Thursday, 31 August 2023

Foundation House

Kathleen MATTHEWS-WARD (Broadmeadows) (17:14): (334) My adjournment matter is for the Minister for Education, and the action I seek is for the minister to join me in a visit to Foundation House in Dallas to help in developing a plan to assist disadvantaged youth from refugee backgrounds achieve their education goals. I am incredibly proud not only of this government’s ongoing commitment to education but particularly of their funding of education programs such as the refugee education support program, the school support program and the early years program. All of these programs help students and families of the 20,000 people seeking asylum here in Victoria, many of whom make their home in my electorate. I want to give a big shout-out to Paris Aristotle, CEO of Foundation House, and the team for all the hard work they do in supporting children of refugee backgrounds and empowering our teachers to do the same. Organisations like Foundation House are instrumental in building capacity within schools and early childhood services to support the educational engagement, achievement and wellbeing of students and families from refugee backgrounds.

Earlier this year the Victorian government supported Foundation House to develop the School’s in for Refugees website, helping teachers improve wellbeing, engagement and achievement outcomes. This website also shares the innovative approaches that Victorian schools have taken to support students from refugee backgrounds, because as we know, knowledge shared is knowledge gained. This government also funded the Schools Standing up to Racism website, a vitally important tool that helps our teachers identify, respond to and ultimately prevent racism in our schools. I commend the minister for her work in seeing these essential resources for our teachers developed on top of the numerous multicultural education programs this government operates, and of course I commend the teachers, who are working incredibly hard to ensure their students are able to feel welcome in their classrooms.

When I hear stories of students from refugee backgrounds in my electorate gaining the confidence to try for university places, I cannot help but smile. I am so proud to be a member of a government that continues to push for increased living standards for refugees.