CiH for children of refugee background: Auckland Refugee

Salaam Alaykum, Mingalaba, Kia ora koutou and greetings to all RYAN (Refugee Youth Action Network) as part of Refugees as Survivors (RAS) is hosting 3 classes this semester and the first group graduated on 11 October 2014. The other two groups will graduate together in December. These first 5 families gathered at the RYAN Centre in Mt Roskill and despite a few operational hiccups we had a lovely time together. The computers arrived late but with a few frantic phonecalls and express delivery we got there in the end! Adel Salmanzadeh, Refugee Education Coordinator Auckland Ministry of Education, presented the certificates along with trainer Elfadil Sabeel and Family Liaison Patrick Saw who do a great job in tutoring and supporting the families. We are also grateful to our awesome Technical Support expert Hameed Sharifi who will set up everyone’s internet at home and make sure the equipment is running efficiently. Happy to report Hameed is also engaged in the schools’ CIH programme in wider Auckland and is currently supporting families from Ngā Iwi School in Mangere. (see Auckland CIH blog) We were missing our friend and colleagues Parvathi Raghunathan who has gone to India on family business, and Dr Arif Saied who was recovering from ‘flu at home. Arif’s wife Fahima hosted us instead and it was wonderful to reconnect with her the following day at Gp2 training and see refugee women learning the skills of quilting. Here are also photos of Sunday’s activities at RYAN. I met the new Gp2 class training and look forward to their success also.

Shona Te Huki, Computers in Homes Manager

The 20/20 Trust provides refurbished computers and internet access to about 100 refugee background families nationally per year, under a Ministry of Education contract. The Ministry also contracts separately a regional training provider to deliver the training component, employ family liaison and provide technical support to the families during the 12 month contract.

The initiative runs in refugee background communities in Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington, Palmerston North, Christchurch and Nelson.

Goals

1. to give refugee families the necessary computing tools and skills to become active learners
2. to provide refugee children and their families with access to online educational resources from home.

Outcomes

1. Greater self-confidence in using IT resources
2. Improved child/parent and home/school relationships
3. Families accessing educational resources relevant to their language and cultural backgrounds.
4. Improved literacy and numeracy for refugee children and their families
5. Improved communication skills

These projects are managed from CiH National Office.

Contact

Shona Te Huki

021 840 053

shona.tehuki@2020.org.nz.

Computers in Homes

Bringing Technology to New Zealand families since 2000

Computers in Homes works with low decile schools, helping students and their families use internet, email and computers at home, school and work.

Between July 2015 and June 2016, we helped 1,750 families from 421 schools and kura. We've helped 16,890 families since we started.

Visit www.computersinhomes.nz

The 20/20 Trust

New Zealanders fully participating in our digital world

Computers in Homes is an initiative of the 20/20 Trust.

The 20/20 Trust works with communities, leading programmes contributing to New Zealanders’ digital literacy, skills and inclusion.

Our other programmes include KiwiSkills, Stepping UP, ICDL and the Digital Inclusion Map.

Visit www.2020.org.nz