Co-designing Resources to Increase Access to Information and Services: Syrian and Iraqi people with disability from refugee backgrounds and service providers

People with disability and their families from Syrian and Iraqi refugee backgrounds find it hard to get Arabic-language information about services and supports they can access in Australia.

Researchers at Deakin University and UNSW Sydney, along with partner organisations, co-designed with people with disability and family members from Syrian and Iraqi refugee backgrounds and settlement and disability services, seven short videos in Arabic-language.

Six videos provide information about the National Disability Insurance Scheme, and one is about coming to Australia as a family with disability. The videos are in Arabic with English sub-titles.

Content analysis of the transcriptions of workshops conducted with 38 people with disability and family members from Syrian and Iraqi refugee backgrounds was conducted to identify commonly described barriers and priority areas. Three barriers were identified to accessing services and systems:

Lack of information
Language
Family culture.

Four priority areas were initially identified as needing resources:

Housing
NDIS
Health
Family stress

The co-design group decided to focus on the development of resources for three of the four identified priority areas: NDIS, Health (with a particular focus on oral health) and family stress. Co-design group members self-selected to the sub-group topic they were most interested in. By the end of the four sessions, each group had a plan for the resources they would oversee the development of.

The main outcome of this project is the development of resources to increase the access of people with disability and family members from Syrian and Iraqi refugee backgrounds to community services and supports.

Seven short, animated Arabic-language videos providing tailored information about the NDIS:

Video 1: What is the NDIS?
Video 2: What is a NDIS plan?
Video 3: What to do when you get a NDIS plan
Video 4: Your rights as a NDIS participant
Video 5: Asking for a review of a NDIS plan
Video 6: Making a complaint about a NDIS funded service.
Coming to Australia as a family with disability

One short oral health animated Arabic-language postcard
The postcard will provide information about the importance of oral hygiene and regular dental care for people with disability, tips for this care and information about where affordable dental care for people with disability can be obtained in each State/Territory.

Click here to see the postcard: dental poster

Video on families with disability

This video highlights some of the impacts of disability on families and provides some support strategies.

Dissemination of these resources will be key to their uptake using the approach of “trusted places and spaces”. Partner organisations are committed to disseminating resources and links to them via their various channels and networks. This work will also be published in peer-reviewed journals and community and sector newsletters.

Five workshops with 38 people with disability and family members from refugee backgrounds were held to update and expand on existing evidence to reflect their priorities and perspectives.

'Co-design groups' then helped develop resources to address knowledge and skills gaps with attention to intersectionality and complexity of lived experiences.

The co-design groups were led by and included people with lived experience, and included representatives from partner disability and refugee services.

Explainer videos

Six videos provide information about the National Disability Insurance Scheme, and one is about coming to Australia as a family with disability. The videos are in Arabic with English sub-titles. We encourage you to share these videos with anyone who may find them useful.