Facilitating the Transition to Employment for Refugee Young People

A data update and review of recent literature with a focus on ‘what works’?

Refugee young people and their families often demonstrate strong motivation and drive to pursue education, training and career goals (Gifford et al., 2009). It is therefore critical that the right level of support is available and that appropriate systems are in place to facilitate young people’s transition into Australia, to address their needs, and to help them work towards their goals and reach their full potential.

The purpose of this report is to guide the development of future employment programmes including those supported by philanthropy. Section One reviews the recent data and literature to take stock of the current experiences of refugee young people in education and in their transition from education to employment. Section Two looks at the programming context with the aim of drawing out key themes of ‘what works’ in assisting young people to navigate a pathway between education and employment.