On the 24 February, Year 10 students, Charlotte Upton and Thu (Anna) Nguyen Diep, participated in the Victorian Government’s International Student Voice Forum, held at the State Library of Victoria, along with students from nine other schools.

The focus of the Forum was for students to explore, develop and collaborate on the following four themes:

• Global Citizenship and Intercultural Capability
• Multiculturalism
• Collaboration
• Connection

The aim of the Forum is to provide a platform for international and local students to explore the key issues in education, specifically relating to the international student experience to create and implement strategies that connect both local and international students within school environments.

During the Forum, Charlotte and Anna considered questions such as:

• How can we strengthen the international student voice in schools and work with local students?
• What initiatives can we put into good practice to help students feel accepted, respected and connected?
• What processes can we implement to present our ideas and activities to the staff and leadership team at the school?

Anna and Charlotte were confident contributors during the Forum and developed several ideas for consideration at St Catherine’s School, including an international cultural week across the Senior School, where international students could showcase their cultural heritage and share their knowledge with local students.

“The formation of a cultural week within the first few weeks of school, could provide an opportunity for international students to identify themselves within the community, sharing their enriched knowledge of their culture and increasing connections with local students. It would be a dynamic way for students to get to know each other and ease the language barrier,” explains Anna.

The girls also considered a Globalisation subject, offered during one period every fortnight in the Senior School. “This would be a time when students learn about culture, migration, international law/politics, food, and fashion and how they each occur within a specific country,” shares Charlotte.

Finally, the girls also suggested student-led tutoring, “often, international students have prior knowledge of academic programs before coming to St Catherine’s. Tutoring others could be a way to increase interactions between international and local students and a forum to share their knowledge,” says Anna.

The girls presented their ideas to the whole Forum, as well as collaborating with participants from other schools. Following on from this Forum a facilitator will visit St Catherine’s to provide follow-up support. The girls will also attend a further Forum at the State Library in May.

Congratulations to Charlotte and Anna for representing St Catherine’s School proudly.