ABSTRACT

The 3Es to Freedom was a program for women from refugee and migrant backgrounds, operating in northern New South Wales and South East Queensland, Australia, from 2016 to 2021. The program offered a welcoming space where the women could build on their skills to develop confidence, enabling them to pursue their ambitions. This article focuses on how the program’s responsiveness supported the needs of refugee women in regional communities. Place making and a place-based approach provided a theoretical framework to analyse the ways in which the staff embedded the program in local, distinctive regional communities, which provided opportunities for the women to forge bonds to build bridges into their broader communities. The place-based approach can be identified in how the women walked together to discover local places of interest, secured a plot in the community garden, and connected to social groups and local services. Involvement in art exhibitions acknowledged and gave voice to the women’s presence in the community, enhancing their sense of belonging and increasing public understanding of how these newcomers enriched their chosen communities. By investing in these local connections, a sense of place was established, contributing to the women’s adaptation, resilience and social inclusion in their region.

摘要

通往自由的3E是一项针对难民和移民背景的妇女的计划，于 2016 年至 2021 年在澳大利亚新南威尔士州北部和昆士兰州东南部开展。该计划提供了一个温馨的空间，让妇女可以利用自己的技能来建立信心，使她们能够追求他们的抱负。本文重点介绍该计划的响应能力如何支持区域社区中难民妇女的需求。场所营造和以场所为基础的方法提供了一个理论框架，用于分析工作人员将项目嵌入当地、独特的区域社区的方式，这为女性提供了建立联系以建立与更广泛社区的桥梁的机会。以地方为基础的方法可以从妇女们如何一起步行去发现当地的名胜古迹、在社区花园中获得一块土地、并连接到社会团体和当地服务。参与艺术展览承认并表达了妇女在社区中的存在，增强了她们的归属感，并增加了公众对这些新移民如何丰富她们所选择的社区的了解。通过投资于这些地方联系，建立了一种地方感，有助于妇女在其所在地区的适应能力、适应力和社会包容性。