There are over 100,000,000 forcibly displaced children in the world today – up from 42.7 million in 2012. The Australian Prime Minister in 2023 committed to raise the number of refugees entering Australia, and this will increase the demand placed on services across the country. Children who experience displacement are particularly vulnerable and are wholly ...
Marri Mittigar - Humanitarian 'School within a School' at Barker College
A Ukrainian teacher for Marri Mittigar – Refugee School

GOAL
$12,000
Field of Interest
- Education/training and employment
- Individual/family services and support
Target Population
- Asylum seekers, refugees, migrants and people from CALD backgrounds
- Young people (6-25)

Barker College is an Anglican community that seeks to inspire every learner, through every experience, every day. Our vision is to be a leader in Christian education that is characterised by a global vision that inspires hope.
In addition to a thriving co-educational school for 2800 students based in Hornsby, Barker College has also established three Indigenous campuses that provide a high quality education on Country for children from Primary up to grade 7. Developed in partnership with community leaders, these Indigenous schools represent a model of Indigenous education that has shown itself to be highly successful.
We are now expanding that model and extending it to support refugee and displaced children in metropolitan Sydney. This is a natural extension of the School's philosophy to do good without seeking reward, and to seek ways to be part of the solution to the problems we see in the world around us.
Project Summary
There are over 100,000,000 forcibly displaced children in the world today – up from 42.7 million in 2012. The Australian Prime Minister in 2023 committed to raise the number of refugees entering Australia, and this will increase the demand placed on services across the country.
Children who experience displacement are particularly vulnerable and are wholly dependent on the care & provision of those around them. Many arrive on our shores completely alone, having lived through trauma and difficulty that we cannot imagine.
We are motivated by our Christian values of compassion and courage to provide a soft landing to displaced refugee and other recently arrived children and their carers to Australia.
Our Marri Mittigar School will provide a safe space for self-expression and cultural identity and inspire them to reach their potential towards a future life and education pathway in Australia.
Marri Mittigar (which means ‘many friends’ in Darug) will be a co-ed K-10 school for displaced refugee and other recently arrived children. It is designed to be a sanctuary where a nurturing education is provided to every student. It will operate as a ‘School within a School’, under the auspices of Barker College in Hornsby, NSW.
We would like to appoint a Ukrainian teacher to begin with our first cohort of refugees, several of whom are Ukrainian.
Project Outcomes
Marri Mittigar will integrate specialised learning and therapeutic support in a trauma-informed curriculum. Students will be connected to a broad range of activities to help build social skills, establish social networks, and grow cultural competence as part of their student experience.
Open to all recently arrived children from a refugee experience, we aim to equip them to cope with life within the Australian education system and beyond.
The program is academic-based with a holistic and individual approach incorporating social connections, role models, a unifying place and exposure to peers and career advice. The student experience will include the existing co-curricular program at Barker College which includes sport, music, drama and robotics with their peers.
Importantly, the staff will provide continuity and oversight of each individual student as refugee students present with complex needs such as requiring a stable home environment, addressing trauma backgrounds and cultural sensitivities around education as a right in Australia.
To that end, we need a teacher who understands Ukrainian culture and language to support a group of Ukrainian refugee children.
Achieving these goals will see these young people growing in confidence and competence, ready to integrate and complete their senior years at their local high school with their first language in tact and current.
Budget Breakdown
TOTAL BUDGET: $12,000
FUNDING
Funding source | Amount |
---|---|
Funding gap (unconfirmed) | $12,000 |
EXPENSES
Expense item | Amount |
---|---|
Weekly salary for a Ukrainian teacher at $300 per week, x 40 weeks | $12,000 |
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