On Tuesday, 13 February 2018 the Mayor of Launceston, Alderman Albert van Zetten, will launch an innovative community-based program to secure safe and fair employment for recent arrivals for a refugee background now living in Launceston. The launch will be held at the Northern Integrated Care Service (NICS) building, Franklin Street, Launceston and the event will commence at 5:30 pm and last for approximately one hour.
This program will be known as Refugee Employment Pathways.
In this first instance, Refugee Employment Pathways will focus on the development of appropriate employment pathways for 45 Afghan Hazara men who have expressed a strong interest in participating in this program and who want to secure long-term employment in the region. Most of these men come for a rural background and many of them would like to work on the land.
Refugee Employment Pathways has been launched because TTO’s research indicates that existing employment programs have not been able to connect these Hazara men with the needs of regional employers. Up to now, most employment opportunities provide part-time seasonal work, which is insufficient to provide sustainable economic integration for the Hazara community.
This program will assess the participant’s skills and aspirations for long-term employment and identify the training needed to help the participants to become job-ready. It will also identify the types of employment and employers that need to be targeted for further research.
The second step will be to develop partnerships with employers in the region who would be willing to explore long-term employment solutions and who would support and encourage the social and economic integration of Hazara families in this region.
Refugee Employment Pathways is a low-key, intentional, focused, non-political program. It depends on local volunteers and it will support relevant existing settlement and employment programs wherever possible.
Invitations for the launch of Refugee Employment Pathways have been sent to all local members of parliament, regional councillors, industry representatives, refugee settlement service providers, and employment service providers. Members of TTO and leaders from the Afghan Hazara community in Launceston will also be in attendance.
Jeff McKinnon, President, The Tasmania Opportunity:
M: 0403 310 501
E: Refugee.Employment.Pathways@gmail.com