Rockhampton’s influx of skilled migrants was a hot topic at a Community Facilitators' Migrant workshop held recently in the city by the Nurturing Migrant Project (NMP) team.

The settlement of refugees and humanitarian entrants to Australia was also discussed.

This helped Community Facilitators identify with their role to assist people settling into the Rockhampton and surrounding communities and explained how they can refer them to the NMP (Nurturing Migrant Program) Team or the Lamp Officer at COIN centre at the corner of Fitzroy and East streets Rockhampton.

Furthermore, the participants reviewed the role of the Nurturing Migrants project – a Central Queensland University initiative in partnership with Central Queensland Multicultural Association, Fitzroy Shire Council, and Rockhampton City Council – in the settling in of migrants to the region. Multicultural Affairs Queensland and the Rotary Club of Rockhampton have funded the project along with the continued support of many local people and organisations.

Over the past 10 months, 'Nurturing Migrant' project officers have been working to assist more than 50 migrants and their families to gain access to social, education and health services available in Rockhampton and district communities.

Project leader Dawn Hay said the workshop was well attended with representatives from the Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs (DIMA) outlining their role in the settlement of migrants in the region. The DIMA representatives confirmed their continued support of the Nurturing Migrant Project and other people and organisations that require their assistance in this region.