Afra, S., 2008. Availability, Affordability, Accessibility: Housing Victoria’s New Migrant and Refugee Communities. Ethnic Communities Council of Victoria Policy Discussion Paper, 4, pp. 1-28.
The policy discussion paper seeks to establish the cause of housing shortage in Australia and NSW. Afra argues that although refugee population has increased tremendously in the past decades, it does not warrant that they experience unprecedented housing shortage in NSW.
He asserts other factors such as accessibility, affordability and availability contribute to housing shortage in NSW. Thus, the article recommends that NSW government should ensure that decent housing is accessible and affordable for refugees to live in human conditions like native communities.
Apout, M., 2003. Moving Refugees into Mainstream School. Refugee Council of Australia, pp. 1-11.
The article delineates obstacles that have prevented refugee students from performing well in their academic studies. Since refugee students have traumatic experiences that affect their psychological well-being, they have great difficulties in coping with new learning environment, curriculum and language. Hence, the article recommends that educational needs of refugee students should reflect their traumatic experiences.
The educational system should customize educational curriculum, language and psychological needs as means of enhancing their academic performance. Moreover, refugee students need special teachers who would enable them cope with social and psychological challenges.
Bannister, D., Blunden, H., & Forhmader, C., 2004. Report to the UN Special Rapporteur on Housing Women and the Rights to Adequate Housing in Australia. Coalition of Non-Government Workers Australia, pp.1-131.
The report collected comments and recommendations from the Australians to establish the nature of housing system in Australia. The report found out that Australians in NSW are complaining about housing shortage that has led to increased rent and mortgages.
NSW has a high housing stress, which has predisposed many refugees to live in deplorable conditions. Thus, the report shows that refugees are the most vulnerable group to housing shortage in NSW; hence, government needs alleviate their living conditions.
Craig, K., 1999. Strategic Directions in Refugee Health Care in NSW. New South Wales Health, pp. 1-29.
Due to influx of more refugees, Australian government realized that there is need to provide long-term health strategies that gather for unique needs of refugees. The article marks an important point in Australian government, as it is the first document that provides strategic framework for implementing refugee policies in NSW healthcare system.
The strategic framework aimed at ensuring that NSW healthcare system provides multilingual health information, assess refugees effectively, provides interpreters and enhances accessibility of their services to refugees. Minister for Health then, Craig Knowles asserts that strategic policy was helpful is delivering effective healthcare services to more than 4,000 refugees who originated from Kosovo.
Evans, S., & Gavarotto, R., 2010. Long Way Home? The Plight of African Refugees Obtaining Decent Housing in Western Sydney. Anglicare Social Policy and Research, pp.1-44.
The article asserts that refugees are the most vulnerable and excluded population in the society because of their conditions. Due to their vulnerability and social exclusion, refugees face challenge of accessing and affording decent and affordable housing.
The article suggests that refugees cannot access decent and affordable because they lack reliable sources of finance, shortage of housing and discrimination form native communities. Therefore, the article concludes that social issues that relate with cultural, ethnical and religious background determine accessibility and affordability of housing in NSW.
Naidoo, L., 2009. A Structuration Theory Analysis of the Refugee Action Support Program in Greater Western Sydney. Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 34(4), pp. 40-50.
The article utilizes Gidden’s structuration theory in assessing how refugee conditions affect academic performance of refugee students. By applying the theory, the study confirmed that refugee students had difficulties in transitioning from one class to another despite the fact that they received comprehensive education at their respective schools.
The study attributed traumatic experiences, literacy levels and new learning curriculum to poor academic performance of refugee students. Thus, the study suggests that program of Refugee Action Support is critical in empowering refugee students academically.
Naidoo, L., 2010. Engaging the Refugee Community of Greater Western Sydney. Issues in Educational Research, 20(1), pp. 47-56.
The articles explore how program of Refugee Action Support is effective in engaging both community and NSW Department of Education in empowering and enhancing academic performance of refugee students. The article suggests that refugee students need unique social and psychological assistance to enable them cope with traumatizing experiences of life.
Although traumatic experiences hinder effective academic performance of refugee students, the article further asserts that teachers also have trouble while teaching. Thus, educational programs need to focus on both the needs of students and teachers.
NSW Government. 2010. Housing NSW: Multicultural Framework 2009-2014. Human Services Housing, pp.1-7.
The NSW government has observed that cultural diversity is a problem that hinders effective integration of refugees into native communities and formulated multicultural framework of housing. Multicultural framework is an effective program of ensuring that housing accessibility and availability reflect cultural diversity of not only refugees but also native community.
The multicultural framework helps NSW government in identifying diverse needs of refugees and offering customized housing needs. Thus, the article asserts that multicultural framework is critical eliminating cultural barriers that affect accessibility to decent and affordable housing.
Sharon, B., 2009. Learning Support Programs: Education Reform Beyond the School. Brotherhood of St Brotherhood, pp. 1-35.
In the article, Sharon is outlining and describing programs that support learning. The article suggests that there are wide-ranging educational programs that are essential in elevating academic performance of refugee students.
Sharon argues community-based programs are effective in implementing educational programs that aid refugee students adapt new environments and coping with traumatic experiences that affect them. Specifically, the article advocates for learning support programs that customize to unique needs of refugee students, improve psychological and social skills and offer enrichment activities.
Stewart, G., 2011. Policy Directive: Refugee Health Plan 2011-2016. NSW Government, pp. 1-65.
The NSW Refugee Plan 2011-2016 is a comprehensive health plan that seeks to improve health status and welfare of refugees in Auburn, NSW. The plan aims at incorporating elements of culture and language into healthcare system to enhance accessibility and effective delivery of health services to refugees.
According to the chair of NSW Refugee Health Plan, Greg Stewart, the plan aims at ensuring that refugees receive safe, quality and accessible health care services via specific health centres that suit diverse needs of refugees in Auburn, NSW. To achieve its objectives by 2016, the health plan identifies eight strategic priorities that are feasible and measurable.
Taylor, J., & Stanovic, D., 2005. Refugee and Regional Settlement: Balancing Priorities. Brotherhood of St Laurence, pp.1-69.
The article explores how regional relocation of refugees may be helpful in resolving problem of housing in Auburn, NSW. Given cultural diversity of refugees and native, the article asserts that it is essential that social integration become a central objective in enhancing accessibility of housing.
Regional relocation without appropriate integration of diverse cultures would not be helpful since hostility of natives influence accessibility to decent and affordable housing. Hence, housing programs need to be inclusive in considering participation of both refugee and native communities.
Vanstone, A., 2005. Refugee and Humanitarian Issues. Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs, pp.1-52.
The article examines significant role that Australian government has played in ensuring that refugees receive humanitarian help in accordance with international recommendations.
However, the article notes that problem of housing is still posing significant challenge since refugees who live in Auburn, NSW are experiencing problem of housing shortage and poor living conditions. Vanstone argues that Australian government has noted housing shortage at NSW and is developing appropriate policies and programs that are going to ensure that refugees receive affordable and decent housing.
Reference List
Afra, S., 2008. Availability, Affordability, Accessibility: Housing Victoria’s New Migrant and Refugee Communities. Ethnic Communities Council of Victoria Policy Discussion Paper, 4, pp. 1-28.
Apout, M., 2003. Moving Refugees into Mainstream School. Refugee Council of Australia, pp. 1-11.
Bannister, D., Blunden, H., & Forhmader, C., 2004. Report to the UN Special Rapporteur on Housing Women and the Rights to Adequate Housing in Australia. Coalition of Non-Government Workers Australia, pp.1-131.
Craig, K., 1999. Strategic Directions in Refugee Health Care in NSW. New South Wales Health, pp. 1-29.
Evans, S., & Gavarotto, R., 2010. Long Way Home? The Plight of African Refugees Obtaining Decent Housing in Western Sydney. Anglicare Social Policy and Research, pp.1-44.
Naidoo, L., 2009. A Structuration Theory Analysis of the Refugee Action Support Program in Greater Western Sydney. Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 34(4), pp. 40-50.
Naidoo, L., 2010. Engaging the Refugee Community of Greater Western Sydney. Issues in Educational Research, 20(1), pp. 47-56.
NSW Government. 2010. Housing NSW: Multicultural Framework 2009-2014. Human Services Housing, pp. 1-7.
Sharon, B., 2009. Learning Support Programs: Education Reform Beyond the School. Brotherhood of St Brotherhood, pp. 1-35.
Stewart, G., 2011. Policy Directive: Refugee Health Plan 2011-2016. NSW Government, pp. 1-65.
Taylor, J., & Stanovic, D., 2005. Refugee and Regional Settlement: Balancing Priorities. Brotherhood of St Laurence, pp.1-69.
Vanstone, A., 2005. Refugee and Humanitarian Issues. Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs, pp.1-52.