Predictors of Secondary School Completion Among Refugee Youth 8 to 9 Years After Resettlement in Melbourne, Australia

Ignacio Correa-Velez (), Sandra M. Gifford, Celia McMichael and Robyn Sampson
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Ignacio Correa-Velez: Queensland University of Technology
Sandra M. Gifford: Swinburne University of Technology
Celia McMichael: La Trobe University
Robyn Sampson: Swinburne University of Technology

Journal of International Migration and Integration, 2017, vol. 18, issue 3, No 6, 805 pages

Abstract: Abstract Being able to attend school and achieve an education is one of the most desired opportunities among resettled refugee young people. However, turning educational aspirations into reality is not straightforward. There is a large body of research documenting the barriers associated with educational achievement among refugees who resettle as teenagers, both in Australia and internationally. No studies, however, have identified the factors that predict completion of secondary school among resettled refugee youth over time. This paper reports the predictors of completion of secondary school among a cohort of 47 refugee youth resettled in Melbourne, Australia. Eight to 9 years after resettlement, 29 (62 %) had completed secondary school and 18 (38 %) had left school prior to completing year 12. Age on arrival and experiences of discrimination in Australia were significant predictors of secondary school completion. Older refugee youth (on arrival) and those who reported experiences of discrimination over the first 8 to 9 years in Australia were significantly less likely to complete secondary school. This longitudinal study confirms that, as a group, refugee youth are particularly at risk of not completing secondary school education, which can have an impact on their wellbeing and long-term socio-economic standing in their settlement country. Our study provides further evidence of the negative impact of discrimination on the educational outcomes of disadvantaged young people.

Keywords: Refugees; Youth; Education; Secondary school; Settlement; Discrimination; Longitudinal (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017
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DOI: 10.1007/s12134-016-0503-z

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