[LINK] Mind The Gap: Refugees and communications technology literacy (6 September 2011)

[Marghanita da Cruz]

I wonder how different this is from the general community - particularly 
those not in employment, with access to the Internet?

Libraries, particularly local ones, and Internet Cafes, are playing an 
important role. In both providing a venue to socialise and get access to 
the Internet.

> Interviews with over 30 refugees in different capital cities found that as new arrivals to Australia, refugees tend to have low communications technology literacy having generally been deprived of communications during their displacement in refugee camps or intermediate countries.  While refugees generally arrive with base level consumption literacies (which enable them to use at least one telecommunications device to primarily receive calls), living in Australia demands higher level literacies (such as owning and taking financial responsibility for a range of technology products).  
> 
> The project also brings to light:
> 
>     * the low levels of knowledge about communications products and communications technology literacy on the part of newly arrived refugees;
>     * the lack of support for communications technology awareness and use in settlement service provision for refugees;
>     * and the gap that exists between telecommunications literacy (for which there is no formalised support during settlement) and computer literacy skills (which, along with English language tuition, are provided as part of the refugee settlement process).
<http://accan.org.au/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=364:mind-the-gap-refugees-and-communications-technology-literacy&catid=103:general-communications&Itemid=170>
-- 
Marghanita da Cruz
http://ramin.com.au
Tel: 0414-869202