Refugees need University's support, VIC

15 August 2008

A landmark report by Victoria University’s (VU) Institute for Community, Ethnicity and Policy Alternatives (ICEPA) offers a best practice model for the tertiary education and training sector to improve access for refugees.

Report co-author and ICEPA Director, Associate Professor Danny Ben-Moshe, said the report calls for a systematic approach to educational service provision to help refugee students overcome the major barriers they face when seeking access to TAFE and Higher Education...

The best practice model recommended by the report includes:

* fee relief (most refugees say they cannot participate in education without this),
* support with transport (particularly in rural and regional areas),
* waver of materials costs,
* the provision of role models and mentors (ideally other refugees who have now settled and can appreciate the experience of new arrivals) and,
* understanding of, and assistance with, the diverse child-care needs of refugees.

Ben-Moshe said: “Refugee student needs have to be addressed holistically rather than just their educational needs. If the students are to achieve their educational outcomes institutions have to take into account their socio-economic and cultural circumstance and provide general life education services beyond the usual remit of an education provider.

“Educational institutions need to change the way they think and take on board the broader needs of the refugees, such as housing and child care. They can do this by having a liaison officer that works with the refugees and external bodies such as service providers...

“A program of cross-cultural training should also be implemented for TAFE and Higher Education teachers and other staff such as librarians, to inform them of the needs of refugees and appropriate responses.”

And some rose petals too?