Adapting work practices to changes in government policy

Adaptando métodos de trabajo a los cambios de política de gobierno

For the last three years there has been an increase in the number of people arriving, "irregularly" onshore in Australia. In response, the Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs has created a new category called, "Temporary Protection Visa" (TPV). In an attempt to deter people from entering Australia in this manner, TPV holders do not have the same benefits as those who arrive through the offshore process. The media has fostered the belief that those arriving "irregularly" are not genuine refugees and therefore should not expect assistance from Australia. One of the few agencies funded by the Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs who have been allowed to assist TPV holders are those dealing with torture and trauma. This paper outlines our agency response to this issue in Western Australia from an organizational perspective.

The expected outcomes were to double the number of clients seen by our Early Intervention team with no additional resources, to streamline the health assessment to reflect the holistic needs of each individual, to devise new ways of dealing with staff training needs and support for secondary stress and to have a meaningful outlet for staff to provide feedback about the affects of the changes in government policy.

The outcomes are: a more structured and disciplined approach to the work; a stronger problem solving culture capable of developing new processes and interventions; an increase in public awareness of torture and trauma through the involvement with the Perth Glory Soccer Club; and, finally, a clear idea of both the physical and psychological environment required for the agency to do its work successfully.

The creation of the new visa category, double rate of referrals and the new funding contract all happened at the same time. It put a heavy strain on the agency making us question and deal with issues of our role, practice standards, work environment and contractual obligations. By working through the issues, the staff of ASeTTS have provided quality interventions to hundreds of refugees and grown stronger in the process.