Employment and enterprise of young migrant women

Background

COVID-19 has significantly impacted the employment outcomes of young migrant women, particularly the Southwest Sydney region. During the pandemic, the region and its workers faced the problem of being blamed for any emerging societal social and economic challenges, racism, tighter lockdown measures, and increased care responsibilities in the domestic sphere.

Southwest Sydney is considered to have the fastest growing population of newly arrived young migrants in NSW, specifically in the Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Liverpool and Fairfield (Department of Communities and Justice, 2021).

The unemployment rate in the region is at a rate of 6.2% compared to an overall rate of 4.9% in NSW.

Aim

The project seeks to examine the structural obstacles exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. And through the use of place-based perspectives, the project will map the workforce and business landscape of the Southwest Sydney region, identify the types of industry and social enterprises, potential employment and enterprise opportunities, and local organisations’ capacity to work with newly arrived migrant women in the context of socio-economic recovery from the COVID19 pandemic.

Method

Using a strengths-based approach and intersectionality lens, a survey and interviews will be conducted to help understand young migrant women’s potential, interests, aspirations, skills, and knowledge gaps in career advancement.

Research outcomes

We will build a career hub, workshops, and reports for use by stakeholders.

We're now seeking newly arrived young migrant women (18-40 years old residing in the Western Sydney area) to complete a short survey and participate in a one-on-one, confidential interview. The survey and interview will help us understand young migrant women’s potential, interests, skills, and knowledge gaps in career advancement. Informed by data from the findings, the project will co-create an online career hub co-hosted with community partner organisations which will be of long-term benefit to newly arrived communities.

Interview

The interviews seek to understand the employment needs of young migrant women participate in the interview and receive a $50 gift voucher as a token of appreciation.

We're looking for woman-identifying, 18-40 years old residing in the Western Sydney area and from culturally and linguistically diverse background. The interviews are organised to understand newly arrived young migrant women’s employment needs and job aspirations. Each participant will get a gift voucher for their participation. The interviews will be one-on-one and confidential.

Interpreters are provided for the interviews if required.