Services for Clients

Advocacy and referrals

While the psychological legacy of forced migration, torture and war related trauma can be devastating, when people who have had refugee experiences first arrive in Australia they will often have other immediate and pressing needs.

The capacity for survivors to build a new life in Australia is strongly influenced by access to the personal and material resources required to deal with the challenges of resettlement in a new country. During the early arrival period, there is the challenge of finding housing, employment, education and making social and community connections as well as the daunting task of adapting to a new culture. In the course of their everyday work, Foundation House staff regularly provides assistance and advice for clients in seeking information and making connections.

Spending prolonged periods in refugee camps or coming directly from conflict situations, may mean that clients have not had access to high quality health care for years, so in many cases Foundation House provides advocacy and assistance in navigating the health system. Foundation House also has strong links with various welfare and health services and regularly makes appropriate referrals for clients.