Tesfaye ALEMAYEHU University of Sydney Australia

1. Social exclusion & vulnerability across time and place: Settlement experiences of humanitarian entrants from SSA now living in Sydney Tesfaye ALEMAYEHU University of Sydney Australia

2. 1. Back ground and of the study The number of humanitarian entrants from SSA has been increasing in the last fifteen years in Sydney. These groups had gone through shocking experiences of protracted social conflicts, massive displacement, forced migration and lived in prolonged Refugee situations. Because their governments were/are unwilling or unable to protect them from such serious violations of their rights and incapable to understand the direct , indirect and intangible costs of such structural crises to their countries and these people. Then they were forced to leave their homes and countries to seek safety in another country. Thus they came to Australia through one of the durable solutions of UNCHR with recognised expectation and hope to rebuild their shattered lives. But, unfortunately, they are again facing waves of disadvantages, marginalisation & deprivations.

3. For example during the from2005-2007 over 75% of community services projects funded by DIAC and other Com. departments indicated that these groups are experiencing extreme discriminations, deprivations and vulnerability. Further community services delivery progress & evaluation reports claimed that these groups are unduly facing exclusion, discrimination and vulnerability in their new country. They assert that: 1. These groups are suffering from high rate of unemployment, under- employment & occupational downgrading. 2. Those are educated in Australia, USA, UK etc universities are suffering from academic & professional degenerations; 3. The children of these groups are facing bulling and racism in schools and they are reluctant to go to school and universities; 4. These groups are living in overcrowded housing and in suburbs where there are very limited infrastructure and services; 5. Their social capital, social capability and social resilience are declining;

4. Similarly a body of literature also show that these groups are facing horrifying discrimination, deprivations & vulnerability in their new society. ( CRC NSW, 2006; Colic-Peisker and Tilbury 2007; Guerins, 2007; Henry-Waring, 2008; Refugee Council of Australia, 2008; Cook, Mitchell& Watts, 2008; AHRC, 2010). Then, the challenge for the social work practitioners is to answer the question: what is their shared perception and understanding of their cumulative disadvantages, deprivations and risk of exposure to such impediments?

5. 2. Research Objectives. Then, it is professionally appropriate and essential to intend: 1.To explore and document the nature, categories dimensions & patterns of social exclusion and vulnerability experienced by these groups of humanitarian entrants; 2. To develop understanding and promote research-based knowledge and insight into their current situations and settlement experiences for social work practice and policy making

6. 3. Research questions • Is there perceived and understandable social exclusion and vulnerability experienced by these groups of immigrants? • If so, what kind of social exclusion and vulnerability; what are its categories, dimensions and patterns and how are the dimensions interacting with each other? • How this social exclusion and vulnerability is linked with their settlement experiences?

7. 4. Design and methodology Epistemological & methodological Stance of the study • This study is informed by social constructivist perspective and grounded theory methods Sampling &Data Collection Methods • Using purposive sampling 4 local government areas from western Sydney; and 30 participants are selected • Data are collected from 30 participants using Focus groups and in-depth semi-structured interviews

8. 5. Findings 5.1 Humanitarian entrants from SSA are experiencing border crossing social exclusion and vulnerability that has two major categories: pre-settlement and post-resettlement.

9. 5.2 Post-resettlement category has three mutually interconnected and reinforcing dimensions and three major patterns: • Three dimensions: newly emerging, re-emerging and already existing; • Three key patterns housing, employment and education.

10. 5.3 This study also finds that when these three key dimensions of post-resettlement social exclusion and vulnerability occur concurrently they generate unsuccessful or dysfunctional settlement experience of these groups of immigrants

11. Figure showing the concurrent occurrence of the three dimensions and patterns Re-emerging social exclusion and vulnerability Educational pattern Newly emerging social exclusion and vulnerability Unsuccessful Settlement experiences Housing pattern Already existing social exclusion & vulnerability Employment pattern

12. 6. Recommendations 6.1 Conduct historically informed, theoretically sophisticated and empirically grounded research on their overall situations; 6.2 Design and offer social work education on migration, visible differences, social resilience, social exclusion and vulnerability; 6.2 Design and execute social inclusion and affirmative actions policy on their employment, education and housing;

13. Thank you Feedback and suggestions most welcome: tale5125@uni.sydney.edu.au