‘Engendering social inclusion and success for refugee women through place-based empowering practices’

Abstract

ABSTRACT The 3Es to Freedom was a program for women from refugee and migrant backgrounds, operating in northern New South Wales and South East Queensland, Australia, from 2016 to 2021. The program offered a welcoming space where the women could build on their skills to develop confidence, enabling them to pursue their ambitions. This article focuses on how the program’s responsiveness supported the needs of refugee women in regional communities. Place making and a place-based approach provided a theoretical framework to analyse the ways in which the staff embedded the program in local, distinctive regional communities, which provided opportunities for the women to forge bonds to build bridges into their broader communities. The place-based approach can be identified in how the women walked together to discover local places of interest, secured a plot in the community garden, and connected to social groups and local services. Involvement in art exhibitions acknowledged and gave voice to the women’s presence in the community, enhancing their sense of belonging and increasing public understanding of how these newcomers enriched their chosen communities. By investing in these local connections, a sense of place was established, contributing to the women’s adaptation, resilience and social inclusion in their region.