St Vincent de Paul Society Assisting Refugee Kids

An ecological approach to refugee children’s settlement

ACWA Conference

18th August 2008

Jarrah Hoffmann-Ekstein & Clare Thompson

Introductions

• NSW Migrant & Refugee Committee• Programs around NSW• SPARK operates in Western Sydney• Jarrah Hoffmann-Ekstein

• Chair, Steering Committee• Involved in initial research and

development• Clare Thompson

• SPARK Coordinator

Program

• Began October 2006• 5 Primary Schools in Sydney’s West

with significant numbers of African students

• Funded by Vinnies and Department of Immigration and Citizenship

• Over 100 children and over 100 volunteers involved

Program

• Supports teams of skilled volunteers to:• Provide social, cultural and curriculum

support to refugee children and their families

• Raise mainstream community awareness about refugees

• Create opportunities for mutual appreciation and respect to grow

Context• IHSS: insight into early settlement through

service delivery, and survey of Sudanese arrivals

• Concerns: • Short initial settlement assistance• Gaps in proposer support program• Lack of holistic approach, and

primary school aged children entering school without benefit of IECs

Genesis

• Vinnies is a volunteer organisation• Strong links to NGOs working in refugee

settlement and Sudanese community• Discussions with community members,

schools, service providers, youth workers, education officials

• SPARK born!

Theoretical underpinnings

• Ecological approach to children’s settlement:

• Child located in context of self, family, peers, school, community

• Holistic approach

Theoretical underpinnings

• Building community cohesion:

• Social capital as a buffer against social and economic exclusion

• Connect families with other families, teachers, community

• Establish networks of trust, reciprocity, exchange

A Day at SPARK Children: after school activities building

academic, artistic and social skills, special project every term

Family: parents and carers attend informal social and support group, community information days

Younger siblings: play and learn in the school setting

School: awareness raising activities for all students, involvement of teachers

Community: volunteers

Refugee Week Art Project ‘A Place to Call Home’

Challenges

• Connecting with parents and refugee communities

• Support from school and staff for program

• Volunteer engagement• Links to mainstream community

Adapting and responding

• Parents’ information forum

• Older siblings attending

• Children guiding direction of program

• Mentoring and leadership opportunities for parents and volunteers from refugee backgrounds

Wider Impact

• Awareness raising in schools: teachers, principals

• Support from education departments

• DIAC recognising need for children’s programs

Future

• Increase number of schools and move into regional areas- wider

• Develop stronger programs – deeper

• Increase capacity building and community engagement

• Evaluation

• Holistic settlement support for all refugee children

spark@vinnies.org.au