Projects

Short Description:

Overall goal

The overall goal of the project is to contribute to alleviating the impact of the Syrian refugee crisis on Syrian children in Jordanian host communities through fulfilling their right to education by providing relevant and needs based education and protection. The project aims for the following objectives:

1. Vulnerable children experience increased academic success by accessing quality education in protective environments.

2. Vulnerable children experience improved psychosocial wellbeing and physical safety in their new social environment

3. Caregivers are empowered to adequately support their children's education and provide holistic care.

Expected results

Based on the holistic approach, the project aims to reach various however closely interlinked and mutual reinforcing results:

1.1. 1.790 vulnerable refugee students benefit from needs based education opportunities.

1.2. 590 Syrian and at least 200 Jordanian students study in safe and appropriate school facilities.

1.3. All school staff (teachers, school counsellors and bus escorts) has acquired relevant skills to deal with refugees' unique needs.

2.1. All 590 students enrolled with Caritas benefit from integrated structured psychosocial activities.

2.2. At least 110 students identified with specific psychosocial needs benefit from tailored psychosocial support services.

3.1. 40 caretakers have acquired new skills and knowledge to better support their children.

3.2. Caretakers' involvement in their children’s education is promoted.

Target group / Beneficiaries

Overall 1.830 Syrian refugees in Jordan will benefit directly from the project, out of which 1.790 are Syrian refugee children <16 years. Moreover at least 200 Jordanian vulnerable students are going to benefit from substantial upgrades of school infrastructure in two schools in Mafraq and Irbid. Caritas Austria (CA) is implementing the project together with its long-term partner Caritas Jordan and in cooperation with a network of Greek Catholic charity schools in Jordan.

The project is covering a total of 5 Governorates in Jordan for summer camp activities in 2017 and 2018: Irbid, Mafraq, Zarqa, Amman, Balqa. Focus of implementation during the 2017/2018 school year, however will be on two schools in Northern Governorates of Jordan, where high numbers of Syrian refugees reside: Melkite School of Husson (Irbid) and Melkite School of Mafraq.

Activities

Specific measures and activities in the course of the project include:

- 1.200 Syrian children benefit from summer camps in 2017 and 2018

- 200 Syrian children between 4-5 years old benefit from access to Kindergarten

- 240 Syrian children between 6-12 years old benefit from remedial classes to mitigate drop-out

- 150 Syrian children between 6-15 years old, who are out of school, benefit from basic literacy/ numeracy classes to bridge them back to formal school

- 590 Syrian children enrolled with Caritas in remedial, basic literacy/ numeracy and remedial classes will receive complementary psychosocial support

- 40 female Syrian caretakers benefit from applied literacy/ numeracy classes

- Two school refurbishment projects will be conducted

- Teachers, school counsellors and bus escorts will receive training

- Parents involvement is strengthened through parent teachers meetings, parent teacher council and awareness sessions

Context

With the crisis in Syria entering its seventh consecutive year in 2017 and almost 5 million refugees in the neighboring countries - including Jordan and Lebanon - the need for a more integrated long-term programming to adequately address the needs of Syrian refugees is pressing. In Jordan around 656.000 Syrian refugees are registered with UNHCR, half of them are children. In the 2016/2017 school year 53% of Syrian refugee children do not have access to formal education and are deprived of their right to education. This means that the proposed intervention is an essential contribution to ensure education for all, to link out of school children to formal education and mitigate drop-out.