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

spark@vinnies.org.au