discrimination and subconscious bias in the workplace and in recruitment processes. In order to achieve this recognition, businesses needed to embed cross cultural competency training, a commitment to diversity and employ young people from refugee and migrant backgrounds.
Government could incentivise the participation of corporations in this scheme through government subsidies.
- Providing targeted support for young people from refugee and migrant communities to learn about the Australian labor market and equip them with the skills and knowledge to enable effective entry into the workforce.
Short term:
- Ensure that cultural competency training is provided for mental health practitioners, social workers, and other allied health workers that engage directly with young refugee and migrant people to address accessibility gaps.
- Establishing peer support/safe spaces where young people from refugee and migrant backgrounds can share understandings and experiences of mental health, and form a community to address stigma and taboo within communities about mental health.
Long term:
- A strategic vision for a future where young people at risk of or experiencing mental health issues are comfortable enough to seek out youth mental health services and where these services are sensitive and responsive to their cultural context/migrant and refugee experiences.
- Creating specific, trained roles within the mental health sector for people from migrant and refugee backgrounds to facilitate access, pathways and offer appropriate support.
An extension of their narratives and a stop to stories that cause harm to their participation.
- The appointment of a federal level Minister for youth who can bring light to their issues.
- Designing programs and services that take into consideration:
- i) culturally competent frameworks which make youth services accessible,
- ii) sustainability in programs beyond one-off opportunities, and
- iii) family-centred approaches, involving their families and communities to support and addressing intergenerational conflict.
