VICSEG Refugee Family Resource and Mentoring Program Evaluation
The Refugee Family Resource and Mentoring Program works with newly arrived Assyrian/Chaldean, Karen/Burmese and South Sudanese families with young children aged 0 to 5 years in the North & West Metropolitan Region of Melbourne. The program provides information about children and family services to families and direct support so that families may access these services. The Refugee Family Resource and Mentoring Program has a team of Refugee Family Resource workers who are available to:
- Provide information to parents and parenting groups about services for families with young children.
- Asist individual parents to access services by providing referrals and one on one support.
- Assist children and family services with cultural and strategic advise to make services culturally inclusive, responsive and accessible to refugee families. Support to services is available through professional development and training for staff and individual requests from service providers for advise and specific support.
LDC Group has been engaged to evaluate the program over the next two years. The evaluation includes extensive consultation with families, service providers and other stakeholders. The knowledge and experience of the VICSEG team, other organisations and the families participating in the project will assist to further develop the program in the future and may also assist other organisations with the development of their services. The opportunities for continuing the program into the future and supporting families in the best possible way are important considerations of the evaluation. A review of relevant national and international literature will also inform the evaluation of the program.