SOCIAL JUSTICE
SNAPSHOT
MIGRANTS AND REFUGEES
By Dr Andy Marks andy.marks@vinnies.org.au
27 October 2008
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SPARK helps kids find a place to call home
ight-year-old Winnie, a refugee from Sudan was recently asked, “What does ‘a place to call home’ mean to you?” It’s an important question, yet one most of us rarely stop to ponder.
Her reply was simple, yet extraordinarily profound. “A place to call home is Australia and Africa”, said Winnie. “I came from Africa to Australia. A place to call home is home. I feel safe at home with my family.” Winnie’s insightful description of ‘home’ arose through her participation in the St Vincent de Paul Society’s SPARK program. SPARK is an acronym for St Vincent de Paul Society Assisting Refugee Kids. Now in its second year, this Special Work continues to produce good outcomes for both participants and volunteers. Focusing on schools with high proportions of refugee students, this highly adaptive and progressive program builds vital links between refugee and mainstream community groups. SPARK plays a critical role in aiding the challenging transition period refugees face in the early stages of their settlement in Australia. Studies show that refugees who receive positive and proactive support in the early period of settlement are far more likely to become productive and cohesive members of the community than those who do not receive sufficient assistance. Combine this logic with research illustrating the lifelong importance of positive reinforcement
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and support for children, and we begin to see how SPARK, a program that marries these two early intervention strategies, is having such a significant impact on refugee communities. Discussing SPARK’s strengths, the program’s coordinator, Clare Thompson explains, “Settlement services are not generally well linked to the education system. SPARK bridges that gap, promoting understanding and collaboration between services, families and communities.” Clare points out that SPARK is also a highly adaptive and innovative program, “operating both within Government and Catholic school systems. No other schools based program”, she adds, “has this level of access and connection with the refugee community.” On the practical level, SPARK draws on current research highlighting the importance of an integrated or holistic approach to settlement issues, rather than fragmented or piece-meal assistance. Primarily centred upon homework assistance groups for primary school aged children, SPARK branches out to include other education and training programs including creative workshops, sports activities, and the provision of information and literacy skills for parents. One of the keys to the success of these support programs is the focus on making them fun. Many of the activities are developed in consultation with the participants. As SPARK volunteer, 21 year-old Jessica says, “When I tried to get the kids to do some spelling they weren’t really interested, all they wanted to do was go outside and play soccer- exactly the same as my brother.” The inclusion of recreational and creative activities has helped to bring the education programs the balance they need, ensuring that kids are able to build self-esteem and support one another in a multitude of ways both within and outside the classroom. SPARK has also enabled the forging of vital links with the mainstream community, with barbeques, picnics and other social gatherings bringing refugee and local communities together in relaxed and informal settings. This is one of many ways in
SPARK plays a critical role in aiding the challenging transition period refugees face in the early stages of their settlement in Australia. which SPARK works towards building self-sustaining relationships that will last well beyond the life of the program. These aspects of the program empower the people involved rather than make them dependent on the ongoing support of external agencies.
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In addition to educational, social and recreational support, SPARK offers refugee families life skills vital in meeting the diverse challenges of settlement. This includes community forums on topics ranging from nutrition through to budgeting. Seemingly minor things like filling in school forms or reading notices have also been important parts of these inclusive learning sessions. The group structure of the information sessions has also led to greater information sharing among refugee families and members of the broader community outside the SPARK program. The growth of this form of mutual support is extremely encouraging. This level of communication and support is a critical feature of an inclusive community.
SPARK has also led to greater information sharing among refugee families and members of the broader community. Finding ‘a place to call home’ can be a difficult task for any of us, but the things that make a place home are familiar to us all. As Winnie says, it is place where we must “feel safe”. Fellow SPARK participant, 8 year-old Rebekah says, home is a place where “we live together.” Hala, aged 9, says “My home is special to me because my family live there. There are also lots of kind neighbours.” 8 year-old Theresa says, “My mum lives at home. My mum is beautiful. I cook with my family. I help my family. I love my family.” The innovative educational, recreational, social and community building features of SPARK ensure it is many things to many people. Most importantly, however, it is a program that helps incredibly traumatised people arrive at a place they can call truly call home.
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