On Arrival: Challenges and Opportunities Around Early-Stage Resettlement of Refugees in Australia

When refugees arrive in a host country, the form of immediate help and support they receive from various service providers sets the stage for successful settlement, integration, and social cohesion. This paper presents results from an exploratory study that investigated refugees' perceptions of initial services received upon migration - in the first six months of their arrival. In collaboration with a refugee settlement services provider, we engaged 12 newly-arrived refugees in a qualitative study that employed a photo-diary study and semi-structured interviews. Based on our findings, we present refugees' experiences over three phases: immediate services upon arrival (first day); initial-settlement experiences (first week); and ongoing settlement experiences (up to twelve months). Through an in-depth unpacking of these phases, we show ongoing efforts and challenges associated with resettlement; and present implications for design for CSCW researchers.