Toowoomba City is known for its long history of successfully settling diverse migrant communities and its welcoming character. In the past five years, Toowoomba has welcomed over 2,800 humanitarian entrants to the city with settlement services such as SETS (Settlement Engagement and Transition Support) being implemented. SETS program is a crucial element of the settlement journey, particularly in areas of regional settlement where there are several barriers in accessing mainstream and key services due to resources, transport and lack of cultural capability.
CatholicCare has been supporting refugee resettlement in Toowoomba since 2004, having developed strong engagement with the broader Toowoomba community. This has been established through a large volunteer base and extensive partnerships. CatholicCare is one of the main SETS case management providers, focussing on tasks such as: information sessions, individual capacity building, crisis intervention, case coordination, support to access services, and form-filling.
For more information, read the following report produced by Multicultural Australia and CatholicCare, highlighting both the successes and challenges within the region, and how we aim to continue ensuring adequate and sustainable resources in the Toowoomba region to support primary and secondary settlement in the region.