In 2016, the city of Surrey in British Columbia, Canada, received new 600 refugees, mainly from Syria and war torn countries in the Middle East. Many children entered schools for the first time, some lacking literacy in their own language, and others were suffering from post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other mental health issues. The fact that schools lack professional development for teachers and support systems for mental health issues have greatly challenged the goodwill and moral commitment of educators and the community at large. This research project collected data from schools, narratives of teachers and other stakeholders who came together not only to improve the well being of the newly arrived refugee youth, but to educate the school district, and by extension, the surrounding community, on how to support our most vulnerable population for the benefit of all.

Published in: World Congress on Education (WCE-2018)

• Date of Conference: 15-18 July 2018
• DOI: 10.2053/WCE.2018.0024
• ISBN: 978-1-908320-91-9
• Conference Location: Dublin, Ireland