Supporting high school students from refugee backgrounds transition to higher education: LEAP-Macquarie Mentoring (Refugee Mentoring)

Between 2015-16, the largest proportion of humanitarian visa applications in Australia were from 15–19 year olds (UNHCR Global Trends 2015). Education is key to effective resettlement, leading to better employment and... [ view full abstract ]

Between 2015-16, the largest proportion of humanitarian visa applications in Australia were from 15–19 year olds (UNHCR Global Trends 2015). Education is key to effective resettlement, leading to better employment and health outcomes for individuals and economic benefits for society as a whole. Yet while the journey through education towards employment is challenging for every young Australian, it presents additional difficulties for students from refugee backgrounds, given that they have often experienced years of instability, trauma and disrupted schooling. Australian schools often struggle to provide resources to fully support this very motivated and academically able cohort, and the social and cultural capital needed to navigate education and career pathways is generally lacking. The LEAP - Macquarie Mentoring (Refugee Mentoring) program addresses this challenge in an innovative way. Volunteer university student mentors, many of whom themselves come from refugee and migrant backgrounds, are matched with high school students from refugee backgrounds for weekly peer-to-peer mentoring sessions covering topics such as goal setting, time management, career pathways and the university environment.
This paper examines the impact of the LEAP-Macquarie Mentoring (Refugee Mentoring) program through mixed-method approach. High school students from refugee backgrounds (n=624) in NSW completed a paper-based survey and semi structured interviews were completed with 83 mentees. Key findings highlighted that the LEAP-Macquarie Mentoring (Refugee Mentoring) program supported students in making a smooth personal, social, and academic transition from high school to university, helped them develop leadership potential, and provided them with a connection to community. In the long term this works to re-establish social capital, enhances resilience and empowers students to be role models.