SUPPORTER
AUTUMN 2019
Strengthening support for life at school
For the last four years the Anglican Sudanese Engagement Project has supported parents to build confidence and a stronger connection to the life of their children at St Columba College in Andrews Farm. The project, which ran from 2014 to 2018, was joint-funded by AnglicareSA, the Anglican Diocese of Adelaide and St Columba College to support families from a refugee and migrant background to feel less isolated and more comfortable in their local community. David Amol, who is from the Sudanese Dinka community, was employed to lead the project and develop a school-based service for students and their parents.
The Anglican Sudanese Engagement Project has supported 165 Sudanese students and a further 44 students from other parts of Africa. The project has seen St Columba College establish a cultural diversity and inclusion team. Parents have become involved in school strategies and volunteering, and are provided with group meeting spaces at the school. Due to its success, the school and the Anglican Diocese will continue to fund the project. Meanwhile, AnglicareSA’s Family Connect program continues to work with St Columba College, with a particular focus on supporting mothers from a refugee background.
“There’s a large Sudanese settlement in Andrew’s Farm with many children attending St Columba College,” said Mary Awata, AnglicareSA Principal Multicultural Services. “But due to language barriers and other issues at home, parents are vulnerable to being disconnected from their children’s schooling – in many cases families didn’t have the confidence to engage with the school. “David, with his deep understanding of the community, has been a vital bridge between the school, students and parents, which has seen the school culture and student performance significantly improve.”
Supporting newarrivals in need AnglicareSA was recently awarded an Australian Government grant for the Settlement Engagement and Transition Support (SETS) program. SETS is a specialist settlement service in Adelaide’s north that supports humanitarian entrants (people who resettle in Australia under the Humanitarian Program) and migrants aged between 18 and 30 years to achieve sustainable settlement with a focus on learning English, and engaging in education, training and employment. SETS aims to work with young adults to identify their talents and aspirations for the future, and develop achievable pathways to assist on this journey. The SETS program complements other AnglicareSA programs including the Newly Arrived Youth Service, Humanitarian Settlement Program (Housing) and Family Connect. The SETS program is based at our Elizabeth Mission site. For more information call 1800 778 008 or email sets@anglicaresa.com.au.
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