Download the WCC EPRI Evaluation December 2025
Download the EPRI Pre budget submission
Download the EPRI Participant Demographics Snapshot
Download the EPRI Evaluation Report
The Economic Pathways to Refugee Integration (EPRI) program changes lives. It supports humanitarian entrants furthest from the labour market due to low skills and/or low English literacy build pathways to secure and meaningful employment or enterprise.
Through EPRI we have supported 500 refugees to improve their English, build skills and confidence, identify their interests, tackle employment barriers and build a pathway to employment or self-employment, and for many they are now in employment or have started their own microenterprise or small business. WCC offers tailored support, including training, volunteering, paid placements, casual and part-time roles, job search strategies, resume building, and interview techniques, equipping participants with the skills they need to secure sustainable and meaningful employment. WCC’s four social enterprises play a key role in getting participants job ready.
EPRI is funded by the Australian Government Department of Home Affairs.
WCC EPRI program participant journeys through working across four WCC social enterprises and our small business program:
driverEd is a multilingual professional driving school enterprise that provides high-quality and culturally appropriate lessons. In addition to providing driving lessons for EPRI who can’t drive the social enterprise supports refugees to start their own business as certified instructors.
“As the oldest son, losing my dad placed a huge responsibility on my shoulders with the family relying on me. I doubted my English and skills, thinking I wouldn’t get far. WCC’s support turned my dream into reality. Now I’m a full-time driving instructor and forever grateful”
Women in Work mobile childcare (WiW) provides a flexible mobile childcare service. WiW employs refugee women who are experiencing barriers to employment due to English level. Women in Work offers EPRI participants the opportunity to shadow experienced workers to learn from doing. WCC also offers participants secondments with WiW clients.
Food Collective operates a café and catering enterprise, to provide training and employment in food handling, wholesaling, logistics and retail for refugees migrants and young people.
nugal biik Plants and Seeds, is a production nursery specialising in indigenous flora of the region. It is proudly climate positive, supports local First Nations initiatives, conservation activities and refugee employment pathways.
WCC’s Small Business Projects offer free business skills and training, helping participants transform their ideas or skills into micro-businesses.
“WCC helped me turn my hobby into a small business, allowing me to share my culture, create something special, and support my family while building a future in Australia. It’s been a life-changing experience, and the support and guidance gave me the push I needed. This opportunity has enabled me to learn, grow, and build something meaningful.”
**This project is supported with funding from the Australian Government’s Department of Home Affairs.**