Sudanese refugee youth and educational success: The role of church and youth group in supporting cultural and academic adjustment and schooling achievement

Acknowledging the Head, Heart, Hands and Feet: Research with Refugees and People Seeking Asylum in Higher Education

“…Both studies were with young people of refugee background aged 12-22 years. The first study examined the role that everyday learning spaces such as sport, church and youth groups played in cultivating a pro-educational habitus for refugees and people seeking asylum in two regional Australian towns (Wilkinson et al, 2017;Santoro and Wilkinson, 2016). The second study examined the development of information literacies through the participation of refugees and people seeking asylum in invisible but crucial everyday spaces of learning such as public libraries, social media, faith groups, sporting clubs and shopping malls (Lloyd and Wilkinson, 2017;.…”

“…Finally, in both studies, we employed photovoice methodology, an approach in which, using their mobile phones, participants took photographs of people, places and networks that they felt were supporting their educational achievements (Wilkinson et al, 2017;Santoro and Wilkinson, 2016); or the types of information and information sources that were important to them and the places where that information is located (Lloyd and Wilkinson, 2017;. Participants then selected three to five photographs that they felt best captured the people, places and networks (Wilkinson et al, 2017;Santoro and Wilkinson, 2016) or the types and sources of information (Lloyd and Wilkinson, 2017;) that supported their integration and learning. They were asked to discuss the selection of these photos.…”

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“…School participation and educational attainment are basic indicators of successful integration and immigrants' relationship with the host people. The education system and policies (Teltemann & Schunck, 2016), school participation (Sassler, 2006), and educational attainment/achievement (Wilkinson, Santoro, & Major, 2017) are oft-reviewed topics in the extant research. Such works have revealed that people with high levels of education are more quickly integrated into and accepted by the host community and labor market (Hainmueller & Hiscox, 2007).…”

Australian Sudanese and South Sudanese Youths’ Perspectives on the Youth/Parent Relationship and Its Influence on the Transition to Adulthood

“…For many young people, the primary site of influence regarding the formation of habitus is family (Naidoo, 2009). Wilkinson et al (2017) highlight that ‘cultural capital refers to the values, beliefs, tastes and preferences learned in families … Through cultural capital, one tends to think and act in certain ways that may or may not have value in different fields’ (p. 212). Fields represent the social arenas where social agents exist and strive for success.…”

“…This article reports findings from one aspect of a larger qualitative study designed to better understand the experiences and perspectives of Australian Sudanese and South Sudanese youths in Melbourne, Australia, regarding the transition to adulthood. While many Australian Sudanese and South Sudanese youths are experiencing social and educational success throughout the transition to adulthood (Santoro & Wilkinson, 2016; Wilkinson et al, 2017), many young people from these communities have been identified to be experiencing a variety of challenges (Abur & Spaaij, 2016; Deng, 2015). A small number of Australian and New Zealand studies which focus on parenting practices within South Sudanese communities (Deng, 2015, 2016; Deng & Marlowe, 2013) have identified tensions between parents and youth.…”