A series of activities designed to help refugee students assimilate into Australian society might be shut down if funding could not be secured soon.
A group of Thornlie Primary School children originally from Myanmar, Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq took part in a storytelling activity at the Australian Arab Association on Tuesday afternoon.
Hosted by the Integrated Services Centre in Thornlie on November 14 the event was part of a number of undertakings held for refugee children to help them improve their English, make friends, prepare them for mainstream school and give them a sense of belonging and safety.
However multicultural community liaison officer Maria Krivorova said she feared the program might close if funding was not secured.
“This particular program in Thornlie has been running for about three years now,” she said.
“We are coming to the end of our funding and if we don’t secure it we won’t be able to help these kids, which would be a shame.
“Hopefully it will still continue.”
Ms Krivorova said the activities helped the children support one another as they transitioned from the integrated services centre to a mainstream intensive English curriculum.
The children huddled around Member for Thornlie Chris Tallentire as they listened to a story told by former professional UK storyteller Nigel Dickinson.
Mr Tallentire said he was a keen supporter of multiculturalism in his electorate and believed all new families needed a welcoming approach and supported to adjust to life in Australia.
“Many of these children have been through trauma before settling in our electorate,” he said.
“It is important that they hear stories which are heart warming and reinforce stories of security and stability for them.”
Mr Tallentire read an indigenous story to the children.
He said he was delighted to introduce them to stories from Australia’s rich dreamtime culture, which he hoped would spark their imagination and offer hope and joy for them.
