× EXIT Opening the School Gate | Planning for engagement Targeting communities Some schools are worried about targeting specific groups because they feel this is an exclusive or unfair approach. Targeting parents/carers from particular cultural, linguistic or religious groups, and/or particular families at risk, is not about excluding others, but about recognising that some families have extra barriers to involvement in their children’s education that Australian-born parents do not have, such as lack of confidence with English or lack of knowledge about the Australian school system. Experience has shown that inviting targeted communities to general parent meetings in the first instance is often not successful. However once you have successfully engaged with under-represented groups you can then move towards a more inclusive approach, so that groups from all cultural backgrounds are welcomed in a generalist whole-school environment. Your migrant or refugee family engagement strategy should fit within your school’s overall parent engagement strategies and should supplement what already exists. Which cultural group? If you are part of a large, culturally diverse school, you may not be able to work with all the migrant and refugee families at once. You might need to work with one group first. You could start with: those most in need or ‘at risk’ or under-represented in school activities the largest cultural group in the school groups that you have previously contacted successfully established communities new and emerging communities in the school. It can be difficult to decide which groups are most in need or at risk to work with in your school. It is worth looking at any data or anecdotal evidence you have around social indicators or participation rates of students such as academic achievement, retention rates, absenteeism and welfare concerns as well as your previous experience in engaging particular student or parent groups. Who to involve? Not all family structures are the same. For many overseas-born communities, extended family relationships are very important. Many young people arrive in Australia without their biological parents and may be in the care of relatives or a sponsor who is known to the family. At enrolment, find out who should be contacted in relation to the student. For some families it is important that the head of the family (such as an uncle who may not be the legal guardian) is involved in important decisions relating to a student. Others may expect an older sibling to attend meetings as an advocate on their behalf. Family roles may shift over time as relationships change. Rather than discourage different types of support, involve significant family members in a way that meets the needs of the family and primary carers and the legal requirements of the school. What you can do Avoid referring to ‘parents’ only. Make sure you talk about ‘families’ and/or ‘parents and carers’. Acknowledge the diversity of family structures in your school and the important role that grandparents, uncles, aunts, siblings and other family members can play in supporting a student’s wellbeing. Ask for the assistance of family members to record the immediate family or guardianship roles on student records and clarify living arrangements. In consultation with the family, design a coordinated strategy for engaging families where there is a complexity of roles and relationships. When in doubt about the best person to speak to in a family about a student, you may invite a number of family members who represent the student’s interests to discuss concerns or issues. Use interpreters where needed so parents/carers can communicate effectively with the school and advocate for their own needs. Resources 0 Course menu Introduction 1 Welcome tour 2 Getting started 3 Overview 4 Benefits of engaging families 5 Issues for migrant and refugee families 6 Issues for schools Planning for engagement 1Overview 2Involving key staff 3Identifying the target groups 4Targeting communities 5Working with community partners 6Setting objectives 7Allocating resources Planning meetings & events 1 Overview 2 Deciding on a format 3 Setting the agenda 4 Seeking parent and student input 5 Choosing an appropriate time 6 Finding a suitable location 7 Arranging childcare 8 Arranging catering 9 Arranging transport 10 Inviting families 11 Translating information 12 Arranging interpreters Meeting management 1 Overview 2 Arranging seating 3 Preparing and managing interpreters 4 Greeting parents 5 Keeping the discussions on track 6 Building trust 7 Exploring expectations about school involvement 8 Explaining practical systems and roles 9 Seeking feedback from parents 10 Sustaining parent involvement Ongoing support 1 Overview 2 Creating a welcoming environment 3 Seeking consent 4 Addressing parent concerns about camps 5 Catering for cultural dietary needs 6 Discussing welfare concerns with parents 7 Addressing discipline issues 8 Reporting on student progress 9 Holding parent-teacher meetings 10 Creating opportunities for meaningful involvement Acknowledgements 1 Acknowledgements Resources 0
× EXIT Opening the School Gate | Planning for engagement Targeting communities Some schools are worried about targeting specific groups because they feel this is an exclusive or unfair approach. Targeting parents/carers from particular cultural, linguistic or religious groups, and/or particular families at risk, is not about excluding others, but about recognising that some families have extra barriers to involvement in their children’s education that Australian-born parents do not have, such as lack of confidence with English or lack of knowledge about the Australian school system. Experience has shown that inviting targeted communities to general parent meetings in the first instance is often not successful. However once you have successfully engaged with under-represented groups you can then move towards a more inclusive approach, so that groups from all cultural backgrounds are welcomed in a generalist whole-school environment. Your migrant or refugee family engagement strategy should fit within your school’s overall parent engagement strategies and should supplement what already exists. Which cultural group? If you are part of a large, culturally diverse school, you may not be able to work with all the migrant and refugee families at once. You might need to work with one group first. You could start with: those most in need or ‘at risk’ or under-represented in school activities the largest cultural group in the school groups that you have previously contacted successfully established communities new and emerging communities in the school. It can be difficult to decide which groups are most in need or at risk to work with in your school. It is worth looking at any data or anecdotal evidence you have around social indicators or participation rates of students such as academic achievement, retention rates, absenteeism and welfare concerns as well as your previous experience in engaging particular student or parent groups. Who to involve? Not all family structures are the same. For many overseas-born communities, extended family relationships are very important. Many young people arrive in Australia without their biological parents and may be in the care of relatives or a sponsor who is known to the family. At enrolment, find out who should be contacted in relation to the student. For some families it is important that the head of the family (such as an uncle who may not be the legal guardian) is involved in important decisions relating to a student. Others may expect an older sibling to attend meetings as an advocate on their behalf. Family roles may shift over time as relationships change. Rather than discourage different types of support, involve significant family members in a way that meets the needs of the family and primary carers and the legal requirements of the school. What you can do Avoid referring to ‘parents’ only. Make sure you talk about ‘families’ and/or ‘parents and carers’. Acknowledge the diversity of family structures in your school and the important role that grandparents, uncles, aunts, siblings and other family members can play in supporting a student’s wellbeing. Ask for the assistance of family members to record the immediate family or guardianship roles on student records and clarify living arrangements. In consultation with the family, design a coordinated strategy for engaging families where there is a complexity of roles and relationships. When in doubt about the best person to speak to in a family about a student, you may invite a number of family members who represent the student’s interests to discuss concerns or issues. Use interpreters where needed so parents/carers can communicate effectively with the school and advocate for their own needs. Resources 0 Course menu Introduction 1 Welcome tour 2 Getting started 3 Overview 4 Benefits of engaging families 5 Issues for migrant and refugee families 6 Issues for schools Planning for engagement 1Overview 2Involving key staff 3Identifying the target groups 4Targeting communities 5Working with community partners 6Setting objectives 7Allocating resources Planning meetings & events 1 Overview 2 Deciding on a format 3 Setting the agenda 4 Seeking parent and student input 5 Choosing an appropriate time 6 Finding a suitable location 7 Arranging childcare 8 Arranging catering 9 Arranging transport 10 Inviting families 11 Translating information 12 Arranging interpreters Meeting management 1 Overview 2 Arranging seating 3 Preparing and managing interpreters 4 Greeting parents 5 Keeping the discussions on track 6 Building trust 7 Exploring expectations about school involvement 8 Explaining practical systems and roles 9 Seeking feedback from parents 10 Sustaining parent involvement Ongoing support 1 Overview 2 Creating a welcoming environment 3 Seeking consent 4 Addressing parent concerns about camps 5 Catering for cultural dietary needs 6 Discussing welfare concerns with parents 7 Addressing discipline issues 8 Reporting on student progress 9 Holding parent-teacher meetings 10 Creating opportunities for meaningful involvement Acknowledgements 1 Acknowledgements Resources 0
