Refugee Language Program

The Refugee Language Program is a project under the auspices of the Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies.

New publication - Some Saturdays

In December 2008 the Refugee Language Program published an anthology of student and teacher writings. We were able to do this thanks to a grant from the James N Kirby Foundation.

The book is available to purchase from Lesley Carnus or the CPACS office. Price: $20.00

Services offered by the program

The Refugee Language Program at Sydney University provides a diverse range of services to refugees and asylum seekers. These include on-campus classes, home tutoring and a referral service. We currently run 3 classes:

• an Academic Writing class on Wednesdays
• an Intermediate class, also on Wednesdays
• and a Creative Writing class on Saturdays.

All classes are free to refugees and asylum seekers

Timetable for classes

A note on eligibility
Refugees holding Temporary Protection Visas, those on Bridging E Visas as well as Habeas Corpus asylum seekers are eligible to enrol. In some cases we also accept refugees who have permanent resident status. To enrol you should call the coordinator, Lesley, on 9351 6796 and she will make a time for you to come and discuss the classes, or email her on email at .

• Lunch and Conversation from 12.30-1.30pm on Saturdays is held in the Posters for Peace Gallery of the Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies (CPACS) in the Mackie Building.
• Dates:
  Wednesdays Academic Writing Class: Starts 28 October 2009
  Wednesdays Intermediate and Creative Writing classes: Starts 28 October 2009
• Download student enrolment form
• Download travel directions

Location
Classes are held in
The Mackie Building
Mackie Building K01
University of Sydney
NSW 2006

The Mackie Buildingis located in Arundel Street, Glebe, across the footbridge over Parramatta Road from the main campus of the University of Sydney.

About the program

The class teachers are volunteers and include university staff, students, alumni and local community members. There are also a number of volunteers who work as conversation partners after classes or as individual tutors. If you are interested in becoming involved please download the volunteer form and send to the co-ordinator, Lesley.

Students in the Refugee Language Program come from many countries including the Sudan, Iran, Iraq, Columbia, Peru, Burma, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Egypt, Sri Lanka, China, Ethiopia, Mozambique and Indonesia. Many of the students hold Bridging E Visas, the toughest and most excluding visa that the Government offers. This visa does not allow a person access to Medicare, Centre Link allowances or adult education classes.

Blue Mountains tour
In October 2007, the Creative Writing teachers, Catherine Cooper and Caroline Josephs took their class on an excursion to the Blue Mountains. The Director of Into the Blue walking tours, Raymond Hawkins, organized and lead a bushwalk for our students at no cost to the RLP. A group of participants were invited to accompany the teachers and students and our class was able to share their experiences in a beautiful, as well as nurturing environment. (See images on this site.)
People in the images
image 1: Firkirte and Mirga from Ethiopia
image 2: Catherine Cooper with students and volunteers
image 3: Diana, Genny, Emanuel, Firkirte and Mirga with Raymond

Funding

The program has been operating since September 2003; the co-ordinator’s position is funded by the Senate of the University of Sydney.

Donations
The RLP also receives donations and grants from individuals and community organizations to cover additional running costs, lunches, student fares and sundry expenses.

Donations may be made by cheque or credit card. If you are interested in supporting this program, please download and return this donation form to:

The RLP
Mackie Building K01
Room 110
University of Sydney
NSW 2006
Australia.

Official receipts are given for all donations received.

Volunteers

The volunteers who work with the refugees and asylum seekers in our program are very valuable to the Refugee Language Program: we would have no Refugee Language Program without them! They are a group of very busy people who can still find the time and energy to give so much to our students.

Download volunteer application form

Newsletter

The Refugee Language Program issues a newsletter, Refugee Voices, that includes the latest news on the Program's staff, students, projects and events.
Download current edition of Refugee Voices (July 2009)

Articles about the Refugee Language Program also appear in the CPACS newsletter PeaceWrites.
Download current edition of PeaceWrites (October 2009)

Coordinator

Lesley Carnus, the Co-ordinator, has over 20 years experience teaching adult migrants and refugees and has co-ordinated the Refugee Language Program for 5 years.

Lesley is usually available for enquiries on Tuesdays and Wednesdays on:
93516796,
Or in her office,
Mackie Building K01,
Room 110,
University of Sydney.

and can be reached anytime by email on .