Support for Refugees

Improving the understanding of refugee parents and students about educational and employment pathways

Young refugees and their families may need support to understand the Australian education system, particularly the complex pathways in post compulsory education. Schools can provide this support in a number ways.

Provide information about Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE), Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning (VCAL) and Vocational Education and Training (VET) courses for distribution to parents. The Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA) (www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/vce/publications/index.html) has translated information for parents and students.

The Centre for Multicultural Youth Issues (CMYI) publication A Guide for newly arrived young people – Understanding the Victorian education and training system (PDF – 604Kb) (www.cmyi.net.au/uploads/downloads/cmyi/pdfs/Publications) (CMYI 2003) is available in English and 12 other languages.

Be aware of your Local Learning and Employment Network (LLEN) and its role. Contact details for all LLENs are available on their web site in the Find my LLEN (http://www.llen.vic.gov.au/FindUs.aspx) section.

Hold parent information sessions, with interpreters if necessary, where they can hear from Managed Individual Pathways (MIP) workers, career advisors, student welfare coordinators and others.