Creating sustainable support networks for newcomers

The Newcomers Network has just released the third edition of their free Newcomers Kit, in time to help communities connect over the holiday season.

As the end of the year and Christmas approaches, it is time to review the past year and make plans for the coming year.  Communities across Australia may be starting to think about how they can develop better networks for new arrivals and increase the overall capacity of their local community.

With the advent of various technologies, it is now easier than ever to help people connect.  In capital cities like Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane, the population is large enough to create interest groups of all types that can connect through websites like Meetup.com, Facebook and LinkedIn.  

But there is still a significant need for local communities to provide direct information and support for newcomers, particularly in regional areas. 

A combination of online and face to face strategies can help people connect with existing resources and become more effective citizens much sooner.

Like any challenge in life, a strategy is better than an emotional reaction.

Coordinating efforts at the community level to enable a variety of groups to co-exist and promote one another ensures that a combination of different events and groups can be created and sustained giving newcomers more choice and reducing the demands of time and energy on smaller niche groups. These various welcoming environments encourage new arrivals to become integrated into the Australian way of life by learning more about the Australian lifestyle and the rights and responsibilities of each citizen.

Australia has a proud tradition of supporting the underdog and giving people who are prepared to have a go, a chance of success. This ‘can do’ attitude is what makes Australia great. Empowering individuals and groups to create, run and then pass on the management of their group to future generations ensures that the opportunity to welcome newcomers can be sustainable.

Funding Local Newcomer Coordinators at the local council level is an excellent way to move forward (for an example, see Bendigo Newcommers which has been supported by the City of Greater Bendigo for three years).

A welcoming environment encourages community participation as new arrivals learn what else is available in the local area.  Australians expect new arrivals to mix with everyone, not just people from the same background.  Newcomers settle best when they have a combination of friends, from their home location and from other locations. They need to learn, through cultural training, the Australian way of life.

Although so much information is available online and we now have the ability to contact people anywhere in the world relatively cheaply and easily via email, instant messaging,  phone cards etc, it does not make up for human contact with people who are living close to where we live. 

Collecting contacts of all ages and backgrounds helps create a safe local environment where people feel connected. It will never replace the relationship we have with friends and family living elsewhere, but it can help us enjoy life wherever we are living now.

The Third Edition of the Newcomers Kit that we have just published includes extra information about online resources and the changing nature of event styles that are now more attractive to new arrivals (information based, not just social).  We have also updated several other sections with new findings and knowledge that we have collected since the first publication in 2004. Further tips and suggestions are always welcome. This free Newcomers Kit has been downloaded worldwide for more than six years. 

Download the latest Newcomers Kit 300KB Third Edition for free online here >>

Sue Ellson BBus AIMM MAHRI is the Founder and Director of Newcomers Network, a socially responsible business providing information, events and advocacy for newcomers and networkers. With representatives in Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide, Brisbane, Perth, Dublin and London, Newcomers Network helps people live, work and network in their new location. Sue is also the Convenor of the International Human Resources Network Victoria for the Australian Human Resources Institute  and a regular feature writer for various publications. Connect directly to Sue via LinkedIn.