Building bridges to work: Final report on the Given the Chance for Asylum Seekers program

People seeking asylum are caught in a web of uncertainty. Employment provides income and has the potential to provide social connections; yet their uncertain circumstances make it hard to compete in a rapidly changing labour market. The Given the Chance for Asylum Seekers [GtCAS program, funded by a private philanthropist, worked intensively with jobseekers and with employers in Melbourne to identify suitable job opportunities and traineeships. This final report examines the employment trajectories of GtCAS participants, drawing on 19 interviews with program participants, program data between July 2015 and April 2018 and five interviews with employers.