Proposer Information Kit Contents

1. Overview: Integrated Humanitarian Settlement Strategy
2. Proposer responsibilities
3. Income support & banking
4. Housing
5. Health
6. Education
7. Employment
8. Proposer checklist
9. Quick contact list

1. Overview: Integrated Humanitarian Settlement Strategy

The Integrated Humanitarian Settlement Strategy (IHSS) is a national settlement program funded by the Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs (DIMA) to provide information and assistance to people from refugee and humanitarian backgrounds during their intial settlement period.

The IHSS program provides services to refugees (refugees are holders of sub-class 200, 203 and 204 visas) and to Special Humanitarian Program (SHP) entrants and their proposers (SHP entrants are holders of 202 visas).

The AMES Consortium

In Victoria there is a team of organisations working together to provide IHSS services to proposers and some direct services to entrants, as well as providing intensive settlement support to refugees.

AMES
The Adult Multicultural Education Service (AMES) is the lead partner of the IHSS Consortium and is responsible for the overall management of the program. AMES also provides case coordination, information and referral services to refugees and SHP entrants and their proposers.

Redback Services
Redback is responsible for airport reception and accommodation services for refugees. In some instances Redback provides accommodation services to SHP entrants.

Brotherhood of St. Laurence
The Brotherhood of St. Laurence is responsible for the basic household goods package that is provided to all refugee and SHP entrants.

Springvale Community Aid and Advice Bureau
The Bureau provides case coordination, information and referral services to refugees and SHP entrants in Melbourne’s south east region.

Foundation House
Foundation House has a team of trained health professionals who provide short-term counselling and advocacy for individuals and families who have experienced torture or trauma.

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2. Proposer

Under the Special Humanitarian Program (SHP), a person or community organisation can assist another person or family who are living in a refugee-like situation overseas to come to Australia.

A proposer can be a relative, friend or an organisation that sponsors an individual or a family who has been forced to flee their home country because of war and exposure to persecution to resettle in Australia.

To become a proposer, you must agree to help the person or the family (entrant) to settle in Australia by providing practical and financial assistance.

Proposer Responsibilities

Financial assistance

Proposers are required to assist the entrant with airfare costs and to collect the entrant from the airport when they arrive. Proposers must also provide the entrant (and their family) with somewhere to live until they find their own accommodation, which includes providing meals and covering transport costs until the entrant has an income.

Practical assistance

• Help the entrant to arrange an income. This involves registering for a Tax File Number (TFN), opening a bank account and accompanying the entrant to Centrelink;
• Assist the entrant to find permanent accommodation and to arrange financial assistance for a bond and rent in-advance;
• Help connect utility services such as electricity and gas;
• Accompany the entrant to Medicare to apply for a Medicare card and to relevant health services (eg. doctor, dentist, refugee health nurse);
• Assist the entrant to register with employment services (eg Job Network);
• Help the entrant and their family to enrol in education and training services (eg AMEP, primary school);
• Show the entrant around their local area and explain the Victorian public transport system and road safety;
• Explain how to contact emergency services;
• Explain how to use translating and interpreting services;
• Introduce the entrant to support networks and local community services;
• Show the entrant Australian currency and how to make purchases

*Also refer to the checklist on page 8 of the Proposal Form 681.

If you have difficulty meeting any of these responsibilities as a proposer you can request assistance from your IHSS Case Coordinator. It is important to stay in contact with your Case Coordinator during the entrant’s settlement period - especially during the first few weeks.

Case Co-ordination

SHP entrants are assigned their own Case Coordinator. The Case Coordinator is there to answer any questions you may have and to support you and the entrant during their intial settlement period. 

Before the entrant arrives

Your Case Coordinator will invite you to meet with them before the entrant arrives to discuss the settlement process and your responsibilities as a proposer. They will ask you a series of questions to check how confident you feel about carrying out your responsibilities and discuss how they can assist you. 

On arrival

It is important to contact your Case Coordinator as soon as possible after the entrant arrives so that they can arrange a time to meet with you and the entrant. They will explain how the IHSS program operates in Victoria and how each of the Consortium partners can assist. The purpose of this meeting is to see whether the entrant has any urgent matters that need immediate attention (such as health concerns) and make arrangements for the first few weeks of the settlement period, for example, registering for a tax file number and opening a bank account. 
Your Case Coordinator will arrange to meet with the entrant for a second time during the first couple of weeks. They will generally visit the entrant at the place where they are staying, although this is not always possible. The purpose of the second meeting is to discuss what has been completed since the first meeting and check whether there are any outstanding issues that need to be resolved. The Case Coordinator will also take more time explaining the settlement process and the services that are available to assist and support new entrants (such as Foundation House).

It is very important to contact your Case Coordinator if you would like more information or experience any problems in your role as a proposer. It is better to ask for assistance early in order to prevent problems from occurring or becoming worse.

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3. Income support & banking

All humanitarian entrants are entitled to receive an income through Centrelink. In order for Centrelink to make payments, it will be necessary to help entrants open a bank account and to apply for a Tax File Number.

Steps to take:

1. A week before an entrant arrives, approach the nearest Centrelink office with details of the entrants (names, dates of birth and the initial address) and request an appointment for a time shortly after their arrival date;
2. Please remember to confirm their arrival with Centrelink either on the day of arrival if possible or the very next day. Payments will only start from the day of this confirmation;
3. As soon as possible after arrival, help the entrant open a bank account and take the account details to their Centrelink appointment;
4. Everyone who receives an income in Australia are required to have a TFN. You can assist the entrant to apply for a Tax File Number (TFN) online from the Australian Taxation office website or by contacting the Coordinator for assistance help. The TFN must be provided to Centrelink within four weeks;
5. At the actual appointment, make sure that everyone who is applying for payments is present and ensure that they have brought their travel document and bank account details;
6. At the appointment request that an interim Health Care Card be issued to the entrant to ensure that they have access to cheaper medications and a range of other benefits (such as reduced prices on public transport and a discount on electricity bills);
7. Centrelink will ask the entrant to provide them with additional identification (ID) after the appointment. The entrant must provide this within the first four weeks. Entrants could provide a bank keycard and a medicare card, in addition to their travel document, to meet this requirement. Young people who have applied for Youth Allowance will also need to provide a letter from their school confirming their enrolment;
8. When the entrant has found their own accommodation they should take the tenancy agreement to Centrelink to advise of their change of address and also to arrange payments for rent assistance.

Centrelink Rights and Responsibilities

Refugees and humanitarian entrants receiving an income from Centrelink have rights and responsibilities. It is important that the entrant understands the difference between the different types of payments (eg Newstart Allowance, Parenting Payment, Family Tax Benefit, Rent Assistance) and is aware of their reporting obligations to ensure that they receive the correct income and do not experience any difficulties. As a proposer you should make sure that the entrant understands the following basic matters:

• Always attend appointments set by Centrelink;
• Always respond to letters they may receive from Centrelink;
• Always advise Centrelink of any change in circumstances, including a change of address or commencement of employment;
• New arrivals receiving Newstart Allowance do not have to look for work during their first 13 weeks in Victoria. This is to allow time to for initial settlement.
• Centrelink decisions can be reviewed if the customer (in this case the entrant) does not agree with the decision. There are appeal processes, but seek advice as to whether there is a realistic chance of success by contacting the Welfare Rights Unit.

Health Care Cards / Pension Cards

These cards, also known by many as Concession Cards, offer a range of benefits, including:

• Discounted public transport tickets;
• Low-cost prescription medicine;
• Reduction in winter utility bills and all year round water bills;
• Reduced price for vehicle registrations.

The cards also provide access to:

• Public dental services;
• Low-cost prescription glasses (through the Victorian College of Optometry);
• In some cases, ensures access to bulk-billing GP services;
• Free ambulance travel

Banking

Entrants will need information about the banking system in Australia and of how to access their money that has been banked. You can explain to entrants that people in Australia generally keep their money in a bank and use automatic teller machines (ATMs) and eftpos machines to withdraw their money. As a proposer you are required to accompany the entrant to a bank to open an account and show them how to use bank services, including using an ATM. The entrant will need to take photo identification with them to open the account (ie. travel document). It is important to explain that their account may incur service fees and that using an ATM operated by another bank costs more than to use an ATM operated by their own bank.

For entrants to receive an income from Centrelink, they must have a bank account. Explain to the entrant that their Centrelink payments are electronically transferred to their account on a fixed day every fortnight.

Cost of Living and Budgeting

Discuss with new entrants the importance of budgeting and setting aside money for monthly rental payments and meeting the cost of bills.

Explain that there are payment options available to pay utility bills (eg easy-way) that can help to make budgeting much easier.

Take entrants to local food markets and discount clothing stores as these offer decent products at a reasonable price. Explain the concept of second-hand goods and that is culturally acceptable in Australia to seek out cheap but quality second-hand goods, including clothing. It is also important to discuss the high costs of driving a car, using a mobile phone and leaving the heater going constantly in the home.

Emergency Relief / Material Aid

There are agencies that can assist entrants with vouchers if there is no money left to purchase food, medicine or clothing or cover transport costs. These agencies can also assist in negotiating arrangements for the payment of bills.

Contact your IHSS Case Coordinator if you need assistance referring the entrant to a service providing emergency relief.

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4. Housing

The housing market in Victoria can be divided into three main types of housing:

1. Home ownership/purchase (68% of the Victorian population)
2. Private rental (25% of the Victorian population)
3. Public housing (5% of the Victorian population)

The remaining 2% is a mixture of community housing, housing co-operatives, temporary/emergency housing, caravan parks and rooming houses.

Most new entrants will need to seek out medium to long term housing in the private rental market. In most cases, public housing is not an option – waiting times in general are very long and access to early or priority housing is restricted to cases where severe hardship can be demonstrated (refugee status alone is not considered severe hardship).

How to Apply for Private Rental Housing

Private rental properties are rented through private landlords or real estate agents acting on behalf of the landlord. Advertisements for rental properties can be found in newspapers, on real estate websites and by collecting a rental list from a real estate agency.

When looking at property advertisements with the entrant there are a number of important factors to consider:

• Cost (try to keep rent within 30-35% of income)
• Property size (number of bedrooms required)
• Location (is the property close to shops, schools, services and public transport?)

A refundable deposit of $50 is generally required by agents in order to loan the house keys to view the property. To look at a property you (or the entrant) will generally be required to pay a $50 key deposit and provide photo identification. Encourage the entrant to ask for a receipt as the $50 must be refunded in full. Some agents may insist on making an appointment to view the property.

Inspect the property carefully and assess the following:

• General cleanliness and condition
• Are the appliances gas or electric? (Gas is cheaper than electricity)
• Is there heating?
• Is the hot water system large enough for the household?
• Are the windows able to be secured?
• Are the doors leading to the outside solid and do the locks work?
• Is there a phone line and socket? (Also check whether the phone has been connected recently as it can be expensive to reconnect the phoneline)

On returning the keys, if the entrant is happy with the property, ask to complete an application form and attach an updated income statement. In Victoria there is a shortage of affordable rental properties in Victoria and a lack of housing that is appropriate for many refugee and SHP entrant families (for example, those with large families). There is often a high level of competition for low-cost properties (it is not uncommon for there to be over 10 applications for a property), which can make it very difficult for new entrants to secure a property.

When making an application, the entrant may be required to answer questions about their income, bank details, previous rental history and employment. One or two references are also generally requested.

Your Case Coordinator can be contacted for a reference. The entrant may also be able to request a reference from a representative at their church, school or community group. 

Under equal opportunity law it is discriminatory for the real estate agent or landlord to ask the entrant questions relating to characteristics such as race, religious or political beliefs, disability or marital status. The entrant can contact the Equal Opportunity Commission if they believe they have been discriminated against.

It often takes a number of days for the real estate agent or landlord to reach a decision about the application. If the entrant has not heard a response, you or the entrant can contact the agent or landlord to check whether a decision has been made. If their application is approved, they will generally be required to pay a bond (or security deposit) equivalent to one month’s rent, and the first month’s rent in advance.

Encourage the entrant to request an updated income statement from Centrelink before starting to search for a property. This will save time when they decide to lodge an application.

Bond Assistance

A bond loan is an interest-free loan that is available through the Office of Housing to cover the cost of the bond. The loan must be repaid at the end of the tenancy.

To apply for a bond loan the entrant’s application to rent a particular property must have been approved. To assist the entrant, take them to your nearest Office of Housing office and complete a Bond Loan Application Form. They will need to provide the following documents when they apply:

• Letter from agent stating that they will rent the property to them
• Recent income statement from Centrelink
• Bank statement (a slip from an ATM is acceptable)
• Copy of Health Care Card
• Photo ID (travel document)

The application can take up to 3 working days to be processed. When a loan is approved a cheque is drawn up and ‘made payable’ to the Residential Bond Authority. The entrant will need to take this cheque to the agent unless the Office of Housing has been advised to send it directly to the real estate agent.

Rent in Advance

There is also financial assistance available to help towards the first month’s rent in-advance. At the same time as applying for a Bond Loan, approach the nearest Transitional Housing Management (THM) service to make an appointment. THM’s usually cannot pay the whole month, but may help with some of the required amount. The entrant will need to provide the same details and documents as for they provided for the bond loan – it is a good idea to photocopy the documents before providing them to the Office of Housing. 

Keep your Case Co-ordinator informed so that they can prepare a referral for Household Goods Assistance. It can take up to 10 business days for furniture to be delivered, although in general it takes about 5 days.

Starting a tenancy

The lease

At the start of the tenancy the entrant will generally be required to sign a residential tenancy agreement (commonly referred to as the ‘lease’).

The lease is a legally binding contract - it is very important that the entrant understands all of the terms and conditions before they sign. Seek assistance from your Case Coordinator or a tenancy advice service if the entrant is unsure about any of the details.

The lease is generally for a 12-month period (known as a fixed term lease), however the entrant is entitled to negotiate a different lease period with the agent or landlord. Fixed term agreements can offer more security than a periodic lease (which generally runs month to month), however it can be expensive to end the fixed term agreement early.

Bond Lodgement Form & Condition Report

The bond amount generally should not exceed the monthly rent amount. Make sure that the entrant completes a Bond Lodgement Form to ensure that their bond money is forwarded to the Residential Tenancies Bond Authority (RTBA) and encourage them to keep a copy of the form for their records.

If the entrant has paid a bond they must be provided with 2 copies of the condition report. The condition report is a record of the condition of the property (inside and out) when they moved in. It is very important that the entrant completes their section of the report and returns one copy to the agent or landlord and keeps the other copy for their records. The condition report can be used as evidence to ensure they cannot be blamed for any damage to the property that was already there when they moved in.

Rent Assistance

Ongoing assistance to pay the rent is also available through Centrelink. To arrange payments for rent assistance the entrant should take their tenancy agreement to Centrelink which shows the amount of rent they will be paying. The amount of rent assistance received depends on the entrant’s personal circumstances, for example the number of dependent children they have, and/or whether they are single or have a partner. Rent assistance will be paid with their regular Centrelink payments.
It is a good idea to also check whether the real estate agent is registered with Centrepay - a free, direct bill paying service offered by Centrelink.

Public Housing

Public housing is housing that is provided by the Victorian government for people on low incomes and with special needs. In Victoria there is not enough public housing to meet the demand, which means that waiting times can be very long (depending on the area or type of property applied for, and the waiting list that the application is lodged under, the wait can be several years – in some cases, over 10 years).

It is a good idea to discuss public housing with new entrants and establish whether they would like to lodge an application and be placed on a waiting list. Application forms are available at from the Office of Housing.

To find the nearest Office of Housing office, look in the White Pages Business & Government Directory section under Human Services / Housing Services Division.

It is important seek advice and assistance as there are four different waiting lists that the entrant could apply for. Depending on the entrant’s circumstances they may be eligible to lodge an application for more than one of the waiting lists (for example, where families arrive and some members have a serious and debilitating illness, or have a physical disability which limits their mobility). Applicants would need to demonstrate that they are in extreme housing-related hardship and require special consideration to be placed on a list for early housing (for example, they would need to provide evidence of homelessness, disability or urgent health needs). It is necessary to explain to entrants applying for early housing that the wait for housing can still be a number of years.

Tenancy Rights & Responsibilities

In Victoria, all tenants have rights and responsibilities that are clearly defined by law.

Basic tenant responsibilities include paying rent on time, looking after the property and keeping it clean, not causing any disturbances to neighbours and reporting any damage to the agent. Agents and landlords also have responsibilities, which they must uphold. For example, they must respect a tenant’s right to privacy (which means they cannot drop in without reason or without prior notice) and maintain the property (they must respond to requests to undertake repairs to the property, eg. faulty heating or hot water, or a leaking roof).

If at any stage during the tenancy the entrant has a problem with their landlord that cannot be resolved, they can apply to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT). The Tribunal is not a court, but is able to make decisions that are legally enforceable.

Household safety & maintaining the property

As a proposer you need to ensure that the entrant is able to successfully meet their responsibilities as tenants in Australia and that they are aware of household health and safety issues. It is important to discuss the following with the entrant:

• House cleaning;
• Health and hygiene;
• Household safety, including hot water and electrical/gas appliances and outlets;
• Household security;
• General maintenance;
• Basic care and use of appliances;
• Public health and safety issues;
• Tenancy agreements; and
  Vacating inspection list.

If you are not sure of any of the above information, please ask your Case Coordinator who will be happy to assist you.

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5. Health

Many new humanitarian entrants arrive with serious and debilitating health problems. Many have lived for years in refugee camps with poor sanitation and few treatment facilities. Those who have come as urban refugees have had to survive with few resources in unstable and relatively expensive urban areas. The little money refugees have is used to pay for accommodation and buy food and is not spent on health care.

Poor health acts as a major barrier to successful settlement. It is highly recommended that new entrants undertake a health assessment after they arrive.

Some entrants may have access to the services of a Refugee Health Nurse for a health assessment. In particular, entrants with the following backgrounds can access this service:

• More than five years in a refugee camp
• Sole parent families
• Families where a member has a health undertaking
• Families where there is an unaccompanied humanitarian minor present
• Families with a large number of children

It is strongly suggested that entrants see a doctor (GP) for a health assessment if they do not meet the above criteria to see the Refugee Health Nurse. Your Case Cooordinator can assist you to find a GP with previous experience in providing medical services to refugees.

As well as general physical health, dental health is an important consideration. Children attending school up to Year 8 should be referred to the School Dental Program and adults can be placed on the general list for dental health through the public dental clinic at the community health centre. Emergency dental treatment can be arranged where an entrant is experiencing dental pain.

Medicare

Most doctors who see refugees will ‘bulk bill’ for their services through Medicare. This means that the entrant does not need to pay any money to the doctor.

Medicare also covers the cost of surgery and post-operative care in a public hospital and for an eye examination by an optometrist. In most cases however, Medicare does not cover the full cost of seeing a specialist. A specialist will mail an account to a patient’s address after the consultation. The account can be forwarded to Medicare who will return a cheque for approximately 85% of the fee. The patient then needs to make up the difference between the medicare cheque and the specialist’s fee.

To register with Medicare the entrant will generally have to wait for 10 working days after they have arrived before their application will be processed. After 10 days you will need to accompany the entrant to your local Medicare office and ensure that they have all of their identification with them, such as their passport and travel document. Their number will be provided to them before they leave and they will receive their card in the mail a few weeks later.

If the entrant requires urgent medical attention, contact your Case Coordinator immediately.
NOTE: The entrant does not have to be registered with Medicare to receive treatment at a hospital.

Prescription Medicine

In Australia, there are medicines that can only be purchased with a prescription issued by a doctor. For example, if you have an infection you cannot go to a chemist and ask for a course of antibiotics (which is the case in many countries). You must first go to a doctor for a medical examination and if the doctor thinks it necessary they will prescribe you antibiotics.

The cost of many prescription medicines is capped at an affordable amount for those holding a Health Care Card or Pension Card. Sometimes refugees require medicines that are not capped and are expensive to purchase.

If the entrant cannot afford their prescribed medicine, contact your Case Coordinator about seeking financial assistance.

General Practitioners (GP’s) and specialists

It’s useful to describe the relationship between General Practitioners (GP’s) and specialists to entrants and explain that in order to see a specialist they must have a referral from a GP.

GPs have a broad understanding of medicine. Where a case is particularly complex, they may need to make a referral to a specialist.

Maternal and Child Health Nurses

Throughout Melbourne there are Maternal and Child Health Centres which provide health assessments and practical nursing advice to parents with pre-school age children. Services generally include health screenings, immunisation programs, parenting groups, feeding advice and outreach support to families with high needs. These services are usually free and can be accessed by contacting your local centre directly or through a referral by your Case Coordinator.

Vaccinations

It is very important for parents to ensure their children are fully vaccinated against all childhood diseases. In fact, children will not be allowed to start at school or go to childcare centres without first showing proof that they have been vaccinated or are undergoing a course of immunisation.

Many local councils provide a free immunisation service during daytime and in the evenings. GP’s can also vaccinate children. Many families arrive and their children have been vaccinated, however they have no proof of this. Unfortunately, the child will have to undergo a new course of immunisation in order to prove to the school that they have been immunised.

Foundation House

Foundation House provides personal support to many newly arriving refugees and Special Humanitarian Program entrants through short term counselling with individuals, families and groups.

It has been recognised that the trauma caused by war, violence, loss of family and sometimes many years of living as a refugee in another country under uncertain and dangerous circumstances can have a severe impact on a new arrival’s settlement prospects. These are not normal circumstances for any human being and often the adjustment to a life in a new country, which even under the best conditions can be difficult, can be almost as traumatic as the experiences they have fled from.

The personal support provided by Foundation House provides opportunities for new entrants to reflect on their past experiences and to make the adjustment to their new life through their initial settlement.

Health Undertakings and pre-departure health screenings

It is a requirement that all visa applicants undergo medical checks as part of normal visa processing outside of Australia. Sometimes these checks identify a problem that must be followed up after the refugee arrives in Australia. A common example of this may be where tests indicate a visa applicant has had past contact with tuberculosis (TB), although does not have active TB. In this instance, the applicant will be required to sign a Health Undertaking, which means that they agree to make contact with the Health Undertaking Service within 4 weeks of their arrival in Australia and to attend any medical appointment that may be set.

Some SHP entrants may be required to undergo a health screening within 3 days of their departure for Australia. The purpose of this screening is to check that people are medically fit to travel, and to identify any potentially serious health issues that will need to be followed up urgently on arrival in Australia.

Any health issue identified in this screening will NOT result in visa cancellation although it may delay departure whilst treatment is administered.

Pre-departure health screenings

Currently only refugees and SHP entrants travelling from Africa are required to undergo pre-departure health screenings, but they will eventually they will be required in all other major departure points, including Pakistan, Iran, Amman, Beirut, Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur.

Any overseas medical documents/reports should be given to an entrant’s GP at their first medical check-up after arrival in Australia.

Unaccompanied Humanitarian Minors (UHMs)

An Unaccompanied Humanitarian Minor (UHM) is a young refugee/SHP entrant who is under-18 years of age who is entering Australia without a parent and who has no parents in Australia.

There are two types of UHMs – wards and non-wards.

A ward is a young person who is in Australia without parents and not in the care of a near relative, but is being cared for a by a distant relative or a step-parent or step-sibling.

A non-ward is a young person who is in Australia without parents and is being cared for by a close relative.

The difference between wards and non-wards is important as there is much more support provided for wards.

In Victoria there are a range of services that are provided for UHMs and their carers through the Refugee Minor Program (RMP), which is provided by the Department of Human Services.

Where there is some uncertainty about the relationship between the young person and their caregiver, it may be necessary for an officer from DIMA and a RMP social worker to visit the UHM and their carer to clarify the care arrangements.
 
The RMP has a responsibility towards the young person until they turn 18 years of age. Workers from the RMP may visit families from time to time and offer general support and referral as needed. It is important to understand that although RMP workers will try to assist the whole family involved in caring for the young person, they are ultimately responsible for the care and protection of the young person. Under extreme circumstances it may be in the interests of the child to remove a child from their caregiver and make alternative arrangements for their care.

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6. Education

The entrant’s age, English ability and level of education attained will be major factors determining the education program or institution that the entrant will need to be enrolled in. Some families may need assistance enrolling in English language programs for every family member whereas others may require guidance with how to enrol in local primary schools, TAFE or university.

English language classes

Refugees and SHP entrants are eligible for 510 hours of free English language tuition through the Adult Migration English Program (AMEP). The program is provided by the Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs (DIMA) to help newly-arrived refugees and migrants to settle in Australia.

There are a number of ways that the entrant can choose to learn English through the AMEP. The most popular is face-to-face tuition in a classroom. Students can choose to study full time or part time and have the option of attending classes during the day or in the evening. Students with pre-school age children are able to access free childcare while they attend classes.

Students of AMEP also have the choice of studying English through the Distance Learning Program, which offers students the option of studying from home with the support of a teacher via the telephone, email, mail and face-to-face visits.

The Volunteer Tutor Program is another program that enables students of AMEP to study from home. The student is assigned a trained volunteer who will meet them at their home for one or more hours a week to practice English and provide practical support.

It is important to explain to the entrant/s that prospective students of the AMEP are required to register within the first three months of arriving in Victoria and start their tuition within one year.

Local schools, TAFE & university

For family members who do not require intensive English classes, contact local schools directly to enquire about their enrolment procedure.

You can find a listing of local schools by searching in the White Pages under “schools”.

It is worth checking whether the school or institution offers English language support for their students

TAFEs and universities can also be contacted directly for course information and enrolment enquires, however applications are generally processed via the Victorian Tertiary Admissions Centre www.vtac.edu.au

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7. Employment

Finding suitable employment can increase the entrant’s income and help them to feel more connected to the wider Australian community. Although applying for a job in a new country can be challenging there are services available to assist the entrant to find work.

Employment services

The Job Network is made up of range of private and community organisations that provide advice and assistance for people seeking employment. Job Network services include helping the entrant to develop a resume and information about how and where to search for employment advertisements. Job Network services can also help some entrants gain access to training to improve their chances of finding work and will try to match the entrant with jobs that are advertised on an employment website (www.jobsearch.gov.au). Access to computers, newspapers and telephones to assist with the job search process is also provided.

Entrants registered with Centrelink and a Job Network provider who would benefit from additional English tuition to assist with finding a job may be eligible for the Language, Literacy and Numeracy Program (LLNP).  

Depending on the type of Centrelink payment that the entrant is on, the entrant may or may not be automatically registered with the Job Network. The entrant can register for Job Network services through Centrelink who will provide them with a Job Seeker ID number and a Job Network card.The entrant can then choose which Job Network provider they would like to register with .

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8. Proposer checklist

What to do before the entrant arrives

• Contact IHSS Case Coordinator.
• Arrange for an immediate health assessment if there is an entrant who is unwell.

What to do as soon as the entrant arrives

• Notify Case Coordinator of entrant’s arrival. The Case Coordinator will arrange a time to meet with you and the entrant/s.
• Accompany the entrant to Centrelink to claim for payments (Centrelink payments are not backdated). It is very important to advise Centrelink that the entrant/s have arrived to ensure that they are able to claim income support from their day of arrival.
• Explain to the entrant how to contact emergency services by dialling 000.

What to during the first few days

• Register for a Tax File Number (TFN).
• Open bank account and explain banking process in Australia.
• Register for a Medicare card (application can be lodged 10 days after arrival).
  
• What to do during the first few weeks
  Make an appointment for the entrant/s to see a local doctor for a health screening. Speak to your Case Coordinator about local doctors who offer specialist services for new arrivals.
• Explain the public transport system and show the entrant around the local area.
• Help the entrant to find long-term accommodation and assist them to secure financial assistance through the Bond Loan Scheme, the Housing Establishment Fund (HEF) and Commonwealth Rent Assistance.
  • Contact your Case Coordinator as soon as housing has been secured to arrange for a Household Goods Assistance package.
  • Help the entrant/s to connect services such as the water, electricity and phone.
• Assist the entrant/s to enrol in English language classes through the AMEP.
• Assist family members to enrol in school, TAFE or university as necessary
• Check that the entrant is registered with a Job Network service.
• Take the entrant to VicRoads to get an Australian driver’s licence if necessary.
• Introduce the entrant/s to local community groups and networks.

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