A note for teachers This is Part 3 of the 3 part Refugee series from the Ration Challenge. These slides detail the way that students, teachers and the wider community can make a difference to the lives of people who are displaced all around the world, with a specific focus on the work of the Ration Challenge and Act for Peace. The length of this presentation can vary dependant on the activities you decide to do, the videos you play and the question time given to the class. Please edit as you see fit to suit your lesson. After reading through, please delete the “A note for teachers” slides.
How you can make a difference 1. The Ration Challenge • Making a difference through fundraising • Raising Awareness • Changing Attitudes 2. Other ways to support refugees and make a difference 3. Organisations making a difference 4. Refugee week 5. Celebrating the contribution of refugees
By taking the Ration Challenge you’ll be making an incredible difference! CLICK TO PLAY VIDEO
Changing lives through fundraising The money you raise by taking on the Act for Peace Ration Challenge will help support Syrian refugees living in camps in Jordan, having fled 7 years of conflict and violence in their own country. We’ll also use the funds to help tackle injustice around the world through Act for Peace’s emergency response, long-term development and advocacy programs.
Food Rations The money you raise will help provide food ration packs to the most vulnerable – the same food you’ll be eating during the Challenge – as well as hygiene kits, medical help and psychosocial support. Click here to watch one of the live food distributions in Jordan on Facebook.
Hygiene kits We distribute emergency hygiene kits that contain clothing, soap and sanitary items to help maintain health and prevent disease.
Healthcare We run community medical days each month so that hundreds of refugees can access life-saving specialist care.
Education and counselling We also run education forums for children, as well as programs that provide counselling and support to refugees.
Raising awareness By talking about the refugee crisis in class, with your family and with your friends, you’ll be raising awareness about this important issue. By sharing your ration challenge experience with those around you, you’ll increase people’s understanding of the refugee struggle.
Changing attitudes How we treat refugees is a very divisive topic in Australia. It’s clear that we need to create a more compassionate society. But how do we do that?
3 ways to talk to others about the refugee crisis: • Lead with commonly shared values such as family, freedom and fairness, and treating others as you’d want to be treated. • Offer positive solutions and statements, for example: “Together we can create a fairer world”. Effective messages are two parts ‘solution’ to one part ‘problem’. • Seize the moral high ground by talking about what’s right. For example: “All people have the right to live in peace”
3 arguments to avoid: • Try not to lead with facts, figures or cost savings, unless you are directly responding to a question. People reject inconvenient facts that don’t match their worldview, and will then reject everything else you say too. • Don’t reference ‘Australians’ but instead ‘us/we/people’. Tap into our shared humanity and values. • Don’t talk about what people have come from – talk more about what they have come for. Mention that refugees are “seeking safety and to rebuild their lives” rather than “ fleeing persecution, torture and violence”.
Responding to the most common arguments: “Refugees are a security threat and accepting them increases the risk of a terrorist attack.” - Refugees are seeking a safe life and want to rebuild their lives. - Just like us, they want to be safe, send their children to school and live a digni ed life. “Why would we support refugees instead of our homeless/elderly/disabled?” - It’s not an either/or issue: we can support both. - There are no limits to human compassion. - We can agree that all these groups need our support. “Refugees are a drain on our economy.” • Helping refugees is the right thing to do. We have a moral obligation to support them. • In the long-term, it has been proven that refugees make a positive contribution to our economy.
Tips for talking to people • Be respectful at all times. • Be constructive and positive, using the values-driven arguments we’ve mentioned. • Try not to get angry or drawn into a lengthy debate – if someone clearly isn’t going to change their point of view, move on quickly. • Always report abusive behaviour online or offensive comments to your teacher, parents or an adult.
How else can we support refugees and stand with them?
Volunteer Youth Action Learn more networks You ! Engage in Be welcoming politics Have Fundraise conversations
Organisations making a difference - UNHCR - Refugee Council of Australia - Refugee Action Coalition - Asylum Seeker Resource Centre (VIC) - Asylum Seeker Centre (NSW) - Welcome Dinner Project - Amnesty International Local Action Groups
Refugee Week Refugee Week is a worldwide event that takes place every year around the UN’s World Refugee Day on 20 June. In Australia, it’s an opportunity for people to experience the rich diversity of our refugee communities through theatre, music, dance, film and other events – and to celebrate the positive contribution refugees make to our society.
Refugee Week – What its all about - Educate people about refugees, what brought them here and the challenges they’ve faced. - Share and hear their stories, so we can all appreciate who they are and think about how we can work together to make our communities safer and more welcoming - Refugee Week is organised by the Refugee Council of Australia, which represents over 200 organisations who support refugees and asylum seekers. - Anyone can get involved – individuals, advocates, faith groups, schools, organisations, artists and communities.
#WithRefugees Every year has a theme to guide celebrations – this year’s is #WithRefugees. Refugees have the right to be treated with dignity and respect, and we believe that it’s up to all of us to stand #WithRefugees to make sure that happens. Refugee Week gives us an opportunity to do something positive. That’s why we think it’s a great time to do the Ration Challenge!
A note for teachers We encourage you to end the teaching with two things: 1. Positive stories about Australian refugees, choose from the below: • DengThiak Adut, NSW Australian of the Year 2017: https://youtu.be/buA3tsGnp2s • Oula, refugee counsellor, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0Jjry0YM-c • Aliir Aliir, AFL star Sydney Swans, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-s0LrwAUGM • Refugees share their stories with ABC news: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-06-22/refugee-week-profiles/4036618 2. A call to action for students: • What can you do as an individual to make a difference in the lives of refugees and people seeking asylum • What can we do as a class? • Challenge them to take the Ration Challenge this year
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