Ascentria Care Alliance’s Post

Millions of children are out of school due to war and persecution, with their hopes for the future put on hold. No child should be deprived of the opportunity to receive an education and develop their skills and interests. However, recent statistics paint a troubling picture: the number of children denied their right to education is on the rise. At the Refugee Council, we are dedicated to supporting young refugees in accessing the education they deserve through a range of services. These include English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) classes, math courses, and access to schools. We also help them develop work-related skills through volunteering, work experience programmes like Refugees Into Jobs, or by referring them to other organisations offering educational mentoring to foster new skills. These efforts help young people start or continue their education, reduce isolation, and boost their confidence and capabilities. You can help reverse this trend and support young refugees as they rebuild their lives in the UK. Follow the link to learn more about our projects and discover how you can contribute to ensuring that young people's right to education is upheld: https://bit.ly/3zmXpuH

There’s a straightforward solution here to supporting these young people through their education journey. And it’s not drop kicking kids schools do not want, into an FE college under the 14-16 banner. We sit on a secondary heads collective group, and are very much at the table when discussing fair access for young people who for a range of reasons are moving into a school at the end of year 10 or deep into year 11. Have a partnership agreement with a school (formal or not) the school takes the young person until the end of year 11, and the student understands there is a two or three year plan for them, which includes moving into the college to continue their journey towards achievement. There is a way for the Department for Education to insentivise such relationships and that’s not necessarily a plea for cash. Our education providers should be much more aligned. No young person should be educationally disadvantaged because of their family circumstances or because they are seeking refuge from war. It is time to shift the thinking from the negative impact a young person coming into school will make on your place in the league table, and remember what we came into this for. Education education education. Its not about you. It about them. #loveourcolleges

Respecting and understanding the culture and language of beneficiaries is crucial for the success of any humanitarian or educational initiative, especially when working with students and children. When we take the time to learn about their traditions, values, and language, we not only create more effective programs but also foster a sense of belonging and trust. For children, feeling loved and understood is essential for their growth. When they see that their culture is valued, they are more likely to engage positively and feel confident in their learning environment. This builds stronger relationships and promotes mutual respect. Also, by honoring local customs and communicating in a way that resonates with the community, humanitarian workers and educators create a nurturing space where students feel safe, respected, and empowered to thrive. #Empowerment #Education #Rural #CommunityDevelopmentProject #SofalaProvince #BebedoLocality

🌟 Meet Hay Dew, the headteacher of a public school in Myanmar. When Hay Dew was in high school, her family left the village and moved to a refugee camp in Thailand because of armed conflicts. After completing her education in Thailand in 2015, she returned to Myanmar to become a teacher. Since 2017, she has led the school as its headteacher. 🏆 In recognition of her exceptional leadership, she was awarded the 2022 Padoh Mahn Sha Young Leader Award by the Phan Foundation. Under her leadership, the school was extended to a junior college and has expanded from 82 students and 10 teachers to 700 students and 30 teachers. 📖 Rising Star Hay Dew's pursuit of education has been challenging, from fleeing to a refugee camp to becoming the headteacher in her homeland. After many years of teaching and being the headteacher, she is dedicated to creating a brighter future for children and youth and nurturing active community leaders. Hay Dew believes, "Education, not bullets, is the key to building a strong nation." 📖 Why does she think so? Read her words! "Why am I saying this is because we have experienced a long civil war, which negatively affected the country. After many years of teaching and being an administrator, I have realized that education plays a vital role for individuals and is equally essential for a nation's development. If we have an education, we can think critically in decision-making, and we are less likely to rely on others all the time. We educate young learners to have the confidence to raise their voices when they are being discriminated against or violated. We teach young learners to respect cultural diversity. Due to the conflict, we lost freedom and self-determination. In the absence of peace, our people have to struggle for survival. So, we want self-determination and peace and must fight for it. As an education leader for my community, I can start to educate the younger generations and the community. We teach about peace at school so our generations will understand the positive effects of peace. Moreover, besides teaching, I work on environmental issues. We want to advocate for our society to be aware of the critical need to save the environment. I have seen the positive impact on our communities and their environment by starting from such a little thing. When we have schools in our community, we can produce many young active leaders who later serve their community as teachers, health workers, and other departments in the district. If we have human resources, we can soon build self-determination. I cannot do a great thing for my people, but I am eager to create a brighter future for children and youth and nurture many active leaders through qualified education. I am motivated to work harder so they can access education. Ultimately, I aim to fight for indigenous education rights and for our ethnic education system to be recognized." #InternationalDayofEducation #EducationDay #WomenInLeadership #EducationLeadership

A scenario for us all to consider: A local school has just welcomed a refugee family. The family doesn’t have a strong command of English and the children have experienced trauma. There’s also a lack of trust in authority and the children aren’t familiar with the rules or functions of school. In fairness, these children should have the same education available as any child at this particular school or any other. However, their genuine needs differ from the needs of almost every other child. Here’s the consideration: Schools are places where an agreed curriculum is taught by capable teachers, but what exactly does that look like? To what extent is the school responsible for ensuring that the needs of these children are met, as well as the needs of children from various other family circumstances? This is the challenge schools face. What is ‘fair’ in the provision of instruction? Regardless of your position in life your local school is contributing to the society in which you are now living and will live in the future. In other words, everything that happens in schools is your business. Consider taking these five actions: 1.    Learn all you can about the curriculum on offer at your local school or the school a family member attends or works. 2.    If you can’t find it easily on the school website…find out how you can. 3.  Keep in mind there are 25 hrs of learning and teaching time in a school week. And generally 40 weeks of the school year. 4. What is in the curriculum that you think every child should have access to ‘at school’ in this time frame? 5.  Start a conversation with friends, family and colleagues about your findings. Conversations about school education from your own vantage point are sorely needed. Blind faith in what we read or are expected to believe is not an option. Remember: Regardless of your position in life your local school is contributing to the society in which you are now living and will live in the future. Fairness is an essential feature of First Principles on Education®. I’m happy to chat about your vantage point, your school system, or school. When school education is fair – everyone benefits. Have a great day. cheryl@cheryllacey.com

"Join INEE and the EiE community from around the world on May 7th to be a part of this tremendous milestone in our shared commitment to fulfilling the right to quality, safe, and relevant education for all!" Click the link below to register for online participation - https://Inkd.in/ejRv2ukW #education #educationinemergencies #internationaleducation #SDG4 #INEE #INEEMS #minimumstandards #minimumstandardsforeduction

I am proud to announce that my paper "My Foundation Starts Here: What Foundational Learning Means for Young Refugees and Asylum Seekers in the UK" has been finally published though the NORRAG Special Issue 09 Foundational Learning Debates and Praxes. I set out the following questions to guide me; What does foundational learning mean for a teenager with no foundation at all? How does the education system address the challenges that young refugees and asylum seekers face? How can non-formal education address the barriers that formal education struggles to navigate? To answer these questions, I examine what foundational learning means for young refugees and asylum seekers in the UK. I then describe the barriers to education these young refugees and asylum seekers face. Finally, I discuss how Refugee Education UK (REUK) Educational Mentoring Programme works to overcome these barriers. In this paper, I argued that foundational learning should be reimagined for young refugees and asylum seekers in the UK, as we cannot talk about conventional foundational learning when there are no foundations. Read my full thoughts below and excited to hear what you think. The launch was on Wednesday 24th and you can read other authors, and the full publications in the link below. https://lnkd.in/egHUFm5f

Vivekananda believed in education as the cornerstone of individual and national empowerment. He advocated for accessible education, particularly for the common people, famously urging the youth to "Arise! Awake! and stop not until the goal is reached." National Youth day!! #FavuniGlobal #youthempowerment #national #youth #students #arise #awakening #education.

Are you interested in #peace #education? Would you like to know what Council of Europe is doing in this regard? 🕊️ If so, check out my article for the Coyote Magazine 📰 which is published by partnership between #CouncilofEurope and #EuropeanComission in the field of #youth. I was happy to tackle ideas of consultative meeting on peace education, Youth Peace Camp, and initiation of my beloved Youth Peace Ambassadors Network, as well as other activities of the Council of Europe. #peaceeducation #coe #ypc #ypan

Highly recommended read for those who are interested in learning more about peace education, associated initiatives and best practice examples that showcase the effectiveness and importance of dialogue and conflict transformation. 🕊️