Guidelines for regional growth
Regional councils looking to attract, retain and support migrants and refugees to thrive in their communities now have a resource to help them plan and assess their readiness with the launch of Planning for Welcoming and Inclusive Communities: Guidelines for Regional Growth.
The Guidelines, funded by the Queensland Government, have been developed by Welcoming Cities and the Monash Migration and Inclusion Centre (MMIC).
Regional migration can stimulate economic growth and revitalise communities, while offering new migrants opportunities to integrate into Australian society. However, not all regional destinations are the same. Like cities, regional areas have diverse community, social and economic profiles. This is why a place-based, community- driven approach to migration and settlement – that considers the unique characteristics of each regional location – is critical. This will give local communities and migrants every chance to enjoy economic development and social cohesion.
Using the Guidelines
This document is written with local stakeholders in mind: councils, community groups, volunteers, service providers, regional development authorities, employers, business associations, and multicultural organisations. Each have a role to play according to the characteristics and needs of their settlement destination. The guidelines can be adapted to different regional contexts, but ultimately it is up to local actors to determine the specific directions of planning and implementation.
The guidelines are organised to highlight the:
- principles underpinning successful regional migrant settlement
- steps for ‘making it work,’ with focus questions for reflection and discussion among regional stakeholders
- methods and tools for implementing migration programs.
This is a living document. We encourage regional stakeholders to remix, adapt and add to the guidelines to meet the needs of their local communities. We also encourage feedback and suggestions via info@welcomingcities.org.au.