Creating Spaces of Well-Being and Belonging for Students With Refugee Experiences: Lessons From Principals in Five Countries

• In Event: Listening to and Advocating for Students: Recentering Equitable Leadership

Abstract

Millions of children and families with refugee and asylum-seeker experiences find themselves living in new countries, with different languages, cultures, and forms of schooling. For principals, it is a daunting challenge of integrating newcomer students who are often suffering from long-standing trauma. This presentation shares findings from a study involving 22 school leaders in five English-speaking Western countries, who have created places of wellbeing and belonging for refugee families. Major findings from the research will be discussed. Notably, principals must learn to work within and sometimes against existing school policies as some policies have deleterious effects on newcomer students. Our research reveals most principal preparation programs do not integrate supporting refugee and asylum-seeking students and their families in their curriculum.

Authors

• Scott R. Imig, University of Newcastle

• Maura Sellars, The University of Newcastle

• John C. Fischetti, The University of Newcastle