Down in Wollongong, the city council is working with Multicultural Communities Council for Illawarra and Warrawong High School to help students in Year 9 and 10 gain an understanding of what refugees go through in the process of leaving their countries.
This is the third year of the Illawarra Refugee Challenge which seeks out to inform students about refugee experiences, specifically the challenges of settling into a new country after leaving behind everything they knew.
This year, the Challenge is held at Warrawong High School and will be made up of 6 stations. These stations are simulations where students can engage in discussion, examine scenarios and participate in role play.
Issues that will be highlighted will be challenges such as food supplies, sanitation and education in refugee camps. This event is not just limited to students. On the last day of the challenge, there’s an event open to the entire community. This will be in the form of a refugee camp display with former refugee guest speakers.
As the Multicultural Communities Council of Illawarra General Manager Chris Lacey states, ‘This Refugee Challenge highlights the often-difficult journey of refugees and we congratulate all the young people involved to help raise community awareness of refugees’ experiences and to celebrate cultural diversity and respect.’
Cultural diversity and respect is becoming an increasingly necessary tool for government organisations, businesses and individuals as Australian society becomes a more multicultural place.