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![Page 1: St Vincent de Paul Society Assisting Refugee Kids An ecological approach to refugee children’s settlement ACWA Conference 18th August 2008 Jarrah Hoffmann-Ekstein.](https://reader030.fdocuments.in/reader030/viewer/2022032702/56649cef5503460f949be4be/html5/thumbnails/1.jpg)
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
![Page 2: St Vincent de Paul Society Assisting Refugee Kids An ecological approach to refugee children’s settlement ACWA Conference 18th August 2008 Jarrah Hoffmann-Ekstein.](https://reader030.fdocuments.in/reader030/viewer/2022032702/56649cef5503460f949be4be/html5/thumbnails/2.jpg)
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
![Page 3: St Vincent de Paul Society Assisting Refugee Kids An ecological approach to refugee children’s settlement ACWA Conference 18th August 2008 Jarrah Hoffmann-Ekstein.](https://reader030.fdocuments.in/reader030/viewer/2022032702/56649cef5503460f949be4be/html5/thumbnails/3.jpg)
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
![Page 4: St Vincent de Paul Society Assisting Refugee Kids An ecological approach to refugee children’s settlement ACWA Conference 18th August 2008 Jarrah Hoffmann-Ekstein.](https://reader030.fdocuments.in/reader030/viewer/2022032702/56649cef5503460f949be4be/html5/thumbnails/4.jpg)
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
![Page 5: St Vincent de Paul Society Assisting Refugee Kids An ecological approach to refugee children’s settlement ACWA Conference 18th August 2008 Jarrah Hoffmann-Ekstein.](https://reader030.fdocuments.in/reader030/viewer/2022032702/56649cef5503460f949be4be/html5/thumbnails/5.jpg)
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
![Page 6: St Vincent de Paul Society Assisting Refugee Kids An ecological approach to refugee children’s settlement ACWA Conference 18th August 2008 Jarrah Hoffmann-Ekstein.](https://reader030.fdocuments.in/reader030/viewer/2022032702/56649cef5503460f949be4be/html5/thumbnails/6.jpg)
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!
![Page 7: St Vincent de Paul Society Assisting Refugee Kids An ecological approach to refugee children’s settlement ACWA Conference 18th August 2008 Jarrah Hoffmann-Ekstein.](https://reader030.fdocuments.in/reader030/viewer/2022032702/56649cef5503460f949be4be/html5/thumbnails/7.jpg)
Theoretical underpinnings
• Ecological approach to children’s settlement:
• Child located in context of self, family, peers, school, community
• Holistic approach
![Page 8: St Vincent de Paul Society Assisting Refugee Kids An ecological approach to refugee children’s settlement ACWA Conference 18th August 2008 Jarrah Hoffmann-Ekstein.](https://reader030.fdocuments.in/reader030/viewer/2022032702/56649cef5503460f949be4be/html5/thumbnails/8.jpg)
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
![Page 9: St Vincent de Paul Society Assisting Refugee Kids An ecological approach to refugee children’s settlement ACWA Conference 18th August 2008 Jarrah Hoffmann-Ekstein.](https://reader030.fdocuments.in/reader030/viewer/2022032702/56649cef5503460f949be4be/html5/thumbnails/9.jpg)
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
![Page 10: St Vincent de Paul Society Assisting Refugee Kids An ecological approach to refugee children’s settlement ACWA Conference 18th August 2008 Jarrah Hoffmann-Ekstein.](https://reader030.fdocuments.in/reader030/viewer/2022032702/56649cef5503460f949be4be/html5/thumbnails/10.jpg)
Refugee Week Art Project ‘A Place to Call Home’
![Page 11: St Vincent de Paul Society Assisting Refugee Kids An ecological approach to refugee children’s settlement ACWA Conference 18th August 2008 Jarrah Hoffmann-Ekstein.](https://reader030.fdocuments.in/reader030/viewer/2022032702/56649cef5503460f949be4be/html5/thumbnails/11.jpg)
Challenges
• Connecting with parents and refugee communities
• Support from school and staff for program
• Volunteer engagement• Links to mainstream community
![Page 12: St Vincent de Paul Society Assisting Refugee Kids An ecological approach to refugee children’s settlement ACWA Conference 18th August 2008 Jarrah Hoffmann-Ekstein.](https://reader030.fdocuments.in/reader030/viewer/2022032702/56649cef5503460f949be4be/html5/thumbnails/12.jpg)
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
![Page 13: St Vincent de Paul Society Assisting Refugee Kids An ecological approach to refugee children’s settlement ACWA Conference 18th August 2008 Jarrah Hoffmann-Ekstein.](https://reader030.fdocuments.in/reader030/viewer/2022032702/56649cef5503460f949be4be/html5/thumbnails/13.jpg)
Wider Impact
• Awareness raising in schools: teachers, principals
• Support from education departments
• DIAC recognising need for children’s programs
![Page 14: St Vincent de Paul Society Assisting Refugee Kids An ecological approach to refugee children’s settlement ACWA Conference 18th August 2008 Jarrah Hoffmann-Ekstein.](https://reader030.fdocuments.in/reader030/viewer/2022032702/56649cef5503460f949be4be/html5/thumbnails/14.jpg)
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