Page 12 - Unity Edn 42

Community partnerships: Supporting refugee students

Wal Akol Jok on his way to winning the 2019 College Cross Country

school located in the heart of Darwin in Australia's relationship with the refugee centre.'
Northern Territory has partnered with a local
A refugee centre to support young people from a St. John's has an enrolment of around 200 students,
refugee or humanitarian program background transition 50 per cent of whom come from Darwin suburbs 30 per
to school in Australia. cent from remote Indigenous communities, and roughly
20 per cent who come from international locations.
To date, the program has supported 20 students - some
of whom have fled from places like the Democratic In addition, 40 per cent of students identify as
Republic of Congo and South Sudan. Indigenous and over 60 per cent come from a Language
Background Other Than English (LBOTE). Over 10 per
St. John's Catholic College Principal, Cameron Hughes, cent of students come from a refugee or humanitarian
says the college has a focus on Catholic identity, quality program background.
teaching and learning, and pastoral care.
Features of the partnership
'The goal of the partnership between Melaleuca (Refugee
Centre) and St. John's is to support and connect young Hughes says the school has various programs and
people to education, and as a Catholic college we see structures in place to support refugee students. This
this partnership as a big part of our mission,' he says. includes a clinic staffed by a registered nurse, and a
vertical pastoral care program to create a 'Culture of
Hughes has taught at St. John's since 2004. In 2008 Welcome, Where Everyone Belong'. The school has also
he was appointed Acting Principal and has since been employed two staff members from a refugee background
appointed to the ongoing position. to support students and assist with translation and
transitioning into a mainstream Australian school.
In his first week as Acting Principal, Hughes visited
Melaleuca Refugee Centre (http://melaleuca. 'The college had an extensive Intensive English Unit
org.au/) to introduce himself and the college to the that catered for international students only,' Hughes
Melaleuca staff. says. 'The college repositioned this unit to cater for
both international students and new arrival students,
'A few weeks later, a Melaleuca case manager contacted including refugee students. The college also provides
me as they were having trouble placing some recently access to education and supports families with tuition,
arrived students in a school. The students enrolled uniforms and books.
at St. John's and from here the partnership grew,' he
says. 'Before this, the school was well placed to support In addition, Melaleuca provides ongoing expert pastoral
students from a refugee or humanitarian program care and services for students and their families,
background, however, had not explicitly cultivated a including access to counselling, induction programs, and
12 Catholic Community of the Northern Territory, Diocese of Darwin