The Settlement Council of Australia (SCoA) hosted the first national settlement conference in Canberra on 28-29 May 2009.
SCoA is a national peak body for settlement services. Formerly known as the National Council of Migrant Resource and Settlement Agencies (NCMRSA), it was established in 2003 to represent the interests and concerns of Migrant Resource Centres and Migrant Service Agencies. In November 2008, it expanded its membership to be representative of the broader settlement services sector and was renamed the Settlement Council of Australia.
The theme of the conference was ‘Settlement Service – Building a Future for Social Inclusion’. It explored the Government’s Social Inclusion Agenda and looked at ways of ensuring that settlement services and migrant communities become central to this agenda. A range of stakeholders were invited from the settlement sector, including the Parliamentary Secretary for Multicultural Affairs and Settlement Services, Mr Laurie Ferguson MP.
The conference brought together settlement service providers, community groups and policy makers to showcase examples of good practice, identify issues and service gaps in the sector, and to discuss ways to best address these issues.
SCoA’s current priorities include mapping settlement services in the sector, advocating and lobbying, working closely with other peak bodies and Government agencies, expanding its membership and establishing its website. They aim to be more actively involved in research, capturing and promoting best practice, developing quality standards for settlement services and advocacy in the future.
