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Transcript of St Vincent de Paul Society Assisting Refugee Kids An ecological approach to refugee children’s...
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