1. SESSION 5 Working with Refugee Children & Young People Refugee children on the Thai Burma Border

2. Making the Dreams Come True With a little help, refugees can build new and successful lives very quickly. You can play an important part in this process. Refugee Children - Thai Burma Border

3. The Importance of School The first point of contact with other Australians. At times, a place of many barriers.

4. Schools as places of security and healing

5. For many refugee children and youth, school is the doorway to their new life. It is a door they often have to pass through without parental support. We must ensure that we provide appropriate support so that the door always remains open.

6. Respecting Cultures Traumatic experiences can be easily influenced by culture. We need to consult with refugee communities and learn about their cultural ways of healing.

7. There are many things teachers can do to assist refugee children in schools. How To Help

8. The following “Recovery Goals” have been identified as critical to the successful integration and development of refugee children and youth who have experienced trauma. How to Help

9. Recovery Goal 1 To restore safety and enhance control, reduce the disabling effects of fear and anxiety How:  provision of basic needs – health, welfare, education and accommodation and accommodation  identify causes of anxiety and address the effects of anxiety anxiety  restore safety  provide information about the trauma reaction (normalise) (normalise)  relaxation exercises to deal with the effects on the body body

10. Recovery Goal 2 To restore attachment and connections and overcome grief and loss How:  foster a continuing, trusting connection with an available, caring adult caring adult  group participation to reduce social isolation  promoting sense of belonging by overcoming resettlement problems problems  link a young person with supportive groups and agencies  provide opportunities for social/political action which may be valued by the young person and restore sense of purpose valued by the young person and restore sense of purpose

11. Recovery Goal 3 To restore identity, meaning and purpose in life How:  group programs for promoting communication, reducing isolation and enhancing self-esteem isolation and enhancing self-esteem  integrating past, present and future through activities such as art, story telling and drama as art, story telling and drama  create new opportunities to facilitate a view of the future  explore concepts of self, other and the community  validate the trauma and difficulties experienced  validate profound cultural differences in values between country of origin and Australia and potential for conflict country of origin and Australia and potential for conflict  education in human rights and the political background to violence violence

12. Recovery Goal 4: To restore dignity and self-value How:  strategies to reduce guilt and shame  allow the expression of guilt and shame  reflect to the young person that it is normal for them to wish that they could have done more to prevent others from being that they could have done more to prevent others from being harmed harmed  in counselling sessions, allow young people to tell and retell events and stories in order to reduce guilt events and stories in order to reduce guilt  assist with developing ways in which the young person can actually do something to reduce guilt actually do something to reduce guilt  community acknowledgment of human rights violations and the need for redress the need for redress

13. Conclusion Remember to look after yourselves. Working with refugees can be emotionally draining and it is possible for people working with traumatized refugees to become traumatized themselves. Ensure support systems are in place so that staff have the opportunity to debrief regularly.

14. GOOD LUCK with your work. GOOD LUCK with your work. The task ahead is not easy. The task ahead is not easy. However, assisting refugee children and youth to build on their innate resilience to overcome their stolen childhood is one of the most rewarding things we can do!