engaging communities: designing & delivering effectively targeted support to humanitarian...
TRANSCRIPT
Engaging Communities: designing & delivering effectively targeted support to humanitarian entrant students.
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Student Services – First Year & Retention Team
Engaging Communities Authors: Brian Sweeney
CALD Program
Matthew HingstonCALD Program
Presenters: Alison PootFirst Year Co-ordinator
Jane RienksCatalyst Program
Student Services – First Year & Retention Team
Setting the Scene
Student Services – First Year & Retention Team
Session Outline
Who are they?
What do they need from us? Why?
What have we done to support them?
How have we done it?
What have we achieved?
What themes have emerged?
Is the approach broadly applicable?
Student Services – First Year & Retention Team
Context ~ Who are they? CALD – Culturally and Linguistically Diverse
Domestic – not International Students
Humanitarian Entrants
- mostly refugees- trauma & torture- collectivist cultures- priorities are safety, family & education
Student Services – First Year & Retention Team
Context ~ UTAS Client Group
UTAS 2007 – more than 500 who identify
Mostly African – Sudan, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Rwanda, Eritrea….
Also Latin America, Central Asia and the Balkans
Client group growing steadily since 2004 and will include significant numbers of Burmese by 2008
Student Services – First Year & Retention Team
What do they need from us?
Cultural Connection & Welcoming
Help with ‘welfare’ issues – accommodation, part time employment, finances, health care access…
Learning & Skills Support
- Computer skills- Information literacy- Language skills- Enhanced
foundation learning- Transition to
different teaching/learning style
- Understanding of university’s expectations
Student Services – First Year & Retention Team
The most important thing they need is…
• Acknowledgement of their past and present
experiences…..
Life of Safety& Certainty
Crisis/Trauma Refugee LifeSettlement
Journey
Lifelong redefinition of and search for safety & certainty
Student Services – First Year & Retention Team
What have we achieved?
Successful first year CALD students up from 35% in 2005 to more than 75% in 2006.
Extensive networks with community service providers.
Support of Humanitarian Entrant communities, government agencies, schools, TAFE, UTAS community.
Student Services – First Year & Retention Team
How have we done it?
Profiling to understand client group ~ data, focus groups, critical reflection…
Early intervention to influence pathway planning and preparedness ~ outreach, community networks
Parallel tutorials ~ content focussed & driven by immediate student needs
Cross-cultural workshops & fact sheets1-to-1 support of academic and general staff
Focus on shift to self-sufficiency in university & wider community environments
TERROR ~ truth, empathy, respect, reliability, originality & resilience
Student Services – First Year & Retention Team
Themes 1
Shift in process from reactive/generic to early/anticipated/flexible/targeted.
Program based on key community partnerships and human connection
Core experience of officers – experience of the outsider with freedom to be creative in developing support options for students and staff
Student Services – First Year & Retention Team
Themes 2
Move to independence ~ refugee experience requires dependence on aid workers. Important same dependence not transferred to UTAS staff.
Cultural awareness ~ own & others for both ‘hosts’ & ‘newcomers’ is critical in effective interaction
Understanding & supporting true settlement is fundamental for effective service design.
Student Services – First Year & Retention Team
Themes 3
The program is underpinned across all of these elements by the need to Engage Communities:
- Migrant communities
- University staff – general and academic
- Service Providers
- Broader community
- Business community
Student Services – First Year & Retention Team
Broader applicability
Other equity groups ~ officers believe acknowledgement of human commonality and cultural adaptability can be central to service design for Low-SES and Disability students.
Well-being ~ holistic nature of program lends itself well to complementing ‘well-being’ approaches to the university experience.
Consistent with other UTAS FY approaches like the Catalyst Program.