PMID- 21121699
OWN - NLM
STAT- MEDLINE
DCOM- 20110314
LR  - 20131121
IS  - 1445-6354 (Electronic)
IS  - 1445-6354 (Linking)
VI  - 10
IP  - 4
DP  - 2010 Oct-Dec
TI  - Working with refugees--a manual for caseworkers and volunteers.
PG  - 1406
AB  - INTRODUCTION: The Australian Government encourages the regional settlement of 
      refugees and it is expected that 45% of refugees to Australia be regionally 
      located. Wagga Wagga, an inland regional city in New South Wales (NSW), a 
      destination for both primary and secondary migration, offers settlement for 
      refugees under the Australian Integrated Humanitarian Settlement Strategy (IHSS) 
      and the Settlement Grants Program. Refugees currently represent 1% of Wagga 
      Wagga's 60 000 population. For people previously living in cities or crowded 
      camps with a background of disruption, torture and trauma, relocation to rural 
      areas of Australia is confronting, and they require dedication and effort from 
      those supporting resettlement. Currently, caseworkers working for settlement 
      agencies do not have formal training. Volunteers are offered induction days and 
      information sessions but have training needs beyond this. METHODS: Two projects 
      were undertaken during 2007 and 2008. Refugee services in regional and rural NSW 
      and their efficacy were reviewed, exploring models of care in four NSW locations 
      and clarifying needs via a literature search. Training and resources available to 
      caseworkers and volunteers were also investigated. The objective was to design 
      and construct a basic manual addressing the needs of this workforce informed by a 
      literature search and consultation with key stakeholders in refugee resettlement. 
      Literature searches of electronic databases, relevant websites and journals 
      informed the questions for participants of focus groups and semi-structured 
      interviews. Additional data were obtained via self-report questionnaires from 
      caseworkers, volunteers and mainstream agencies. Information was also 
      disseminated to refugees, inviting community to participate in focus groups. 
      RESULTS: Our study supported others noting difficulties associated with the 
      settlement of refugees in regional Australia, and recommendations of improvements 
      were developed using the social determinants of health. The supporting workforce 
      encounters a multitude of issues when working with newly arrived refugees, 
      including language barriers, client expectations and challenges in developing 
      living skills. Workers reported that accessing refugees' information is 
      time-consuming, and that available resources are fragmented. Refugees expressed 
      frustration at being categorised but acknowledged the efforts of volunteers and 
      caseworkers. CONCLUSION: Findings and feedback from the literature review, focus 
      groups, consultations with resettlement stakeholders and interviews supported the 
      concept of developing a basic manual and conversation-starter flashcards. The 
      limitations of the developed manual are acknowledged, as is a need for agency 
      specific information on common topics for volunteers, caseworkers and clients, is 
      suggested. Volunteer and caseworker training should be expanded.
FAU - Duncan, Geraldine
AU  - Duncan G
AD  - University of New South Wales, Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia. 
      geraldine.duncan@bigpond.com
FAU - Shepherd, Madeleine
AU  - Shepherd M
FAU - Symons, Jessica
AU  - Symons J
LA  - eng
PT  - Journal Article
DEP - 20101122
PL  - Australia
TA  - Rural Remote Health
JT  - Rural and remote health
JID - 101174860
SB  - IM
MH  - Altruism
MH  - Community Health Services/methods
MH  - Focus Groups
MH  - Humans
MH  - Interprofessional Relations
MH  - Manuals as Topic
MH  - New South Wales
MH  - Program Development
MH  - *Refugees
MH  - Rural Population
MH  - Social Work/*education
MH  - Volunteers/*education
EDAT- 2010/12/03 06:00
MHDA- 2011/03/15 06:00
CRDT- 2010/12/03 06:00
PHST- 2010/12/03 06:00 [entrez]
PHST- 2010/12/03 06:00 [pubmed]
PHST- 2011/03/15 06:00 [medline]
AID - 1406 [pii]
PST - ppublish
SO  - Rural Remote Health. 2010 Oct-Dec;10(4):1406. Epub 2010 Nov 22.