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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