Hello wonderful Refugee Education & Empowerment Network (REEN) members,
What a wonderful way to round out our first year together! Thank you to everyone who joined us at River Nile School last night for our first in-person Victorian REEN gathering. After connecting mostly through screens, it was lovely to share a room, put faces to names, welcome many new members, and make space for the conversations that happen when people come together.
Our meeting brought together two things worth celebrating: the community we have built over the past year, and the young people whose experiences, wisdom and ideas should guide where we go next.
Celebrating one year of REEN
With our one-year anniversary falling this month, our in-person REEN meeting was a beautiful moment to stop, celebrate and reflect on what has grown since our October 2025 launch.
While we had the best intentions to go into greater depth about all the things we had achieved together over the past year, there were so many beautiful conversations and connections happening on arrival at the meeting - and an energy coming from our youth fishbowl participants - that we didn't want to detract from this.
But still, we took a brief moment to celebrate that our membership increasing from approximately 130 to 410 people, connecting more than 200 organisations across 11+ sectors. That represents an incredible breadth of knowledge, relationships and opportunities to work together.
And we celebrated the launch of REENs in states throughout Australia. A huge shout out to Sally Baker and Refugee Education Australia for their work supporting the establishment of REENs across Australia. It is exciting to see more spaces taking shape for people to connect, learn and advocate together.
Some of the deeper impact pieces we didn't get to touch on last night can be explored further here.
Across our gatherings, we have explored advocacy, anti-racism, educational transitions, belonging, strengths-based practice and meaningful youth participation. Young people and people with lived experience have contributed to every meeting, helping us question assumptions and think more deeply about the decisions we make.
And this remained a central focus of our in-person meeting!
Members were also invited to contribute to a shared Impact Wall, reflecting on what REEN has meant for them, their work, their organisations and the communities they support. Thank you to everyone who added a reflection. These contributions help us understand the difference the network is making beyond the meetings themselves.
The question guiding our next chapter is one we shared and focused on at the in-person: what can this network change?
Youth Voices Fishbowl
At the heart of the evening was our Youth Voices Fishbowl, facilitated by the wonderful Lydia Tesema, communications and engagement specialist and founder of Below The Surface and Coffee & Cool.
As we begin shaping REEN’s next chapter, we wanted to start with the people whose lives and futures this work is intended to support. Young people know where education (and interconnected systems) has opened doors for them, where it has created barriers, and what they wish had been different. That knowledge should shape our priorities from the beginning. The fishbowl created space for network members to listen deeply, question our assumptions and hear directly from young people about where our collective energy, influence and advocacy could make the greatest difference.
We are deeply grateful to Hiba Adam, Shiraz Mohamed, Ibsitu Omar Mohamed, Musab Deng, Nayna Addisu, Ridwan Abdi and Sumaiya Begum for bringing their perspectives and ideas into the room and helping set the direction for our work together in 2027.
Our overarching question asked:
If this network could take action, advocate or create change to improve educational experiences for young people like you, what would you want us to do?
Our young speakers challenged us to see the whole person beyond the classroom: the family responsibilities, financial pressures, racism and expectations that shape their educational experiences. They called for schools to trust young people to lead, take their concerns seriously and create spaces where they feel safe to participate, make mistakes and ask for help. They highlighted the power of supportive relationships, culturally responsive wellbeing support and mentors with shared lived experience, alongside practical guidance into further study and employment. A strong message was the need to widen access to scholarships, leadership and other opportunities beyond the same small group of students. Their challenge to us was clear: recognise potential, actively open doors and back encouragement with practical action.
To our young speakers: thank you for the thought, heart, vulnerability, and generosity you brought to this conversation. Sharing your experiences with a room full of people asks something of you. We are grateful for your trust, and for the opportunity to understand education through your eyes. Our responsibility now is to carry what you shared into the priorities we set, the decisions we make and the action we take together.
A heartfelt thank you to Lydia for guiding the conversation with care, curiosity and purpose, and to everyone who supported our young people to take part.
From voice to action
Following the fishbowl, members came together in small groups to explore an advocacy priority raised by the young people and consider how we could respond.
We may have been a little ambitious with how much of our From Youth Priorities to Collective Action planning document we could work through! There was so much to sit with after hearing from our young speakers, and the time filled quickly with rich discussion, thoughtful reflection and new connections.
Those conversations mattered. Making sense of what we heard, questioning our own thinking and finding people to work alongside are all part of building collective action. As a network, we will return to the planning prompts and build on these conversations, keeping young people’s voices and priorities at the forefront as we shape meaningful action together.
Thank you to everyone who contributed their thinking, connections and willingness to get involved, and to the Foundation House and River Nile School team members who supported these discussions.
What happens next?
Over the coming weeks, we will transcribe the voice recording of the youth fishbowl conversation, and will be putting together a summary of the priorities, threads and themes, highlighted in the voices of the young people.
We will also bring together and consolidate ideas shared in post-fishbowl notes and conversations, and feedback and reflection surveys from the evening.
All of which we will share back with the network.
This work will help inform REEN’s actions and direction for 2027, including opportunities for members to stay connected around shared advocacy interests.
Listening creates a responsibility to respond. As we look towards our second year, we want the young people who contributed last night to be able to see how their ideas have shaped what happens next.
A huge thank you to our speakers, facilitator, members and everyone who helped bring the evening together. Thank you, too, to every person who has contributed to REEN over this first year. Your generosity, expertise and commitment have helped turn an idea into a community.
And an extra special thank you to Foundation House staff - Allison, Thao, Maria, Lili and Caitlin - and the River Nile School Engagement Team - Mary and Eva - for the additional support in set up, facilitation, and pack down!
Term 4 meeting resources
Attached to this email, you will find:
Term 4 meeting slides, including our first-year impact snapshot.
Youth Fishbowl speaker profiles, introducing the young people and facilitator who shaped the evening.
From Youth Priorities to Collective Action planning document, which you are welcome to revisit as conversations continue.
Share your feedback and ideas
Whether it was your first REEN meeting or you have been with us since the beginning, we would love to hear what was useful and what you would like to see next.
Please complete our meeting feedback survey. Your reflections will help shape our planning for 2027.
Support refugee and migrant-owned businesses -
We proudly support refugee and migrant-owned businesses.
Our in-person meeting was catered for by the incredible Hamida Abdi from Hooyo's House Cuisine.
Hamida is available for catering events of all sizes.
Loved her samosas as much as we do? Book her for your next event!
Email: hamidaabdi@outlook.com
Phone: 0423 844 641
Keep connecting between meetings
Our Victorian REEN Online Platform is a shared space for members to connect, access resources, share opportunities and continue conversations.
Password: REEN26
This space is for members only. Please help protect members’ privacy by keeping the password within the network. Colleagues interested in joining can complete our REEN membership form.
You can also give consent to join the shared contact list and share your advocacy interests.
Save the dates: REEN in 2027
We would love you to join us again next year. Please pop these dates in your calendar:
Term 1: Thursday 11 February, 9–11am
Term 2: Thursday 29 April, 12–2pm
Term 3: Thursday 29 July, 2–4pm
Term 4: Thursday 21 October, 4–6pm
Further details and registration information will be shared ahead of each meeting.
REEN Convener Information
For those new to the network, below you will find information about the three convening organisations - Foundation House, Refugee Education and River Nile School.
Foundation House
General Website -Foundation House: Supporting Refugees to Rebuild their Lives
Schools In For Refugees Website - School's in for Refugees - Foundation House
Refugee Education Support Program - Refugee Education Support Program - School's in for Refugees
Key Contact: Maddie Gange - E: gangem@foundationhouse.org.au| M: 0436 115 840
For advocacy supports educationandearlyyears@foundationhouse.org.au
Refugee Education Australia
General Website - https://refugee-education.org.au/
Key Contact: Sally Baker - E: Sally@refugee-education.org.au
Become a member - Membership – Refugee Education Australia
River Nile School
General Website - River Nile School
School brochure (which you are welcome to share with peers and colleagues, young people, families and community)
RNS video - https://youtu.be/fvo4zY555HE?si=88fZBLV-DKH2K5NM
RNS Enrolment Information - Enrolment Process — River Nile School
Key Contact: Francine Sculli - E: Francine.Sculli@rivernileschool.vic.edu.au| M: 0401 674 451
Certificates of participation
If you attended on Thursday 22 October and would like a certificate of participation for your professional development records, please email Francine.Sculli@rivernileschool.vic.edu.au.
Other Opportunities
TEDx River Nile School Youth | LOOK AGAIN
Thursday 12 November, 3–7pm
Keen to hear more powerful ideas from young people? Join River Nile School at Science Gallery, University of Melbourne, where young speakers and community mentors will explore identity, belonging, courage and freedom. Building on REEN’s focus on youth voices, this is another opportunity to listen, question our assumptions and see the world through young people’s eyes. Places are limited — book your tickets here.
Host a young refugee ambassador
The Refugee Council of Australia recently partnered with River Nile School to provide training to a group of River Nile School students to become refugee ambassadors (including Madina, who was a part of the fishbowl conversation!). In the early months of 2027, our new youth ambassadors will head into the community to practise, connect and build their skills in sharing their stories. If your organisation would like to host one of our young people, please contact Francine Sculli.
Research opportunity: classroom language practices
Teachers of any subject who have taught in an Australian secondary school in the past 12 months are invited to complete a short online survey about classroom language practices and views on students’ heritage languages. Teachers from all school sectors and locations are welcome to participate. Complete the survey here, and please share with colleagues who may be interested.
Pathway to teaching for education support staff
Federation University offers eligible education support staff in Victorian government secondary and specialist schools a pathway to become qualified secondary teachers while continuing to work. The program combines part-time study with paid study release and financial support. Applications for the 2027 program close at the end of 2026. Find out more and register your interest.
Research opportunity: activism, education and artmaking
School students over 15 and teachers who identify as people of colour, are based in Naarm (Melbourne), and are involved in anti-racist or anti-colonial activism are invited to participate in a research project exploring lived experiences of activism and education. Participation involves three two-hour, in-person workshops with collaborative artmaking, and participants will receive a $30 gift card. Contact Fiza Zali for more information or scan the QR code on the attached flyer to express interest.
Thank you for a wonderful first year, and for the care and commitment you bring to this work. We look forward to carrying these conversations into action together.
Deepest gratitude,
On behalf of Foundation House, River Nile School and Refugee Education Australia.