Refugee education & empowerment network (reen) term 3, 2026 - thursday 30th july - meeting recap

Written By River Nile School

Hello wonderful Refugee Education & Empowerment Network (REEN) members,

What a rich and thoughtful meeting! Thank you to everyone who joined us for another inspiring Victorian REEN gathering. It was wonderful to see so many familiar faces alongside new members, all coming together with a shared commitment to improving educational transitions for young people and families from refugee backgrounds.

With 158 registrations and 76 people joining us across the morning, our network continues to grow in both size and strength. Every meeting reminds us just how much expertise, generosity and passion exists within this community, and how much stronger we are when we learn from one another. Our member list now sits at 403 people, which means a lot of impact and advocacy sitting across the many sectors represented through the network and across Victoria. 

We would also like to acknowledge the hard work of Sally Baker and Refugee Education Australia, who have been working across the country to support the establishment of REENs in every state! 

For those who couldn't join us, here's a brief recap.

We began by sharing a number of network updates, including a walkthrough of the new Victorian REEN online platform, which will become a shared space for members to connect, access resources, share opportunities and continue conversations between meetings. More information on accessing the platform below. 

The platform includes a shared contact list with options to share your advocacy interests. If you’d like to be added to the list and didn't get an opportunity to complete the survey, you can complete the consent and surveyhere.

We also highlighted several current advocacy and research initiatives, including Foundation House's submission to the Victorian State Disability and Autism Plans, MYAN's Racism in Schools policy paper, and current research exploring plurilingual education and transitions from English language schools into mainstream education.

Our first presentation came from Danielle Wightman, a Transition Coordinator from Noble Park English Language School (and we would also love to shout out Sue Asimoudis from NPELS, who was unable to join the meeting, but who generously shared her expertise and co-created the presentation content!). The presentation provided an insightful overview of the English language school sector and the complex work involved in supporting successful transitions. Danielle shared both the practical processes that underpin transition planning and the systemic barriers many students and families continue to face, from housing instability and enrolment requirements to senior pathway challenges and access to TAFE. Alongside these challenges, she also shared practical strategies that schools can adopt to create smoother, more supportive transitions for students and families. 

One of the highlights of the morning was hearing directly from young people about their experiences of transition - what supported them, and what made those experiences more challenging. We were privileged to be joined by Afia, Tasnim, Ali Sina and Hajira from Noble Park English Language School (so warmly supported by the wonderful NPELS Assistant Principal, Inna Gvozdenko), alongside Sara from River Nile School (supported by the amazing RNS Engagement Officer, Eva Corifeo). Their honesty, courage and wisdom reminded us that while policies and processes matter, it is often the small human moments that make the greatest difference. Their reflections on teacher kindness, welcoming and safe school communities, peer support, visual learning strategies, and educators taking the time to genuinely know and check in with students were powerful reminders that belonging sits at the heart of successful transitions. Perhaps the message that resonated most strongly, however, was their thoughtful challenge to all of us: never make assumptions about a young person's capacity. Instead, take the time to understand who they are, the journey they have travelled, and the strengths they bring. That simple shift in mindset has the power to transform a young person's experience of education.

Following the student panel, participants moved into breakout discussions to explore practical ways we can collectively improve transition experiences. Conversations focused on creating more flexible enrolment processes, strengthening interpreter use, improving senior pathway supports and reducing delays that can lead to educational disengagement. It was encouraging to see members sharing ideas, challenges and practical strategies from across sectors, while reflecting on what each of us can influence within our own roles. (A shout out to the staff from Foundation House and River Nile School who facilitated break out discussions too!) 

To close the morning, we were joined by the incredible Megan, Caitlyn and Simon from the Refugee Minor Program, who shared the incredible work they do supporting young people over the long term as they navigate education and pathways beyond school. Through practical case studies, they demonstrated the power of strengths-based practice, advocacy and sustained relationships in helping young people achieve their goals. Their educational profiles, personalised pathway planning and holistic approach highlighted what becomes possible when services work alongside young people over time, rather than simply at points of transition.

As always, we finished the meeting feeling inspired by the generosity of our presenters, the insights shared by our young people, and the commitment of everyone across the network who continues to champion equitable education for students from refugee and refugee-like backgrounds.

A huge thank you to all of our presenters, panel members, facilitators and participants for contributing your time, knowledge and passion.

Finally, don't forget to save the date for our Term 4 REEN Meeting, which will be held in person at River Nile School on Thursday 22 October in the afternoon. We're looking forward to sharing the finalised details of our in-person meeting with everyone soon, and bringing everyone together face-to-face for what promises to be another fantastic opportunity to connect, learn and collaborate.

Until then, let's continue working together to ensure every young person experiences not just a transition into education, but a genuine sense of belonging within it.

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In this email, you will find resources and key information that were both shared in the meeting, and which arose from the chat and discussions. 

Term 3, 2026 Meeting General Resources

Victorian REEN Online Platform

The Victorian REEN Online Platform is a shared space for members to connect, access resources, share opportunities and continue conversations between meetings. This space is password protected and for members only. Please do not share the password with others to ensure we can protect members’ privacy. If someone you know would like access, please encourage them to join by completing our online form, which will add them to the members’ list.

  • You can access the Victorian REEN Online Platform here.

  • Password is REEN26

Noble Park English Language School (NPELS) Presentation Resources

Other Transition Resources

Foundation House Resources

Department of Education Resources

DFFH Refugee Minor Program (RMP) Presentation Resources

Other Advantaged Thinking Resources

Unanswered Questions from Chat

There was one question from the meeting chat that we didn't get a chance to answer during the Noble Park English Language School presentation:

"Do you support the enrolment process for non-government schools as well?"

The answer is yes. As a non-government school that works closely with Transition Coordinators from a number of English Language Schools, River Nile School can confirm that English Language Schools support enrolment and transition processes across all education sectors, including government, Catholic and independent schools. Their role is to help ensure students and families experience the smoothest possible transition into the educational setting that best meets their needs.

REEN Convener Information 

Information was shared about the three convening organisations - Foundation House, Refugee Education and River Nile School. 

Here's some key links and resources shared in the meeting, as well as key contact for any queries, for each organisation: 

Foundation House 

Refugee Education Australia 

River Nile School 

Certificate of Participation (for Professional Development) 

If you were in attendance at the launch meeting on Thursday 30th July and would like a certificate of participation to contribute to your professional development hours, please email Francine.Sculli@rivernileschool.vic.edu.au to request a certificate. 

2026 Network Dates

We have one remaining REEN meeting for 2026!

As mentioned above, our Term 4 meeting will be held in person at River Nile School on Thursday 22 October (afternoon – time to be confirmed).

Keep an eye on your inbox for more details, including the meeting agenda and the Humanitix registration link, which we'll be sharing soon. We look forward to coming together in person to round out another fantastic year of learning, collaboration and connection.

Events, Professional Development and Initiative Opportunities of Interest

Tamima Rahman (Monash University) is undertaking a PhD exploring the transition from Intensive English Centres (IECs) to mainstream schools and may be interested in inviting practitioners to participate in her research. Tamima previously presented her research as part of the Refugee Education Australia Research Seminar Series. A recording of the seminar is available on the Refugee Education Australia website and YouTube:

Deepest Gratitude, 

On behalf of Foundation House, River Nile School and Refugee Education Australia.

River Nile School
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REFUGEE EDUCATION & EMPOWERMENT NETWORK (REEN) TERM 2, 2026 - Thursday 7th May - Meeting Recap