SUMMARY
Mapping the Refugee Settlement Projects of the Australian Churches. This is a project of the Yarra Institute for Religion and Social Policy, with advice from Prof. Sandy Gifford, Director of the Refugee Health Research Centre, La Trobe University.
For the
National Directory of Refugee and Asylum Seeker Support Services of the Australian Churches, click
HERE.
Research Objectives: The churches have historically played a highly significant role in the settlement of refugees in Australia, not only in providing services and support, but in establishing networks of inclusion, community and integration. The study will help churches identify strengths, weaknesses and gaps in their work with refugees. The results will help inform responses from governments as well as churches in helping sometimes traumatised refugees settle into Australia.
Chief Investigators: Dr Bruce Duncan and Dr Rowan Ireland,
with Dr Kirsty Sanster as Research Assistant and Prof. Sandy Gifford as Project Advisor.
Time frame: the project began in early 2010 to produce a comprehensive directory of refugee resettlement programs of the Australian churches, leading to wider research partnerships and funding. The national directory was launched in June 2011.
Funding sources: An initial small grant came from the Melbourne College of Divinity.
FULLER DESCRIPTION
Mapping the Refugee Settlement Projects of the Australian Christian Churches.
Researcher:
Dr Kirsty Sangster.
Research Aims: - To produce a comprehensive list of refugee settlement projects of the Christian churches. We had been advised that no such mapping existed before this project.
- To assemble data on the location, years of operation, scope, target populations, mode of financing, and staffing of the projects.
- To prepare summaries of the mission statements of the projects and to compare and contrast them.
- To identify the extent of church involvement in refugee settlement.
Objectives:- To inform government agencies, and the general public (via media), about the scope of the support and settlement projects of the churches.
- To provide information to the churches that may be used to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of existing settlement projects, and suggest where the gaps are.
- To provide information that may assist the range of government and NGOs involved in settlement of refugees in the delivery of services.
Expected Outcomes
This study provides means for churches to review their work in refugee settlement, as well as providing a foundation for future research projects on the churches, faith, and issues in refugee settlement.
Dr Kirsty Sangster: research focus and refugees
Dr Kirsty Sangster’s primary area of research and expertise is in socio-legal studies and victimology. This interest has been focussed on the status of victims of human rights abuse and war crimes. This interest has taken her to the field as a researcher and advocate for refugees. It has also involved post-graduate study and research assistant work at the University of Oxford, where she completed a year of international human rights and refugee law and more general coursework on the socio-legal aspects of forced migration.