BMLLEN Refugee Transition Project

Government secondary collegesin City of Brimbank

2010/2011

Please note:

The final report with a complete set of recommendations will be available in June/July 2011 following the approval of the BMLLEN Committee of Management.

BMLLEN Refugee Transition Project

3 aspects:• Overview of the 2010 refugee cohort• Case studies• Individual Transition Support

Definition of “refugee”

• Refugee or humanitarian visaand/or

from countries which have experienced conflict• English is not the home language• Enrolled in Australian schools for less than 7

years

The refugee experience frequently involves:

- trauma of escaping conflict

- loss of one or more parents

- disrupted or little schooling

- long term insecurity

- health issues: physical, mental

- violence

- long term poverty

In 2010 there were 252 refugee students in Years 7 – 12 in

government schools in Brimbank.

62% male38% female

No. refugee students at each year level2010

Year level 7 8 9 10 11 12 Total

No. students

36 59 34 48 46 29 252

• 55% of the refugee students have been enrolled in an Australian school for less than 5 years.

• In 2010 there were 67 refugee students in Years 10-12 in Brimbank schools with less than 5 years of education in an Australian school.

Country of birth

• Sudan/Kenya/Uganda• Ethiopia/“East Africa”• Sierra Leone/Liberia/Ivory Coast/Guinea

• Burma/Thailand• Iraq• Afghanistan

47%11% 9% 8% 4% 4%

Languages spoken

• Dinka• Arabic• “African language”• Amharic• “Burmese”/Chin/Karen• Tigrinya• Dari/Persian

74 students342019181715

From 2009 student questionnaires (n = 77):

• About 40% live with 2 parents.• About 25% live with an adult other than a parent.• Average no. children in a household is 5.• About two-thirds of the parents/guardians

attend English classes.

Courses in Year 12 in 2010

VCAL VCE BridgingNo. students 5 23 1

Exit destinations (Years 7 – 11)(n = 30)

• Other schools• TAFE• Seeking employment• Overseas• Unknown

13 6 3 1 7

Exit destinations of Year 12 refugee students(n = 29)

• Further study• Repeat Year 12• Fulltime employment• Seeking employment• Overseas/interstate• Unknown

21 2 1 2 2 1

Further study of exits

• TAFE (Diploma, certificate) – 18 (5 received intensive advocate assistance)

•Uni. (degree) – 9

TAFE Courses in 2011(n = 18)

• VU: ESL (5), Youth Work, Legal Studies, IT(2), Business, Sport

• RMIT: Engineering, Accounting

• Kangan: Justice, Work Education, Auto

• Swinburne: Lab. Technician, Human Resources

Uni. Courses in 2011(n = 9)

• VU: Engineering, Finance, Foundation Studies, Fitness

• RMIT: Social Work, Laboratory Medicine

• Latrobe: Human Services, Business

• Deakin: Commerce

Exits of female students (Years 7-12)(n = 21)

• Other schools• Seeking employment• Interstate/overseas• TAFE• University• Unknown

922323

INDIVIDUAL TRANSITION SUPPORTPROJECT

Brief: To provide intensive support to students at risk of not making a good transition from school to study or work

Timing: Between late November 2010 and end of March 2011

Advocates: One male and one female worker

Meetings with Careers Teachers to identify students for project

Referral of eight most ‘at risk’ students – 6 at first, 2 later

Initial Meetings with students: 5 in December, 2 in January, 1 in February

PROCESS

STUDENTS REFERRED TO PROGRAM

5 young men: • 4 from Sudan via Kenya, Egypt or Uganda• 1 from Afghanistan

3 young women:• 2 from Iraq via Iran• 1 from Afghanistan

EDUCATIONAL STATUS OF STUDENTS

4 had completed VCE (all with ATARs of <30)

1 had passed some VCE subjects

1 had passed Year 12 VCAL

2 had failed Year 11 and needed a plan for 2011

CHALLENGES FOR ADVOCATES

Maintaining close contact with students

Very tight time line before direct course applications closed and courses began

Need to be constantly available at short notice

CHALLENGES FOR STUDENTS

Lack of knowledge of possible careers in the Australian work force

Applying for tertiary courses• Choices not matched by VCE or VCAL results• Only one offer through VTAC• Lack of confidence in finding their way

through the system

CHALLENGES FOR STUDENTS

Lack of geographical knowledge of Melbourne, and of public transport routes

Financial situation of students and families

For some young women – cultural and family expectations, including arranged marriage

OUTCOMES OF PROJECT

All 8 students found pathways for 2011, although 2 have not yet enrolled to study

• Diploma in Justice• Diploma in Business• Cert III in Community Studies • Cert III ESL (Further Study)• Cert III ESL / Comm Studies (currently overseas)• Cert IV Building & Construction (to start Sem 2)• Return to school, changing from VCE to VCAL• Return to school, doing VCAL with integration support

WHAT WORKED IN SECURING GOOD OPTIONS FOR 2011

• Availability of TIME for advocates’ work• Identifying students’ strengths and their goals

for the future• Practical help provided• Relatively low cost of TAFE Diploma and

Certificate Courses• Meeting parents, especially mothers of the

female students

PRACTICAL HELP PROVIDED...

• Identifying available courses • Advocating for students after deadlines closed• Assisting students fill in application forms• Driving them to information sessions • Preparing them for interviews• Showing them public transport routes• Making sure they had money for books & fees• Assisting them with enrolment

IN THE CONTEXT OF...

Recognising their existing strengths AND

Their future goalsAND

Conveying the belief that they have the ability to succeed in their

chosen pathways

Good News!

Majority of refugee students going on to further education.

Well doneto

schools and students.

Good work but . . .• Concerns re students with “unknown”

destinations• Some refugee students definitely

need intensive assistance for a successful transition• Uncertainty re progress in

TAFE/university

Serious Risk:If refugee students do not make a successful

transition to employment or further education,

they may become isolated or alienated and non

contributors to Australian society.

A few of the recommendations re refugee students:

• Employ advocates to work across schools and

provide intensive casework.

• Continue to monitor the transition, pathways and

progress of refugee students

• Increase awareness of teachers re refugee

students (eg. backgrounds, learning needs)

• Careers teachers to ensure refugee families are well informed re different pathways.

• Schools to work with a tertiary institute to provide a model of support for refugee students.

• Establish a network of employers to provide part-time work for refugee students.

Final report available in June/July._________________

Mary Cahill Varda PhilippouMarie DobsonHarry Dobson