By Melanie Baak, Joel Windle, Emily Miller

The University of South Australia (UniSA) and Australian Refugee Association (ARA) entered into an agreement for UniSA researchers to conduct an evaluation of the Youth Connect program. The evaluation sought to explore the processes and impacts of the Youth Connect program in relation to social participation, economic independence, personal wellbeing and at-risk or anti-social behaviour. Formal data collection for the evaluation took place from mid-2023 to early 2024. Evaluation of the project focused on consideration of the effectiveness and impact of the project and whether expectations and program outcomes were met. The research used qualitative and quantitative approaches with youth participants from the Youth Connect program and qualitative approaches with participating school staff and ARA staff members.

To understand the views and experiences of youth participants, the research team undertook four focus groups with youth participants in the program. Three focus groups were conducted at ARA venues and one at a school. In total, 44 young people participated in evaluation focus groups. In addition, to capture the breadth of experiences of young people who had participated across the full range of Youth Connect programs, researchers undertook an online survey using Qualtrics software.

The Youth Connect program offered support for young people facing a series of interconnected challenges. Young people from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds often experience difficulty in engaging with the wider community and building connections.

The program initially aimed to engage young people aged 15-25 years from African, Afghan and Syrian backgrounds, with young people aged from 12-25 ultimately engaging in the program. Other young people from CALD refugee and migrant backgrounds were also included throughout program activities.

Adelaide: University of South Australia 2024.