Towards Planning and Designing an African Migrant Wellbeing Framework in Australia
About
This project aims to explore and analyse the wellbeing of African migrants and develop a sustainable settlement and wellbeing framework in Australia. The objective is to gain a better understanding of the interconnectedness between African migrant settlement and wellbeing and their impact on migrant behaviour in Australia. This project seeks to:
- Examine the institutional, legislative, and policy frameworks governing the migration and resettlement of Africans in Australia.
- Explore the relationship between the reasons for migrating to Australia and the experiences of living in the country.
- Investigate the factors that restrict the participation of Africans in Australia and the impact on their wellbeing.
- Showcase the contributions and participations of Africans to Australian society.
This project is based on ethnography and entails comprehensive fieldwork, including case studies concentrating on metropolitan Melbourne and Regional Victoria. In particular, the fieldwork will be focused on the Local Government Areas of Brimbank, Casey, and Wyndham, which are home to African communities, as well as Shepperton and Geelong.
Outcomes
The primary academic outcomes of this project will be two journal articles and a monograph. Additionally, there will be practical outcomes such as a policy brief, a proposed migrant wellbeing framework, media briefs, and academic presentations, including conferences.
Impact
The number of people of African heritage living in Australia is increasing, and they are making valuable contributions to various aspects of Australian life. However, media coverage and political discourses still portray Africans as a problematic migrant group incapable of integrating into society. This misrepresentation overlooks the many Africans who are thriving and actively contributing to the socio-economic and political landscape of Australia. The insights from this project will generate new knowledge that highlights the contributions and active participation of Africans in Australia. This aligns with the ongoing Multicultural Framework Review conducted by the Australian government.