Youth from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) communities appear to value education more than their Australian-born counterparts but are less likely to secure employment as a result of study, new research has found.

The CALD Youth Census Report also identified a need for a continuing focus on English, education and training, and employment is needed for CALD and refugee youth in Australia.

The report found that youth born in CALD and refugee countries and with CALD and refugee ancestry generally had comparable rates of being enrolled at an educational institution.

And, youth born in CALD countries and youth with CALD and refugee ancestry performed slightly better than their Australian counterparts in the 12-to-17 age group.

Overall, youth born in CALD and refugee countries and with CALD and refugee ancestry had higher participation rates as students in either a full or part-time capacity at an educational institution when compared to youth born in Australian, the report found.

But there was an inconsistency between employment and education for CALD youth – with youth born in Australia having a significantly higher employment rates.

The report said this may be attributed to the Australian born population having more options available to them apart from post-secondary education compared to youth born in CALD and refugee countries.

The Multicultural Youth Advocacy Network commissioned University of Adelaide Geographer Professor Graeme Hugo to prepare the report, which is designed to contribute to baseline knowledge about CALD and refugee youth in Australia.

“It is important for policy makers at the Federal, State and Local area levels to understand the changing size and composition of its population,” Professor Hugo said.

“This report has focused on youth born in CALD and refugee countries between the ages of 12 and 24 and made comparisons with youth born in Australia at the state level to identify trends,” he said.

It must be remembered that there is great a diversity of ethnicities within CALD and refugee population groups… however, it is useful to first assess them more broadly as population groups in order to understand how youth from CALD and refugee countries as new additions to Australia’s population are benchmarked against the Australian born youth population,” the report said.

Launching the report, Federal Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Social Services, Senator Concetta Fierravanti-Wells said that, broadly, the report found that the rate of participation in education for CALD and refugee youth was comparable to Australian-born youth if not slightly higher, and there appeared to be strong emphasis placed on education among migrant youth.

“While the report notes that employment rates are lower for CALD and refugee youth compared to the Australian born population, this may be linked to the stronger emphasis placed on education and training,” Senator Fierravanti-Wells said.

Senator Fierravanti-Wells said over time and generational change, there was convergence towards the Australian born youth rate of employment.

“The report reinforces the need for a continuing focus on English, education and training, and employment,” she said.

“The government believes that learning English, having a secure job and gaining a quality education are critical to migrant participation,” Senator Fierravanti-Wells said.

“This report will help us identify successes and areas which need more attention. It will allow us to make informed decisions about how we can best help this important target group.

“Australia’s settlement programs focus on fostering social participation, economic wellbeing and independence, and aim to assist migrants to become self-reliant and participate in Australian society,” she said.