Community-based refugee education programs

Overview

Definition of community-based refugee education

Community-based refugee education refers to learning initiatives that are designed, organized, and delivered at the local level by and for refugee communities, often in partnership with neighboring residents, schools, and local organizations. These programs emphasize accessibility, cultural relevance, and responsiveness to local needs, drawing on surrounding resources, volunteers, and informal spaces to create flexible pathways to knowledge and credentialing. They prioritize learner-centered approaches that adapt to mobility, language, and socio-economic realities common among displaced populations.

Why community-based models matter for refugees and host communities

Community-based models matter because they bridge gaps left by formal systems strained by displacement. They bring education closer to learners, reduce barriers such as transportation costs and entry prerequisites, and foster social cohesion between refugees and host communities. By leveraging local knowledge and trusted networks, these programs can respond quickly to shifting circumstances, maintain continuity during displacement surges, and contribute to safer, more inclusive learning environments that support both refugee children and the wider community.

Models and Approaches

Community learning centers

Community learning centers function as localized hubs where children and adults can access foundational literacy, numeracy, and core subjects. These centers often operate on flexible hours, use volunteer instructors, and offer after-school or weekend programs to accommodate work and caregiving responsibilities. They serve as trusted, safe spaces that can host tutoring, language support, and parental engagement activities, helping learners stay connected to education even when formal systems are disrupted.

Mobile and digital learning

Mobile classrooms and digital learning initiatives bring instruction to learners who are dispersed across camps, host communities, or unsettled settlements. Mobile units can travel to remote neighborhoods, while digital platforms—whether offline or online—provide scalable content, adaptive assessments, and multilingual resources. Solar-powered devices, offline content libraries, and radio-based lessons extend reach, especially where infrastructure is limited or electricity is unreliable.

Volunteer-led tutoring and peer support

Volunteer tutors and peer supporters harness local knowledge and social networks to reinforce learning. Trained community volunteers provide one-on-one or small-group support, bridging gaps in reading, math, language, and life skills. Peer-led groups encourage mutual aid, boost confidence, and create sustainable cycles of capacity building where learners eventually become mentors for others.

School-in-shelter and informal education

In crisis settings, schools-in-shelter and informal education programs offer structured lessons within or adjacent to shelter spaces. These approaches emphasize continuity, psychosocial well-being, and transitional support toward formal schooling or recognized pathways. Informal education can include excursion-based learning, vocational activities, and community projects that align with learners’ immediate needs while maintaining academic relevance.

Key Principles and Practices

Equity and inclusion

Equity and inclusion guide every aspect of program design, from admissions policies to classroom practices. Programs strive to eliminate costs, remove logistical barriers, and ensure that learners with disabilities, girls, older youth, and others facing marginalization can participate fully. Universal design for learning, multilingual materials, and inclusive assessment approaches help ensure that all learners have meaningful opportunities to progress.

Safety, psychosocial support, and protection

Safe learning environments are foundational. Programs incorporate psychosocial support, safeguarding protocols, and child protection measures to protect learners from harm and reduce stigma. Trained facilitators create predictable routines, trauma-informed practices, and accessible reporting channels that empower learners to seek help when needed.

Local ownership and participatory design

Local ownership ensures programs reflect community priorities. Participatory design involves learners, families, teachers, and community leaders in needs assessments, curriculum decisions, and governance structures. This collaborative approach builds trust, improves relevance, and enhances accountability to the communities served.

Cultural relevance and multilingual instruction

Learning content and delivery reflect the languages and cultures of both refugees and host communities. Multilingual instruction and culturally resonant materials reduce misunderstandings, improve engagement, and support smoother transitions into mainstream education systems where applicable.

Design and Implementation

Curriculum alignment with national standards

To support long-term integration and credential recognition, community-based programs align curricula with national standards and learning goals. This alignment facilitates smoother transitions to formal schooling, higher education, and employment, while preserving the flexibility needed in displacement contexts.

Accessibility and gender-responsive design

Accessibility considerations include safe transportation options, conveniently located centers, barrier-free facilities, and schedules that accommodate family responsibilities. Gender-responsive design ensures female students have access to same opportunities, with features such as safe spaces, female instructors, and targeted outreach to girls and young women.

Teacher training and ongoing professional development

Effective teaching in displacement settings requires targeted training. Programs provide initial preparation for educators and ongoing professional development, including classroom management, trauma-informed teaching, assessment literacy, and the use of locally available resources to maximize impact.

Materials, resources, and infrastructure

Access to appropriate materials—textbooks, worksheets, audio-visual aids, and digital content—is essential. Infrastructure considerations include reliable shelter spaces, lighting, ventilation, furniture, and, where possible, connectivity. Partnerships help supply resources and sustain functional learning environments.

Partnerships and Stakeholders

Community, government, and NGO roles

Community groups identify needs and mobilize volunteers; governments provide minimum standards, policy support, and potential funding; NGOs offer technical expertise, program design, and augmentation of local capacities. Strong coordination among these actors reduces duplication and promotes coherent service delivery.

UN agencies and donors

UN agencies and international donors supply technical guidance, funding, and monitoring frameworks. Their involvement helps align community-based education with broader humanitarian and development objectives, ensuring consistency with global standards and accountability requirements.

Community engagement and governance structures

Governance structures—such as community committees or advisory boards—enable ongoing participation and oversight. Transparent decision-making processes, regular reporting, and feedback mechanisms strengthen trust and ensure programs stay responsive to evolving needs.

Evidence, Monitoring, and Evaluation

Outcomes and learning gains

Monitoring focuses on measurable improvements in literacy, numeracy, and foundational skills, as well as attendance, retention, and progression to higher levels. Contextual indicators capture psychosocial well-being, safety perceptions, and learners’ integration into broader education systems when relevant.

Data collection and ethics

Data collection respects privacy, safety, and consent, especially for minors. Data governance includes clear purpose limitation, secure storage, anonymization where possible, and protocols to minimize risk for learners and communities.

Monitoring progress and program adaptation

Regular progress reviews guide adaptive management. Programs use dashboards, qualitative feedback, and periodic evaluations to refine curricula, training, and service delivery, ensuring responsiveness to changes in displacement patterns or policy landscapes.

Equity and Inclusion

Reaching out-of-school and refugee children

Targeted outreach identifies children who are out of school or at risk of dropping out. Catch-up programs, flexible enrollment, and bridging courses help these learners re-enter education with appropriate support and recognition of prior learning when feasible.

Support for girls and vulnerable groups

Specific strategies address barriers faced by girls and other vulnerable groups, including safety guarantees, female mentoring, and scholarships or stipends to reduce opportunity costs. Inclusive programming acknowledges intersecting vulnerabilities and adapts to diverse needs.

Barrier removal and safe learning environments

Removing economic, social, and logistical barriers is essential. This includes waiving fees, providing childcare during sessions, and enforcing clear safeguarding practices that create predictable, respectful, and secure learning spaces for all learners.

Policy, Funding, and Sustainability

Policy alignment with national education plans

Coordination with national education policies ensures that refugee education is integrated into broader system plans, with clear pathways for progression, credential recognition, and alignment with universal education goals.

Funding mechanisms and sustainability

Sustainable funding combines multi-year commitments, diverse funding streams, and community contributions. Blended financing—public funds, private sector support, and donor grants—helps stabilize programs and reduce abrupt interruptions.

Scalability and long-term impact

Strategies for scalability focus on replicable models, standardized training, and shared resources. Long-term impact depends on integrating successful approaches into national systems, strengthening local governance, and ensuring continuous learning opportunities for all displaced learners.

Case Studies and Best Practices

Examples of successful community-based programs

Several programs have demonstrated the value of community-led education in refugee settings. For instance, centers that combined literacy and livelihoods training with psychosocial support reported improved attendance and increased readiness for formal schooling transitions. Mobile learning initiatives reached dispersed families, while school-in-shelter models stabilized learning during sudden displacement episodes.

Lessons learned and scalable strategies

Key lessons include the importance of local ownership, alignment with national standards, and transparent governance. Scalable strategies emphasize modular curricula, multi-stakeholder partnerships, and data-driven adaptation to evolving contexts, ensuring that successful pilots can be expanded without compromising quality or safety.

Implementation Challenges and Risks

Security and safety risks

Security concerns—such as conflict flare-ups or unstable environments—can disrupt learning and threaten learners and staff. Programs mitigate risks through risk assessments, flexible scheduling, safe venues, and clear safety protocols in collaboration with local authorities.

Funding volatility and resource gaps

Funding fluctuations create uncertainty about staffing, materials, and facilities. Diversified funding, longer-term commitments, and community co-financing help cushion shocks and sustain operations during crises.

Credential recognition and accreditation

Recognition of learning achievements remains a challenge when learners transition to formal systems or seek qualifications. Establishing standardized assessment frameworks and official recognition partnerships supports credibility and continued progress.

Future Directions

Innovations in technology and blended learning

Emerging technologies enable blended learning that combines face-to-face instruction with digital resources, offline content delivery, and mobile assessment. These innovations increase reach, personalization, and the flexibility needed in displacement contexts.

Mainstreaming refugee education within national systems

Future efforts aim to embed refugee education more deeply into national education plans, with policy reforms, shared standards, and mechanisms for credential recognition that facilitate access to higher education and the formal labor market for refugee learners.

Data-driven decision making

Robust data collection and analytics support evidence-based decisions. Real-time monitoring, outcome tracking, and impact evaluations help allocate resources efficiently and guide program refinement to maximize learning gains.

Trusted Source Insight

Trusted Source Insight draws on UNESCO guidance that emphasizes inclusive, equitable access to quality education for refugees, advocating community-driven approaches that leverage local resources, safe learning spaces, and teacher capacity building. It also highlights the need for policy alignment and reliable data to monitor progress and ensure sustainable integration of refugee learners into national systems. For more context, visit the source at https://unesdoc.unesco.org.