There are over 100,000,000 forcibly displaced people in the world today.
Over 42% of them are children.
Marri Mittigar is Barker College’s co-educational special assistance school for children and young people of refugee experience.
Meaning “Many Friends” in Darug, the language of First Nations Australians on whose lands the school stands, Marri Mittigar opened in May 2024. It is a response to the need to help provide educational environments where refugee students feel safe, seen and supported.
Barker’s Humanitarian Program
One of Barker’s five values is compassion. It is at the heart of our message and an essential component of a Barker education. We seek compassion in our students and we ask it of ourselves. Barker College has been blessed by generations of faithful care and our Humanitarian Program seeks to support those who are vulnerable and in need and allows us to share our resources with others. As a school in the Anglican tradition, we take our cue from Matthew 25:31-46.
Building on an after-school tutoring service for children of refugee background that has been running at Barker since early 2023, Marri Mittigar provides an inclusive education, where academic success and personal growth are goals in tandem. It integrates therapeutic support with a rigorous and trauma-informed curriculum to help students thrive while securely anchored in their own cultural heritage and identity. Marri Mittigar students participate in a range of co-curricular activities that sit beside what takes place in the classroom, enriching their Australian schooling experience.
Our Focus
At Marri Mittigar, teachers are culturally responsive. They integrate students’ native languages alongside English as a language of instruction to enhance learning. This inclusive approach breaks down language barriers, fostering deeper understanding and academic success for all students. Particularly beneficial for children and young people of refugee experience, it celebrates linguistic diversity and cultural pride in the classroom.
How to enrol
The enrolment process is a clearly defined student entry process where the student’s and family’s legal and refugee status is prioritised, including students who are in Out of Home Care or unaccompanied minors.
Enrolment enquiries can be made in the first instance to Julia West, Director of Barker’s Humanitarian Program jwest@barker.nsw.edu.au or phone 02 8438 7047.
Partnering with Barker’s Humanitarian Program
We are thankful for the many generous donors and volunteers who have already provided valuable support to Barker’s after school refugee tutoring program.Funded from the Commonwealth government and private donations, there are many ways in which you can partner with Barker’s Humanitarian Program and help support initiatives such as Marri Mittigar to continue its transformative work through education.
Financial donations can be made to Barker’s Future Fund.
If you would like to discuss other means of partnering with Barker’s Humanitarian Programs, contact Julia West, Director of Barker’s Humanitarian Program – JWest@barker.nsw.edu.au or phone 02 8438 7047.
