Social and economic resilience (SER) of young migrant and refugee women

Construction management research team at University of Newcastle is planning to provide construction skills training to migrant and refugee women in regional NSW, particularly Newcastle, Hunter, and Central coast regions. This research project is proudly funded by Newcastle Permanent Charitable Foundation.

The project focuses on skills development, economic empowerment, and confidence-building of at-risk young migrant/refugee women in hard-to-reach culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities. The researchers plan to create a critical mass of diverse representation of social capitals to improve engagement, strengthen alliances and build coalition to cultivate champions within the CALD communities in Regional NSW.

This research is set to have a profound effect on the lives of young migrants and refugee women in Regional NSW and more broadly across the state. Women from CALD backgrounds often struggle to get a foothold in construction, which is a traditionally male-dominated industry. The young migrant/ refugee women will be trained by the University of Newcastle and TAFE NSW and placed on construction projects for a few weeks as industry placements in construction projects. The research program will see these women receive the education and training they need to develop fulfilling and, really, life-changing careers.

If you are a young migrant/refugee female, or if you know someone who will benefit from this initiative, please feel free to share this information or contact the researchers using below contact details.

Professor Temitope Egbelakin

Dr. Buddhini Ginigaddara

Dr. Tanvi Newaz

Project partners