Social connections
Service providers can encourage participants to explore social connections by sharing information about:
- how social connections link newcomers to opportunities across other domains like employment, housing, language and belonging
- promoting the feeling that participants’ position in the country and community are stable and permanent and
- identifying community issues and services as they relate to participants’ interests and capabilities.
Service providers can help support participants with social connections using services including:
- helping new arrivals make social connections
- giving youth and older migrants access to positive peer networks
- help to develop bridging links with inter-ethnic networks and bonding through intra‑ethnic networks
- sports, cultural, or employment preparation group activities for young people from similar backgrounds
- group activities for those from different backgrounds
- consulting with communities and helping them to develop plans to address their needs
- educating children about their cultural heritage
- establishing cultural centres
- access local community activities and organisations like sporting, social clubs, school parent associations or volunteering.
- referral to support groups to decrease social isolation and increase interaction with other communities
- referral to cultural/historical excursions, multicultural cooking groups and men’s sheds and
- mentoring and training to community leaders or ethno-specific organisations.
