Resilience and Reinvention: The Power of a Migration Story and Women’s Empowerment with Imma Navazio

Imma shares her adaptation journey, which began in 2018, and the difficulties she encountered, such as integrating into a new culture and the language barrier when she moved to Australia.

​​Imma had to embrace resilience and perseverance to define her place and set clear goals. 

Imma now empowers other women mentoring them into their professional journeys and is committed to improving support for migrant families.

LISTEN AND LEARN

• Reflections on Migration and Personal Growth
• Empathy and Support in Migration
• Careers and opportunities for women

• Lived experience as a resource

• The support of coaches and mentors

• Learning and growth: the other side of the coin

• Imma’s Sliding Doors moment

Imma’s difficult beginning in Australia

Imma starts the conversation by sharing with vulnerability her difficult start  in Australia

“The transition wasn’t just a geographical battle, but it represented a life change. I went to Australia with my young child, and she was my primary focus. I transitioned from full-time working mother in my hometown, surrounded by my family, and then I transformed in Australia with a very different support system.

It was difficult to navigate the system, both emotionally and psychologically”.

She arrived in Australia with basic English, she was wondering if her previous skills could be translated in the new work market. She felt underestimated, and found it hard to navigate the local system.

Like Imma, many newcomers feel the same: without references, isolated, who doubt own competencies.

The loss of  confidence and questioning own capacity in every sector of life.

Imma’s values: perseverance and resilience

At the beginning she was trying to understand where she was and what place was available for her. SHe had to learn quickly adapt and focus on her next step. There comes perseverance and resilience. She started applying her existing skills in an unfamiliar context. Emotional intelligence, empathy and problem solving allowed her to navigate the new professional life she was embarking on.

Imma was practicing becoming more familiar with the Australian culture and its values. She was focusing on the best way to connect to new people she was interacting with by understanding their needs. 

Often relying only on your national community might be comforting at the beginning but it keeps you in that safe bubble, not stretching our ability to branch out with the local community.

Imma says “it’s a gift to stay in a new country and connect with the local community”. She highlights the richness of the Australian multicultural society.

Curiosity skill

According to the Cambridge Dictionary, curiosity is an “eager wish to learn.”

Imma says she never stops thinking and she constantly wants to learn about people she interacts with, places she visits, and seeks new opportunities.

Lived experience as a resource

New language, new culture, new medical system, new school system, different geography. Imma shares how being in the same situation of new migrants has helped her to connect and understand their journey. Being the lived experience makes you a role model. You have empathy and comprehension of their struggles, you become their support. 

Imma states that being able to help the newcomers is a gift that she received from them.

The support of coaches and mentors

Imma started as a volunteer to improve her language. She wasn’t afraid to start over from an entry level in the work market. She was aware about the process that she was expected to go through  before she could find the position she was aiming for.

She benefitted from the support of a coach. She realised she needed to have a person who understood her language, and also her emotions. Imma was happy to find a great coach, initially, but was also helped by great mentors that supported her career growth. One of them is her current manager.

Imma stresses the importance of these resources she did not take advantage of when working in Italy, but in Australia she finds them very valuable.

Learning and growth: the other side of the coin

Often in new environments or new countries we are faced with new systems, new way of doing things.

Everything that is new is not necessarily negative. Instead it represents an opportunity for growth.

We are in an era of ongoing learning and unprecedented innovation. In specific industries and sectors of course, but this is something we can consider and embrace in every aspect of our life.

So the other side of the coin becomes an opportunity for personal and professional growth: they always go hand in hand.

“Is part of the journey to navigate uncertainty, the ability to learn quickly with creativity and curiosity will pay off “ says Imma.

This is one of the reasons why I am working on a new project I want you to hear about.

A community, a co-working space, and a learning space all under the same roof.

So that all those people like you, that have a dream, an idea, or a seed for a new project won’t feel alone and will have a community to tap into. Like minded people that work side by side to their new business idea or career path, with a dedicated learning space. 

It will be by invitation, and will host monthly meetings online.

If you are interested, or know someone who could benefit from this project,

sign up here to get notified when I open the doors of the Reinvention Lab.

Or record a voice message below