Emma Antonetti's fellowship explored how people with refugee and migrant backgrounds perceived volunteering and examined its impacts on settlement experiences.
There are 2.3 million (42.1% of) Victorians over 15 years of age who volunteer in Victoria contributing an estimated $58.1 billion in 2019 to the state economy and community. Volunteering is referred to as a signifier of strong civil societies, an indicator of social cohesion and contributor to democracy in Australia. Volunteering has been found to directly improve the health and wellbeing of people in overcoming isolation and, over time, is significantly related to well-being and self-reported health. There is increasing recognition and evidence to suggest that through volunteering, people gain employment-related and personal skills that enhance employability and/or support further education pathways.
The benefits of volunteering are evident and wide ranging. There is little exploration, however, of volunteering amongst people with migrant and refugee backgrounds and its influence on integration outcomes, particularly in the Australian context. In response, Emma Antonetti from Whittlesea Community Connections began working with Dr Karen Block from Melbourne School of Population Health on a Community Fellows Program project to explore how people with refugee and migrant backgrounds perceived volunteering and examine its impacts on settlement experiences. The project was designed to enable participants’ lived experiences to contribute to improved understanding of settlement journeys.
Key insights from the project, together with policy and practice implications, are outlined in the Volunteering and New Arrivals: A Social Cohesion Opportunity report.
Researchers
Emma Antonetti
Emma Antonetti
Community Fellow
Manager Equity & Impact, Whittlesea Community Connections
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