Do schools promote social inclusion? The experiences of intercountry adoptees in Australia

Intercountry adoption programs have brought children from racially and culturally diverse backgrounds to live as Australians, including 30 children from Rangsit Children’s Home who arrived in South Australia in the late 1980s and early 1990s. As part of a project which explored the life experiences of 12 adults who had arrived as children aged between 4 and 9 from Rangsit, this paper explores the role of schools in facilitating their inclusion into life in Australia. The school experience was often critical in learning English and was pre-requisite for acceptance in the school yard but also a place in which most of these Thai-born intercountry adoptees experienced racism. More than half of the participants did not complete secondary school but all had employment. However, many of these jobs were low-paying and this precluded them from participating in opportunities to return to Thailand to learn more about their Thai origins or participating as adoptive parents in intercountry adoption programs. Hence, while schools can play an important role in facilitating social inclusion, the school system alone may be unable to address the multiple dimensions of exclusion experienced by intercountry adoptees.

Social inclusion through cultural engagement among ethnic communities

This study analyzes arts attendance of six ethnic communities in Australia using social inclusion as a theoretical lens. Qualitative data from 20 interviews and 6 focus groups (N = 37) were examined. Respondents were from established (Italian, Greek), moderately established (Chinese, Vietnamese, Indian), and newly settled (African) communities. Four themes were identified that are linked to social inclusion: (a) social connectedness; (b) link with home culture; (c) link with host and other cultures; and (d) inclusive initiatives. All ethnic participants shared views on social connectedness; Vietnamese, Chinese, and Indian participants expressed a strong need to maintain links with their home culture and develop links with the host culture. Italian and Greek respondents focused on developing links with host and other cultures. African respondents wished to maintain home country links. The study advances arts marketing literature and cross-cultural marketing initiatives using a social inclusion lens to explain arts attendance by ethnic communities.

Education about diverse religions and worldviews, social inclusion and countering extremism: lessons for the Australian curriculum

Since the turn of the twenty-first century, the so-called ‘religion in schools debate’ has generated a significant amount of controversy in Australia and arguably impeded progress in both research and education about diverse religions and non-religious worldviews (ERW). This article focuses on the recently released Review of the Australian Curriculum – Final Report and examines why there has been such strong resistance to learning from international best practices in implementing ERW programmes in Australia. It presents an analysis of the Review’s findings, in light of these advances, notably the recently released Signposts: Policy and Practice for Teaching about Religions and Non-religious Worldviews in Intercultural Education document published by the Council of Europe. Finally, this article argues that for the Australian Curriculum to be genuinely ‘world class’, and for it to promote an appreciation of religious diversity, it needs to include ERW as a separate subject or across the national Curriculum, drawing on Australian and international research and policies in this field to develop curricula and resources that are appropriate for the Australian context.

On the potential for psychological researchers and psychologists to promote the social inclusion of people with disability: A review

© 2015 Australian Psychological Society. Objective: This paper outlines different approaches to understanding disability and describes ways in which psychological researchers and psychologists can promote the social inclusion of people with disability. Method: Narrative review drawing on writings and research from psychology and disability studies. Results: Five prominent models of disability appear in the literature (moral, medical, social, biopsychosocial, and post-modern), all of which have relevance to the lives of people with disability. Conceptualisations commonly used to understand the experience of disability from a psychological perspective include stigma and psycho-emotional disablism. There is evidence that people with disability wish to have greater involvement in research (e.g., as consultants and partners in research about them, and as participants in mainstream research) and to see research findings translated into practice. Evidence is emerging that can be used to underpin psychologists work with (a) communities (to foster social change and social justice, and to reduce stigma); (b) organisations, such as schools, workplaces, and disability service providers (to help develop inclusive and supportive environments); (c) families (to promote optimism, alternative understandings of disability, and a sense of control, as well as developing behaviour support plans and providing referrals to other sources of practical support); and (d) people with disability (to assist them with the issues they bring to therapy while being mindful of the potential for psycho-emotional disablism to colour the material presented). Conclusion: Psychological researchers and psychologists have significant potential to contribute to the social inclusion of people with disability.

Practising social inclusion

Practising Social Inclusion presents what we know about what works, and why, in promoting social inclusion and practising in a socially inclusive way. Contributing to the growing debates on social inclusion, this book moves beyond discussion of who it is that is socially excluded and the processes of exclusion. It draws on research and reflective practice to answer the vital question of how to actually work towards inclusion and includes five sections looking at different arenas for practice: policy; programme design; service delivery; community life; and research. Relevant to all those working to promote, or researching, human health and wellbeing, this book is especially suitable for practitioners, students and scholars in health promotion, social work, social policy, public health, disability studies, occupational therapy and nursing.

Innovating, gaining market share and fostering social inclusion: success stories in SME development

Includes bibliography

European Union and Latin America and the Caribbean: investments for growth, social inclusion and environmental sustainability

Incluye Bibliografía

Defeating poverty through social inclusion

Includes bibliography

Technological dynamism and social inclusion in Latin America: a resource-based production development strategy

Includes bibliography