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Refugee for a day: Swinburne students volunteer with Oxfam
Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning (VCAL) students at Swinburne's Wantirna campus recently volunteered to support Oxfam with preparations for "Refugees Realities".
It is the first ever simulation to be staged in Australia in an effort to raise public awareness and educate Australians about the plight of refugees. The interactive event allows visitors to experience the struggles of a refugee or internally displaced person trying to find safety and a long term solution.
The students helped set up for the event by making shelters, preparing and distributing bundles of firewood, assisting with lighting arrangements, making straw roofs, preparing sandbags, serving food and handing out leaflets around the local area.
"It opened up the students' eyes to a completely different world. They came away with a greater understanding of the hardships refugees endure, a new respect for them, and a greater appreciation of the luxuries that most Australian’s take for granted,” said Marina Makushev, VCAL teacher and youth pathways negotiator at Swinburne, who organised this opportunity for the students with the support of Joe Molnar, VCAL coordinator at the Wantirna campus.
"The VCAL program involves community based projects so the day fit in well with both the work related and personal development strands of the program."
"The students have come away inspired by the work of organisations like Oxfam and the Red Cross. Many have also expressed interest in doing more volunteering and supporting a range of community groups, local businesses and others in need so we plan to build on that in the future," said Makushev.