For migrants who are establishing a new life in Australia, technology is crucial

Anonymous September 09, 2021

How to make money online in Pakistan without investment for students.For migrants who are establishing a new life in Australia, technology is crucial



For migrants who are establishing a new life in Australia, technology is crucial. Women and children, on the other hand, do not have equal access.

As Afghan evacuees and refugees begin their new lives in Australia, their ability to navigate the internet world will become increasingly important. Our study, which was released today, shows how recently arriving immigrants use modern tools to start this new chapter.

Newcomers will also require some level of computer literacy in order to engage in QR code-based contact tracking, obtain COVID testing, schedule vaccination appointments, and confirm their vaccination status.

In our research, we found that recently arriving migrants have high rates of technology use and access, particularly for communication. However, there are also gaps in other elements of digital inclusion, particularly for women and children.

Refugees, digital inclusion, and settlement

With our greater reliance on technology as a result of the COVID-19 epidemic, digital access and skills are becoming increasingly crucial for refugees arriving in Australia.

Aside from COVID-related reasons, digital devices at home are now required for children to engage in school — as well as adults who wish to study English, pursue higher education, or seek employment possibilities.

Settlement Services International (SSI) and Western Sydney University academics are leading our newest study, Foundations for Belonging 2021. It's the second in a series about new immigrants' social and civic involvement in Australia, as well as their sense of belonging.

In a prior study done in late 2019, refugees reported using a lot of digital communication to keep in touch with friends, family, and community members both locally and internationally.

Simultaneously, migrants — particularly women — reported trouble with internet navigation as one of the most prevalent hurdles to obtaining vital services like MyGov and Medicare, along with language barriers.

For our most recent project, we convened focus groups with refugee women from various linguistic backgrounds in order to have a better understanding of their digital lives.

Our representative sample of 418 persons had been in Australia for an average of 24 months, with nearly half (49%) having come in 2018.

The nations from which they arrived mirrored Australia's humanitarian intake at the time, with Syria and Iraq dominating. The fourth most frequent nation of origin was Afghanistan.

We were able to compare replies depending on gender, age, and family composition since we had such a varied sample.

The usage of the internet and smartphones is widespread.

According to our research, 95% of recently arriving refugee households have internet connection at home. And 88 percent said they had enough data and used the internet at the same pace as the rest of the population.

There were no discernible variations depending on gender, family composition, or birth country.

The number of mobile phones or smartphones in refugee families was also greater than the national average. Other global studies has shown the value of mobile phones for refugees seeking and sharing information, as well as staying in touch with loved ones.

Women and children continue to face gaps.

Refugee households, on the other hand, were less likely than other households to own laptops, desktop computers, or digital tablets. In addition, homes with children under the age of 15 had fewer laptops or desktop computers (on average 1.1 devices) than those without children (1.6 devices on average).

This is concerning, given that these gadgets are frequently required for classroom education. It's also the polar opposite of the national trend, which shows that having children under the age of 15 is associated with having more computers and tablets on average.

Families of refugees frequently report having a restricted number of laptops, PCs, and tablets to manage. This makes learning difficult for both children and their parents.

In addition, we discovered a modest but persistent gender difference in digital abilities in our research. In all online activities, including banking, education, health care, and social services, women reported using the internet less than males.

They were more likely to have difficulty navigating digital modalities of support and online vital services (although younger women and those with children under 18 struggled less).

Women, on the other hand, were more likely than men to use digital communication to keep in touch with friends and family in Australia and abroad.

Enablers of digital transformation

In our focus groups, getting help with accessing and using technology was a common subject. Women talked of borrowing laptops or asking a friend to assist them fill out an online form, for example.

Younger refugee women frequently served as "digital facilitators," helping older relatives with digital responsibilities. Older women were also motivated to improve their digital abilities, indicating that formal and informal learning can help women achieve digital independence.

However, it is not the responsibility of refugees to close the digital divide. Our findings highlight the importance of greater digital inclusion in settlement policies and initiatives, with a specific focus on access to learning and educational equipment.

What's it like to visit Australia?

Australia is a peaceful, democratic, and multicultural country with beautiful scenery and a long history. We have a population of approximately 24 million people, with the majority of them living on the country's south and east coasts. Queensland is Australia's second-largest state, with a wide range of topography, climate, and landscape to offer.

Nearly half of all Australians were born overseas or have at least one parent who was born overseas, making Australia a culturally diverse culture. While English is the official language, nearly four million Australians speak a language other than English, with Mandarin, Arabic, Cantonese, and Vietnamese being the most frequent & Italian.

Freedom of religion, parliamentary democracy, gender equality, and compassion for those in need are all important principles in Australian society. Equal opportunity is highly valued in Australian society, regardless of colour, religion, or ethnic heritage.

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