A program to support the English language and literacy skills of young refugees in Wagga Wagga has been expanded with the help of education and social work students at Charles Sturt University (CSU).

An initiative of the Australian Literacy and Numeracy Foundation, the Refugee Action Support (RAS) program began as a trial in the Riverina region at Wagga Wagga High School in 2009. Initially third year education students at CSU worked as volunteer literacy and learning tutors to assist 26 teenage refugees.

In 2010, Bachelor of Social Work students at CSU joined the RAS program as volunteer tutors and the program has been expanded to include refugee students at Turvey Park Public School in Wagga Wagga, the program’s first primary school in NSW.

“The volunteer tutors from Charles Sturt University have worked with teenagers in small groups this year,” explained program coordinator at Wagga Wagga High School, Ms Deborah Anscombe. “They thought the experience was so valuable a number of students have already indicated they want to continue as volunteer tutors in 2011.”

Mr Eric Brace from the Australian Literacy and Numeracy Foundation said, “This program has grown from strength to strength since its inception in 2007 with just four high schools in Blacktown, Sydney. It now includes volunteer tutors from three universities and in 2011, 26 schools are due to participate in RAS, including with Charles Sturt University in Albury-Wodonga.”

CSU program co-ordinators are lecturers, Ms Rhonda Hoare and Dr Kip Langat, from the School of Education at CSU in Wagga Wagga.

“At a recent feedback session with students from Wagga Wagga High, the program was applauded,” Dr Langat said. One refugee student scored his experience with the tutor 11 out of 10. When questioned why, the student replied that the volunteer tutor has been ‘there for him’ and ‘he is a boy’ and ‘he is cool’.

“The commitment to the program by all involved has given these students extra courage and confidence to give schooling and life a go. Refugee Action Support is creating a supportive space for academic, emotional and social engagements for refugee students in Wagga Wagga.”

Not restricted to refugee students, the tutoring program in Wagga Wagga also includes recently arrived migrants, particularly those from non-English speaking backgrounds, and Indigenous students.

Social work student at CSU in Wagga Wagga and RAS tutor in 2010, Mr John Mador said, “I found the Refugee Action Support Program as an excellent program. It is an innovation - an education within the education system.

“Most refugee students are severely disadvantaged in education. Having a RAS tutor sitting next to a student who seems overwhelmed by their new school is a great opportunity,” Mr Mador, a former refugee from Southern Sudan said. “It helps students overcome their fear of not getting something right. Having a second teacher next to them, they can focus and finish their homework which would otherwise be difficult due to mum or dad at home not being able to assist their children with school work.

“I hope to take part in the program in 2011, but it will depend on my workload as I enter my final year of Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Social Work at CSU in Wagga Wagga.”

Another tutor in the RAS program this year was Bachelor of Teaching (Secondary) student at CSU in Wagga Wagga, Ms Danielle Ross. “I worked with four teenagers at Wagga Wagga High School in 2010 in their classrooms as well as one-on-one. The program helped the students get their assignments handed in. I also benefited by being exposed to, and learning about, diversity in the classroom. “

The program is due to recommence in the Riverina for its third successive year in March 2011.

The Refugee Action Support program is supported by CSU, the NSW Department of Education and Training, and the Australian Literacy and Numeracy Foundation.