*3.1. Freedom and Opportunities*

Respondents tended to recognise that the rights afforded to them upon settlement within Australia provided them with the opportunity to satisfy their personal needs and ambitions in a way that was not possible given their situation in Africa. This was expressed in terms of gratefulness, particularly considering the limited opportunities afforded to those still living in Africa. For example, there were views that showed a feeling of freedom from previous experiences of education.

In Australia, even though everywhere people have their own tough times and all that but I'm free here. No more running away from war. Free education. I have a lot of opportunities to do things that I want to do than when I was back home. (Respondent 23)

Then, I also have this opportunity where I can go to any university without being denied for my right to study . . . it's a very important gift that God gave to us, so to me I think we are lucky to be here. (Respondent 17)

Through these views, not only did the participants perceive freedom as understood by the mainstream Australian community, but they also understood it in their own unique experiences. They linked freedom to their past experiences and integrated it to shape their self-construct in Australia. Freedom to study in Australia was particularly perceived as important for girls given experiences of girls' education in Africa. The following quote shows how the freedom to education was perceived through a gendered lens.

It's when you have freedom; you have the opportunity to study whatever you want, because that's the hardest thing in Africa for a young girl, just to finish even year 11. To reach that stage it's really hard where here you can study as many courses as you want, so it's a privilege to be here, that's what I always tell my friends. (Participant 12)

However, participants acknowledged that the availability of opportunities tended to be an insufficient condition for using those opportunities in an instrumentally meaningful and purposeful way. Rather, support external to the individual is required to use and benefit from these opportunities.

I think in Australia there are a lot of opportunities in education and all this kind of thing, but the downside of it is even if there's education, if there's no help to cope, you know, to cope with it then it becomes hard to use that opportunity. So, yes, there are opportunities, but we need help, something or someone to keep pushing us to get in there. (Respondent 14)

Some participants revealed pessimism because they felt their lives have not improved since coming to Australia despite the available opportunities in Australia. This view has profoundly shaped their self-outlook as expressed in the below quote.

When we were in Africa, life was really, really terrible and then when we come to Australia—me personally, I thought I was going to have a better life. I've been here for nine years now. I wake up every morning; the only thing I see shining is the sun, but my life's not shining. (participant 14)

Additionally, many participants acknowledged that even if there are opportunities to study, they also experienced limited opportunities for employment, which negatively impacted their experience of living in Australia.

Then you try to get a job and then no-one offering you job, so you find yourself a bit depressed, I guess. Then if you find yourself a bit depressed, what do you do? Drink up, hang out with your friends, go out, make yourself feel good. (Respondent 21)

What I know so far, there are a lot of young people actually get frustrated from school and finding no jobs or getting an appropriate job, so things like that, and people who are actually going under the trauma of homelessness and into drugs, into other things which are negative actually to the young people (respondent 15)
