Circles of Social Life, Liverpool: Settling Strangers; Supporting Disability Needs

Abstract

Liverpool is home to one of the highest concentrations of Australia’s recent arrivals, and home to many culturally and linguistically diverse communities in their different stages of settlement. As one of the fastest-growing regions in Australia, the city is concurrently going through rapid and significant economic, demographic, infrastructural and environmental change. This Report was commissioned by the Western Sydney Migrant Resource Centre (Western Sydney MRC) to understand the basic issues concerning the settlement of migrants and refugees, including examining resettlement supports for migrants and refugees with disability. The Report was commissioned to provide a baseline map of Liverpool’s complexity in order for the Western Sydney MRC and other non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and governmental social service providers to better respond to Liverpool’s full social complexity. The 'Circles of Social Life' approach offers an integrated method for practically responding to complex issues of vitality, relationality, productivity and sustainability, and what makes for a flourishing world. The approach, which includes Circles of Sustainability, takes an urban area, city, community, organization or individual through the difficult process of responding to complex or seemingly intractable problems and challenges.