Humanitarian Settlement
Services
Regional Profile #2
Northern Tasmania
HSS Regional Profile #2 Northern Tasmania
Contents
About Northern Tasmania
Service provider
4
Accommodation
4
Education
3
5
Health services 7
Employment opportunities
7
A welcoming community
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DSS wishes to express its thanks to the Migrant Resource Centre (Northern Tasmania) for compiling
this material.
While every care has been taken, DSS makes no guarantees that the information provided is up to
date.
For further information on the Humanitarian Settlement Services program see: Humanitarian
Settlement Services (HSS)
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HSS Regional Profile #2 Northern Tasmania
About Northern Tasmania
Tasmania is an island and a state, 240 km south of mainland Australia and separated by Bass Strait.
Northern Tasmania comprises about a third of the state and has an estimated population of about
140 000. The city of Launceston is the largest centre on the north coast and is one of Australia’s
oldest cities. Tasmania has a cool, temperate climate and four distinct seasons. Annual rainfall in
Launceston is 665 mm, most of which falls in winter.
Tasmania has welcomed many refugees and there are communities from Afghanistan, Bhutan,
Sudan, Nepal, Burma, Sierra Leone, Ethiopia, Liberia, the Democratic Republic of Congo and
Eritrea.
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HSS Regional Profile #2 Northern Tasmania
Service providers
Humanitarian Settlement Service (HSS) services provided in the region focus on helping refugees to
gain access to mainstream services such as Centrelink, Medicare, banks, general and specialist
health and medical services, English language tuition, training and employment, in addition to links
to the community and community organisations.
The Migrant Resource Centre (Northern Tasmania) (MRC) is the service provider in Northern
Tasmania on behalf of the Department of Social Services (DSS). MRC is a not-for-profit communitybased organisation that provides a diverse range of services to assist migrants and refugees from
culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds to settle in Launceston and the region.
Staff at the MRC are experienced in helping clients to settle into their new community. They provide
ongoing support in accessing services such as health, education, employment and child care, as
well as linking clients to community and recreational activities. The MRC offer many settlement
services to migrants and refugees. They include:
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humanitarian settlement services
individual client support
community development
childcare access support service
cross-cultural awareness training
immigration advice and application assistance
tutoring program for school children
helping clients to obtain their driver’s licence.
The MRC operates a multicultural child-care centre.
Accommodation
The MRC is able to provide reasonable short- and long-term accommodation for refugees.
Short-term accommodation
Ten houses are available, most situated in the northern suburbs of Launceston. They generally have
three bedrooms and an enclosed yard. Every house is furnished, has good heating, a telephone,
and most have a home security system.
Long-term accommodation
Most long-term accommodation is in the northern, central and southernsuburbs of Launceston and
the majority of houses have three bedrooms. The houses all have heating and yards that are large
enough for families who would like a vegetable garden and chickens. Again, they are close to bus
stops, shops, a doctor’s surgery, schools and the Polytechnic. Typical rent for a three-bedroom
house is $280-$300 per week. These prices are correct as of September 2012 but may change.
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HSS Regional Profile #2 Northern Tasmania
Examples of accommodation in Northern Tasmania
Example of Short-term house
Example of long-term house
Lounge room in a short-term
house.
Education
There are preschool, primary, secondary and tertiary education institutions in Northern Tasmania.
TAFE courses
TasTAFE is Launceston’s only provider of vocational education and training and delivers the Adult
English Migrant Program (AMEP). It is located in the centre of the city near MRC’s offices, and is
easily accessible by bus from the northern suburbs, where the majority of HSS clients live.
Some of the TasTAFE courses that can be accessed by HSS clients are:
Adult English Migrant Program (AMEP)
AMEP classes are structured around the needs of students. There is excellent access to the
classes, which have a maximum of 20 students.
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Youth program: intensive study for students 18-25 years of age, usually for those who have
not completed high school, but want to undertake tertiary studies, with the focus on English,
numeracy and science.
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Regular program: Preliminary Course, Certificates I, II and III. After completing Certificate III,
students can study at the Polytechnic, or enrol in the Tertiary Bridging Program, which
prepares them for university.
TasTAFE Pathway courses (non-AMEP)
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Action on Health: a bridging course for migrants who want to pursue further study in a
health-related field and require further study to improve their English language skills. Many
former students now work in health areas, particularly aged care.
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Advancing your English: additional English classes for students who have completed their
AMEP English classes. These classes are at a higher level and are mainly intended for
migrants who want to go on to tertiary studies.
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HSS Regional Profile #2 Northern Tasmania
Connect Program (Alanvale Campus)
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Community Services bridging course: additional English classes for those wanting to pursue
studies in community services. There are two levels of classes, offering general English,
literacy, numeracy and workplace preparation.
University pathway courses
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University Preparation Program (UPP): the UPP is the recommended step after completion
of the Advancing your English course. It is run by LaTrobe University and is a preparatory
course for migrant students who want to go on to tertiary study, but require additional skills
in academic reading and writing.
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Diploma of University Studies: a diploma level course which provides a ‘soft’ entry to
university for mature-aged students and migrants.
University of Tasmania services for cross-cultural students
The Cross-cultural Support Service can help clients succeed at university in a number of ways:
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individual assistance
o forms and administration
o housing and financial issues
o access to study assistance
o access to counselling.
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settling into university
o early orientation and campus tours
o vital things to remember in the first year
o welcome and introduction to helpful staff.
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Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) mentoring scheme
o help and support from older students
o develop students as mentors
o network for mentors.
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study assistance
o additional tutorials and workshops to develop skills
o extra time in exams for first year students
o assistance with purchasing cheap, reliable computers for studying.
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outreach sessions in colleges and TAFE
o a realistic introduction to university life
o how to prepare for university
o how to make the best study choice.
Primary school – Northern suburbs of Launceston
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HSS Regional Profile #2 Northern Tasmania
Health Services
The Refugee Primary Health Care Clinic provides initial health care to refugees arriving in
Launceston. All HSS clients have an average of six health appointments for screening, check-ups
and vaccinations. The clinic is located at the Launceston General Hospital and works closely with
associated health services, including pathology, radiology, a Mantoux clinic and specialists’ clinic.
Health services have skills and processes for working with refugee health issues. The eye hospital
and clinics, optometrists, hearing services, child health nurses, public dental service and some
remedial massage therapists all have regular refugee clients.
Some GP clinics, particularly in the northern suburbs, bulk bill all clients. Other GPs bulk bill when
they are aware the client is a recently arrived refugee.
Employment Opportunities
Many refugees find unskilled work in the agriculture industry during seasonal harvesting, or in
general farm work. Typically, the work that is available is in the vineyards and orchards and with
vegetable producers. Two agencies support refugees in finding agricultural work, and the MRC
works closely with a labour hire company that employs refugees in the agriculture industry. An
abattoir near Launceston employs a large number of refugees.
Agricultural work may be more than an hour’s drive from Launceston and the abattoir is a 30-minute
drive. Car-pooling is popular as public transport is mainly provided within Launceston with regular
daily services to outlying areas very limited.
The MRC is currently developing a program that will focus on opening up a range of employment
opportunities specifically for refugees. The aim of the program will be to give clients the skills to
enter the workforce and will also provide support in the workplace.
All Job Services Australia providers in Launceston work with refugees.
A welcoming community
The MRC has a large volunteer program and HSS volunteers help refugees with orientation in
Launceston. Volunteers provide refugees with information about shopping, places of worship,
second-hand clothes and furniture shops, and recreational activities in the city and the region. They
organise bus trips to the beach, picnics and barbecues, and befriend and support them in becoming
a part of the Launceston community.
The Northern Suburbs Community Centre runs craft classes and activities that refugees are
welcome to attend. Among the community groups that support refugees are church groups, sporting
clubs, youth clubs and charitable groups. Those in the community who arrived as refugees
themselves go to the airport to greet new arrivals and provide ongoing friendship and support.
Centrelink has a dedicated Multicultural Service Officer (MSO) who assists refugees. The MSO runs
information sessions for refugees about income and how it affects their Centrelink payments, as well
as the other issues that affect payments.
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