The Impact of e-Skills on the settlement of Iranian refugees in Australia

Aim/Purpose The research investigates the impact of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) on Iranian refugees’ settlement in Australia. Background The study identifies the issues of settlement, such as language, cultural and social differences. Methodology The Multi-Sited Ethnography (MSE), which is a qualitative methodology, has been used with a thematic analysis drawing on a series of semi-structured interviews with two groups of participants (51 Iranian refugees and 55 people with a role in assisting refugees). Contribution The research findings may enable the creation of a model for use by the Aus-tralian Government with Iranian refugees. Findings The findings show the vital role ICT play in refugees’ ongoing day-to-day life towards settlement. Recommendations for Practitioners The results from this paper could be generalised to other groups of refugees in Australia and also could be used for Iranian refugees in other countries. Recommendation for Researchers Researchers may use a similar study for refugees of different backgrounds in Australia and around the world. Impact on Society ICT may assist refugees to become less isolated, less marginalized and part of mainstream society. Future Research Future research could look into the digital divide between refugees in Australia and main stream Australians.

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