Abstract

School's In for Refugees - Whole School Approach to supporting Students of a refugee background

Author(s)

Jane Grant -The Victorian Foundation for Survivors of Torture

Ms Susanne Prosser -The Victorian Foundation for Survivors of Torture

The refugee experience and related trauma can have a profound and long term impact on learning and wellbeing.  Trauma and disrupted schooling pose large hurdles for young people as they attempt to negotiate the resettlement demands in a new country and engage in learning in the Australian education systems.  Many of these challenges place some refugee background students at a high risk of disengaging with education and becoming marginalised in the community.  Schools play a vital role in supporting students in their recovery from trauma and the provision of appropriate strategies to help rebuild a sense of safety, dignity, identity, purpose and connection to others that allow opportunities for recovery, learning and thriving.

This poster:
� identifies the experiences of trauma shared by many of our refugee background 
   students in Australia and the complex challenges they must negotiate during 
   resettlement;
� introduces the framework for recovery that illustrates the importance of restoring 
   safety; connections to others; meaning and purpose; dignity and value for young 
   people with refugee experiences; 
� outlines the 'Schools in for Refugees' whole school approach taken by some schools 
   in Victoria to support students from a refugee background; 
� identifies inclusive classroom and whole school strategies used in schools that 
   promote engagement in learning and school life;
� provides links to resources and activities that can be used to work with refugee 
   background students that support their social and emotional well being and aim to 
   enhance their sense of connectedness and belonging to their school.