About the Migrant Settlement Service

Download the Migrant Settlement Service Brochure

MVNS runs the Migrant Settlement Service.  Settlement services are delivered in partnership with the NSW Settlement Partnership (NSP) which is a consortium of community organisations, led by Settlement Services International, delivering settlement services in agreed areas of NSW under the Department of Home Affairs’ Settlement Engagement and Transition Support (SETS) program.

The New South Wales Settlement (NSP) Partnership

MVNS runs the Migrant Settlement Service.  Settlement services are delivered in partnership with the NSW Settlement Partnership (NSP) which is a consortium of community organisations, led by Settlement Services International, delivering settlement services in agreed areas of NSW under the Department of Home Affairs’ Settlement Engagement and Transition Support (SETS) program.

The NSP represents a unique and innovative settlement services model and provides an opportunity for organisations with a long and proud history in service delivery to migrants, refugees and humanitarian entrants to work collaboratively to address the aim and objectives of SETS. The consortium comprises 21 organisations, including SSI and its 11 member Migrant Resource Centres and multicultural services, as well as nine community organisations located around the state.

Using the partners’ grassroots experience in their local communities, the NSP’s high-quality, integrated services support self-reliance, equitable participation in Australian society, and as a consequence, promote social cohesion and productive diversity within the Australian community.

Settlement Engagement and Transition Support (SETS) Program

The Settlement Engagement and Transition Support (SETS) program aims to equip and empower humanitarian entrants, other eligible permanent migrants and their communities to address their settlement needs, in order to improve social participation, economic well-being, independence, personal well-being and community connectedness.

The SETS program fills an important gap in the post-arrival period for eligible clients who do not have family and other community supports to rely on. The program is complementary to the Humanitarian Settlement Program (HSP) and other Commonwealth support to humanitarian entrants and for other vulnerable migrants. SETS seeks to provide for effective early intervention that contributes to clients achieving full participation in society as soon as possible.

The Migrant Settlement Service delivers services under the SETS Client Services stream, providing clients with settlement-related information, advice, advocacy, and assistance to access mainstream and other relevant services. Services are delivered in accordance with a needs-based approach. Typically client needs align with the nine priority areas identified in the National Settlement Framework make this a live link, not include link written out if possible (https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/sitesearch?k=national%20settlement%20framework).  Client Services has a key role in facilitating acquisition of English language skills, supporting engagement with education and training and building employment readiness with services complementing other settlement and mainstream services.

Eligibility

SETS services can be provided to permanent residents who have arrived in Australia in the last five years as:

• humanitarian entrants; and/or
• family stream migrants with low levels of English proficiency; and/or
• dependents of skilled migrants in rural and regional areas with low English proficiency.
• selected other stream visas

Services may also be provided to:

• selected temporary residents (Prospective Marriage and Provisional Partner visa holders and their dependents) in rural and regional areas who have arrived in the last five years and have low English proficiency; and
• dependents of selected temporary residents (Provisional Skilled, Provisional Business or Investment) in rural and regional areas who have arrived in the last 5 years and who have low English proficiency

What services does the Migrant Settlement Service provide?

• Outreach services to eligible people in the Kempsey, Port Macquarie, Gloucester, Taree and Forster areas
• Settlement related information, advice, casework, advocacy and assistance to access mainstream services
• Delivery of group information sessions to multicultural residents
• Promotion and provision of settlement services to local and outreach areas
• Community advocacy and developing and maintaining networks with agencies
• For more information on types of services and support under the SETS Client Services Stream go to https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/settling-in-australia/sets-program/sets-client-services

What we offer service providers:

The Migrant Settlement Project worker is available to provide support for government and non-government organisations to support multicultural clients by:

• Working with services to support multicultural clients
• Supporting services to provide culturally appropriate services
• Information on providing interpreting services
• Providing information and referral for specific migrant services such as migration agents
• Access point for general information regarding migrants and refugees
• Opportunities for cultural awareness training for staff or community groups
• Providing information on the cultural communities in your area

This services operates from Manning Valley Neighbourhood Services 21 hours per week from Wingham with outreach work on the mid north coast, including Kempsey, Port Macquarie, Gloucester, Taree and Forster areas.

Information for Migrants and Humanitarian Entrants

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