John Paul College’s purpose-built International Student Services Centre with multilingual support staff offers a full range of services to international families. These are not just limited to academic support for students, but also social and emotional wellbeing matters; as well as assisting international parents and agents.
To be successful, international students need a supportive, nurturing and caring environment to reach their full potential. A well-developed student support system assists them to achieve their personal best academically, as well as making meaningful social and cultural connections.
As we move to the end of 2020, it has been an unprecedented year for John Paul College international students who have been unable to return home to be with their families due to the border closure. This has been very challenging for the students, their parents, teachers and homestay parents alike.
As a school community, we support one another in times of need, and this includes looking after the health, safety and wellbeing of our overseas students. On the Mid-Autumn Festival, the JPC community celebrated this special time of the year with our international students to further foster a sense of belonging to the JPC community.
International parents who currently hold a guardian visa also face a similar challenge when they are not able to return home during the break. To support this group of parents, International Student Services arranged social lunches with them in November.
John Paul College continues to expand its network within the local community in Australia to provide its parents with a unique opportunity to build friendships, understanding, respect, and ongoing relationships with their culture which contributes to enhancing positive experiences.
With ongoing support and communication throughout the student’s learning journey, parents can be confident with their choice of school and also feel a strong connection between the school and home.
