Transition support for students
from refugee backgrounds
Refugee students in schools
Refugee students
• come from diverse cultural and linguistic
backgrounds
• come from different educational and socio-economic
backgrounds
• have had a range of life experiences
• have all suffered trauma associated with refugee
experiences
Need for transition support
Young students from refugee backgrounds may need support
in learning and negotiating:
• school expectations, culture and new ways of learning –
transition from IEC to mainstream
• English language, literacy, numeracy skills
• settlement, education and family responsibilities
• peer relationships and social acceptance
• aspirations, expectations and reality – future pathways
• transitions towards citizenship in a new cultural space
Role of schools and teachers
• Refugee young people see education as a source of
hope for future
• Schools can provide a sense of safety, attachment,
belonging and wellbeing – links with broader
Australian community
• Relationships with teachers and school staff very
important
• Schools can assist students to develop peer
relationships
Successful Settlement and Learning
Safety
Skills
STARS
Responsibility
Trust
Attachment
Refugee Transition Program (RTP)
Aims to support high school
aged refugee students:
• in transition from
intensive English
programs into mainstream
high school
• to plan their transition
from school to further
education, training or
employment
Participating schools
South Western Sydney Region
Parramatta HS (2009)
Fairvale HS (2009)
Auburn Girls High School
Chester Hill High School
Fairfield High School
Holroyd High School
Lurnea High School
Miller Technology High School
Liverpool BHS (2011)
Liverpool GHS (2011)
Western Sydney Region
Doonside THS (2009)
Mitchell High School
Arthur Phillip High School
Evans HS (2011)
North Coast Region
Orara High School
Riverina Region
Wagga Wagga High School
Hunter Central Coast Region
Callaghan College – Waratah
Campus
Illawarra South East Region
Wollongong HS PA (2011)
Challenging authentic learning tasks
• Students form a political party and design a how-to-vote
brochure for their families/carers
• Students make animated films about traditional games and
share at childcare centre
• Students research and make a film about a career path that
interests them, including interview
• Students plan a cultural tour of their local area for students
from another school
• Students complete barista training and plan and run a café
• Students build a website to provide information for refugee
communities
Social Inclusion Pathways for Refugee Youth
Centrelink
STARTTS
RTP
WORK
VENTURES
TAFE
Outreach
Liverpool
Fairfield
HS
TAFE
Work readiness programs
RAW: JobQuest Penrith
• Employability skills
• Vocational learning and
preparation for work/
• Work with career partners
/partnership brokers
/community organisations
RAS: Refugee Action Support
In-school and after
school tutorial
assistance from
university students
Macquarie Mentoring program
University student
mentors assist high
school students from
refugee
backgrounds to
develop study and
learning skills, think
about their future life
after school and plan
their transition to
further education
and training.
The Welcome Program
• Orientation program for refugee
/ ESL students in transition to HS
from IEC
• 8 x weekly sessions including :
• orientation to HS
• expectations
• getting organised
• homework and
assessments
• pathways
• challenges at high school
Whole school professional learning