The Australian Cultural Orientation Program (AUSCO) prepares refugees and other humanitarian program entrants (people who suffer substantial discrimination amounting to gross violation of their human rights in their home country and therefore are living outside of it) for initial settlement in Australia. The course covers many themes, including the actual journey by air, on-arrival assistance, practical information on post-arrival settlement services and managing cultural, social and economic expectations.
AUSCO further includes:
- Sessions on travel requirements, including customs and immigration processes
- What to expect on-arrival to Australia by way of initial assistance
- Introduction to the Australian lifestyle, social and cultural norms
- Life skills training (dealing with accommodation, transport, banks, health and other day-to-day matters)
- Understanding Australian values around law and order, gender equality, rights and responsibilities
- Freedoms protected by law (religion, expression, assembly, non-discrimination).
Activities:
- AUSCO trainers apply a variety of teaching methods, including role plays, discussions, problem solving activities, and case studies.
- Course content is supplemented by Standard and Easy Read AUSCO Student Folders and an Activity Booklet to reflect upon and record participants settlement journey, plus the AUSCO DVD ‘An Australian Settlement Journey’.
- Benefits
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Cultural Orientation assists in preparing refugees and other humanitarian program entrants for life in the country of resettlement by:
- allaying any fears they may have about the country they are going to through correct information.
- giving them greater confidence through the basic skills they acquire to deal with the initial stages of their settlement in their new home country.
- facilitating their integration through enhanced understanding of the new environment and how to deal with it.
- Project Description
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The Australian Cultural Orientation (AUSCO) Program is funded by the Australian Government Department of Home Affairs and has been facilitated under contract by IOM in training sites located in 16 permanent and more than 60 mobile delivery countries across primarily five regions, namely: Sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, Southeast Asia, Central and South America, and the Middle East and North Africa, where Australia-bound refugees and humanitarian program entrants are located.
AUSCO prepares beneficiaries for life in Australia. It is delivered in a variety of settings around the world including refugee camps and urban centers by fully trained personnel with a sound understanding of Australia.
Sessions are led by trainers in the language of the participants and a qualified interpreter, if required. They are interactive and dynamic and a variety of teaching resources including audio-visuals are used. Methodologies are learner-centered and vary according to the profile of the groups being trained.
AUSCO has a curriculum covering relevant integration topics and courses are held for adults, pre-literates, youth, and children.
The program began as a pilot project in 2003 and, since its inception, has assisted more than 147,374 clients by the end of 2024.
In partnership with the Australian Government Department of Home Affairs, IOM has been involved in improvements to teaching materials and upskilling of trainers, including online workshops with Settlement Service Providers in Australia.
- Beneficiaries
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- Refugees
- Humanitarian program entrants