BSSC EAL VCAL students have been invited by Foundation House to contribute to focus groups seeking to identify what is helpful—or not—in ensuring students from a refugee background do well and are happy at school in Victoria.
Foundation House provides services to advance the health, wellbeing and human rights of people of refugee backgrounds in Victoria who have experienced traumatic events in their country of origin, or while fleeing those countries.
School Support Workers, Ged and Simone, who hosted the meeting at BSSC on Thursday afternoon said that BSSC was one of three Victorian schools selected for the research.
“There is long and positive relationship between Foundation House and the school,” Ged said. “BSSC has a strong and ongoing commitment to supporting students from refugee backgrounds.”
Simone explained to the students how the process would unfold and how the results would help to guide future approaches to supporting refugee students as they settle into their new life and the Victorian school system.
Most of the students who attended were from a Karen background and the meeting was interpreted by BSSC Multicultural Education Aide, Plokaw Phonwinyu, for the benefit of all who attended, including a number of parents whose support will be important to the process.
