Community Liaison Officers (CLOs), who work in the department’s Bilingual and Cultural Support team (EALD), support the settlement, wellbeing, inclusion and learning of students from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds.
This team was the recipient of the 2020 Governor’s Multicultural Award, which recognises organisations who have made an outstanding contribution to multiculturalism in South Australia.
The CLOs positive contributions enable children and young people from culturally and linguistically diverse communities to achieve educational success.
During National Refugee Week, held from 19 to 25 June, the department released 3 new videos featuring some of the stories of the department’s Community Liaison Officers (CLOs).
In the ‘My home, my heart, my story’ video series, they share their healing personal stories of migrating to Australia and the rewarding experiences of working as a CLO.
These are just 3 of our CLO stories. We have other CLOs from different cultural backgrounds working across the state to assist children and young people to settle into school life in Australia.
CLOs can support all cultural groups – however, we have CLOs specialised in the following communities:
- African communities – Andre Ntibesha
- Bosnian, Croatian, Albanian, Serbian communities – Mirsada Fenn
- Middle Eastern communities: Arabic, Kurdish, Turkish – Bushra Rasheed
- Afghan Community: Farsi, Dari, Hazaragi – Fariba Ahmadi
- Nepalese, Bhutanese, Indian communities – Bala Bhattarai
- Burmese communities – Aye Sandar Sein
If you think your family would benefit from connecting with one of the department’s CLOs, please speak to your child’s teacher.