ECU has launched the Rainbow Migrants Living Lab aimed at improving the lives of LGBTIQA+ migrants.
Edith Cowan University (ECU) has officially launched the Rainbow Migrants Living Lab (RaMiLab), a groundbreaking initiative aimed at improving the lives of LGBTIQA+ migrants through innovative research, professional development, and community engagement.
RaMiLab's research focuses on the unique experiences of LGBTIQA+ migrants, generating insights to inform policy, advocate for systemic change, and translate findings into actionable strategies.
The Rainbow Migrants Living Lab will make its debut with the LGBTIQA+ community at the second edition of Rainbow Migrants' Karaoke with an Accent, in partnership with Umbrella Multicultural Community Care and supported by PrideWA, on Friday 1 November 2024 at Connections Nightclub Northbridge, marking the first event of PrideFEST 2024.
The night will bring the community together in celebration, amplifying the lab's mission to foster social inclusion through creative and cultural activities.
"It is a fantastic way to start PrideFEST, celebrating the diversity and resilience of the LGBTIQA+ migrant community. We look forward to making Rainbow Migrants' Karaoke with an Accent a signature event each year," ECU Vice-Chancellor's Research Fellow Dr Lukasz Krzyzowski said.
The lab builds on the success of a pilot project funded by the WA Office of Multicultural Interests and delivered in partnership with Umbrella Multicultural Community Care.
"The pilot engaged over 60 Rainbow Migrants and established strong partnerships with a wide range of governmental and non-governmental organisations," Dr Krzyzowski said.
"These collaborations and participants will be pivotal in shaping RaMiLab's ongoing research. The pilot's success also unlocked funding for related initiatives, demonstrating the critical need for continued research and intervention."
The lab's key research projects include:
- Rainbow Migrants Observatory: A longitudinal study tracking the experiences of Rainbow Migrants over time, using social network analysis and arts-based research to understand their evolving social support networks and well-being.
- The Empowerment Hub: Engages diverse LGBTIQA+ migrants in leadership roles and community initiatives. At its core is the Rainbow Migrants' Co-Design Leadership Group, driving interventions and research as Citizen Scientists. Through training and community events, participants gain skills in research, leadership, and development. They receive hands-on experience, becoming community researchers and contributing to future projects. This initiative is co-funded by Pride Foundation Australia.
- Pottery Decorating & Planting Migrants' Stories / Rainbow Migrants Social Greenhouse: A creative engagement project blending storytelling with therapeutic art to explore the lived experiences of LGBTIQA+ migrants, including international students, refugees, and people seeking asylum. Building on the project's success, a podcast series is in production, capturing and sharing these powerful stories with a wider audience.
- Co-creating Rainbow Inclusive Care for Gender and Sexually Diverse People in Residential Aged Care: Developing inclusive care models in collaboration with aged care providers, supported by the Medical Research Future Fund.
- Intergenerational Pride Housing Pilot Project: Evaluating innovative housing solutions for intergenerational LGBTIQA+ communities in partnership with GLBTI Rights in Ageing Inc (GRAI), funded by Lotterywest.
- Peer-Led Service Navigation for LGBTIQA+ Refugees and People Seeking Asylum, Professional Development, and Case Management Suport: For service providers and community organisations to better assist LGBTIQA+ refugees and people seeking asylum, in collaboration with MercyCare, funded by Department of Home Affairs.
"By partnering with over 40 organisations, including aged care providers and advocacy groups, we are aiming to ensure that our research directly informs community services," Dr Krzyzowski said.
Dr Krzyzowski said the lab would also provide opportunities for students to bridge academic learning with societal challenges that enhance their job readiness.
"Students will be able to gain hands-on experience through co-design workshops, hackathons, and research projects that align with industry needs," Dr Krzyzowski said.
Dr Lukasz Krzyzowski and ECU Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Students, Equity, and Indigenous) Professor Braden Hill are part of the WA State Government Reference Group, Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and asexual plus (LGBTQIA+) Inclusion Strategy which is aiming to drive inclusiveness for LGBTQIA+ Western Australians.
RaMiLab will form a complimentary research unit alongside Social Ageing and Futures Lab (SAGE) and TRACS Migration Research Network under the broader research program in Migration, Diversity and Care within ECU's School of Arts and Humanities.
For more information and to register for Rainbow Migrants' Karaoke with an Accent, visit the Eventbrite webpage.
