St Vincent de Paul Society Assisting Refugee Kids

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• St Vincent de Paul Society Assisting
  Refugee Kids
• An ecological approach to refugee
  childrens settlement
• ACWA Conference
• 18th August 2008
• Jarrah Hoffmann-Ekstein Clare Thompson

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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

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Program

• Began October 2006
• 5 Primary Schools in Sydneys West with
  significant numbers of African students
• Funded by Vinnies and Department of Immigration
  and Citizenship
• Over 100 children and over 100 volunteers involved

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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

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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

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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!

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Theoretical underpinnings

• Ecological approach to childrens settlement
• Child located in context of self, family, peers,
  school, community
• Holistic approach

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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

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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

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Refugee Week Art Project A Place to
Call Home
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Challenges

• Connecting with parents and refugee communities
• Support from school and staff for program
• Volunteer engagement
• Links to mainstream community

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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

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Wider Impact

• Awareness raising in schools teachers,
  principals
• Support from education departments
• DIAC recognising need for childrens programs

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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

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spark_at_vinnies.org.au