Evaluation of the Integrated Humanitarian Settlement Strategy (IHSS)

However, as with all volunteers under the IHSS, there is a need for a clear definition of the roles,
responsibilities, accountabilities and expectations if their contribution is to be meaningful. Further,
volunteers should not be used in lieu of paid workers.
The transition to the IHSS has left a number of volunteers ‘out in the cold’ for a range of reasons,
including concerns about levels of professionalism, quality control, capacity to resource volunteer
management and contractual limitations. Volunteer involvement appears to be crucial to the success
of IHSS. In many instances, service providers acknowledged that they could not deliver services
without their assistance, while in others, service providers do not involve volunteers and experience
considerable difficulties making their resources stretch to fulfil their contracts.
CSR was developed in response to this, but it has not as yet successfully ‘captured’ the full contingent
of volunteers. While there is significant participation by volunteers in many localities – and in a
number of instances IHSS works only because of the input of volunteers – they often operate outside
CSR. In part the problems can be traced to the CSR Coordination and Support service not yet
functioning as expected, as professional development around volunteer involvement has not
transpired. As well, there is a lack of incentive for volunteers to operate under CSR when they can
continue, as they have historically done, to operate outside the service.
As noted previously, some former CRSS groups have not adjusted well to the change and inevitably
will become redundant. Other challenges faced by the CSR service include ensuring that there are
appropriate linkages with the other IHSS services, particularly the IIOA and PS providers, if they are
to play an active and meaningful role in the settlement process. If this does not occur it is likely that
the CSR service will become a parallel service, operating in isolation and finding it increasingly
difficult to maintain a meaningful relationship with their clients.
Recommendation 18
Community Support for Refugees
DIMIA should continue to monitor the development of the CSR network and this should be undertaken
with an awareness that a large proportion of volunteers currently operates independently of CSR.
Ways to strengthen relationships with providers should be explored.
5.7 Service Support Provider
5.7.1 Service description
The SSP service is aimed at ensuring that:
IHSS service providers are equipped to meet the service needs of Humanitarian Program
entrants in the initial stages of settlement, and their obligations as contracted service providers,
employers, and partners where relevant
entrants’ settlement is enhanced by expanding the capacity of the voluntary sector to deliver
services by being responsible for the recruitment, coordination and registration process of CSR
groups, through the establishment of a CSR contact in each State/Territory and by providing
training and support to CSR groups.
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Evaluation of the Integrated Humanitarian Settlement Strategy 27 May 2003