“Settlement is a two-way process: it is not just something that refugees must do, but there is also a need for the wider community to make adaptations to accommodate the refugees. A 'spirit of hospitality', where refugees are made to feel welcomed into a community, underpins successful refugee settlement programs.” Refugee Council of Australia

What is Settlement

The act of resettlement or being granted asylum does not automatically mean that people will feel ‘settled’ once they arrive in Australia. It can take people some time to feel that they are secure and at peace. Refugees often need support to work through the loss and trauma they have experienced.

To be successfully settled means different things to different people. For some it is in the knowledge their families are now safe, that they or their children can have access to education, that they will be able to enjoy the same rights to which all people are entitled. Many have described it as a feeling of belonging, of having a place to build a future.

“To settle takes time, it doesn’t happen overnight.”