Assignment - Report/Essay
Read the following case study:
Aarif is 14 years old. His family moved to Australia five years ago from Afghanistan as refugees. Aarif is the eldest of five children and they live in a three-bedroom home in Western Sydney. Aarif's father works long hours as a taxi driver and his mother speaks very little English. The consequence of this is that Aarif spends much time helping his mother.
Aarif is in Year 9 at the local public school. He has one close friend from Afghanistan and he lives on the same street. He used to go to the same school as Aarif, but he left school and started working with his father so Aarif does not get to see him that much now.
One of the teachers at the school was concerned about Aarif because he appears withdrawn and anxious and there and have been incidents where he has responded angrily when approached by other students to join in activities. This morning, the teacher asked Aarif if everything was OK and Aarif responded by telling the teacher to "mind your own f***** business" and then he grabbed a pencil case and three it across the room. The teacher asked the student counsellor for help.
The student counsellor meets with Aarif and the following is an extract from the interview:
SC: Do you want to tell me what's going on and what happened this morning?
A: (no answer - stares straight at the floor)
SC: I really need you to look at me and answer me.
A: Yes Sir (looking up)
SC: Your teacher asked me to speak with you and you can help yourself by helping me. So, I'll ask you once again (in a condescending tone) can you tell me what happened this morning.
A: I dunno - stuff
SC: (Shrugging his shoulders and sighing) You boys are all the same!!
A: Sorry Sir
SC: I know from talking with your teacher that things have been tough for you at home - do you want to talk about it?
A: I dunno, it's just not fair - I always have to help and can't do anything for myself.
SC: So what it is at school that is making you so angry?
A: I hate it here, I have no friends and I am sick and tired of it.
SC: Well I don't know how to help you. I will have to go and talk with your parents and to your teacher.
A: Can I go now please?
SC: OK, but go straight back to class.
Write a report using the following questions as a guide to content and structure:
1. Drawing on what you have learned about casework and working with diverse people, what issues do you think Aarif might be experiencing?
2. Re-write the conversation between Aarif and the teacher in a way does not include a stereotype
3. What would you do differently if you were the school counsellor and why?
4. If you were a caseworker in a local youth centre, what kind of supports do you think might be helpful, not just for Aarif, but for his family in general and why?
Your report should have:
- a title page with your name, student number, unit code, unit title, assignment number and title, submission date and your word count;
- an Introduction that provides a context and clearly states what you will be writing about;
- subheadings in the body to provide structure and focus;
- a Conclusion that clearly demonstrates how you have addressed the key points;
- APA formatted in-text citations and reference list that clearly acknowledge all of your sources.
The readings provided in the unit so far will be helpful. It is important to locate and use a proportion of scholarly and/or research articles as the primary sources for your report. In addition to this, websites that may be helpful are:
Youth Action Issues for Young Refugees
Auburn Diversity Services
Blacktown City Council (2014) Youth Services Directory.