Speaking to those that need help, in a language they understand.
Refugee Legal are Australia’s largest provider of free specialised legal assistance to people seeking asylum, refugees and disadvantaged migrants. They advise, assist, educate and advocate.
And they came to us with an important, a tricky issue. How to help people experiencing family violence and worried about behind made to leave Australia, understand their rights.
The Sketch Group Team are not the subject matter experts.
So we worked closely with the legal and case-working team at Refugee Legal over a number of months to understand the significant complex issues facing those who face family violence and are on temporary or restricted visas to Australia—people who might not know their residency status, and believe that their position in Australia is linked to their partner so they can’t escape the violence.
We listened, we asked questions, we discussed ideas and language and the best way to share the messages with a fractured and frightened audience.
A sketch video was made that told the stories of three characters who faced situations that were common to the audience we were seeking to educate. While the names and exact details were not based on one person (for privacy reasons) the stories were true to those Refugee Legal had heard from their clients. We wanted to include a number of stories that were both personal and universal, so that the audience would felt seen, heard and understood. From then, we created a video that gave context, told these stories and offered ways to find help.
It wasn’t enough to create a video in English. This was a population that may not have English as a first, second or fifth language, or at all. So we created a video that was translated into either other languages. The languages considered most relevant by the Refugee Legal team, given their experience and data.
In addition, we created a second video specifically for the organisations that these people might access—to educate the health practitioners, accommodation providers, case and social workers about the help available through Refugee Legal.
Sketch Group and Refugee Legal created a series of 10 videos for organisations who provide critical advice to clients to help them remain in Australia safely, and for refugees seeking help (English + eight other languages)
The organisational video was shared with key assistance organisations for women fleeing domestic violence, including crisis accommodation providers, and those assisting with housing, medical, financial and psychological aid.
The refugee videos in different languages were shared by individuals on private Facebook groups, and with friends and communities in confidential formats, helping people be safe, and informed.
We might never know how much they helped.
We are extremely proud that we had the opportunity to help at all.
We had a very positive working experience with Sketch Group. We really appreciated the flexibility of the team, especially given all the COVID-19 related disruptions this year. They demonstrated a strong interest in, and understanding of, our work and our clients.
Aisha Ismail Refugee Legal
