Media Release
October 29 2009
Symposium highlights impact of refugee trauma
At
a time when the welfare and safety of refugees is again at the forefront
in Australia, a new symposium being held in Adelaide today will look at
the wellbeing of refugee children and adolescents and the implications
for them in adult life.
The one-day symposium – Refugee Trauma Across the Lifespan – involves
more than a dozen key speakers on issues of the health and wellbeing of
people of refugee background.
The event is jointly organised by the University of South Australia's
Peace, Defence and Security Research & Innovation Cluster and Healthy
Development Adelaide at the University of Adelaide.
"While refugees are a hot political topic in Australia, we should also
be thinking seriously about the health and wellbeing of refugees and the
many challenges they face," says the chair of the event,
Associate Professor Nicholas Procter (Co-convenor, Peace, Defence
and Security Research & Innovation Cluster, UniSA).
"For many of refugee background, the experiences they have faced in
their home countries and their travels to Australia cause enormous
hardship and trauma. This often impacts on children and youth of refugee
backgrounds, which has potential implications for them in later life,
such as their mental health.
"Today's symposium deals with a range of issues, such as the importance
of understanding and responding to trauma, the importance of refugee and
transcultural issues in a multi-ethnic society, recent trends in refugee
settlement in Australia, and how young people of refugee background can
better adapt to their new communities."
The Refugee Trauma Across the Lifespan – Children and Adolescent
Wellbeing and the Implications for Adult Health symposium is being held
at Hickinbotham Hall, National Wine Centre of Australia (corner of
Botanic and Hackney Roads, Adelaide) from 9.50 am to 5 pm today. Media
are welcome to attend.
A copy of the full program is available for
download.
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Seed NewsvineMedia contact
- Michèle Nardelli office (08) 8302 0966 mobile 0418 823 673 email michele.nardelli@unisa.edu.au