Project: A New RealityProject: A New RealityThe Philips European Hellenic SchoolThe Philips European Hellenic School

4th meeting Nicosia – Cyprus – February 2010

A reminder:Survey Groups

•Questionnaire (26 questions)3 groups•Group A- 35 foreign Ss•Group B- 121 local Ss aged 12-16•Group C- 68 local SS aged 17-18Total: 224 Ss

Education and ImmigrationPositive Effects

•Education promotes equality within students

•School environment may promote the harmonious coexistence of foreign and local students in the school unit resulting in the smooth coexistence with immigrants

•Local populations have the opportunity to acquaint themselves with the culture of foreign

•Education provides the opportunity to foreign and local groups for communication, and cooperation.

•A high proportion of pupils indicate that respect diversity. This is made more obvious within students of later grades. •A large percentage of foreign students suggest they perceive that the local students respect diversity.

Education and ImmigrationPositive Effects

•Both foreign and local students do not believe that immigrants should be rejected on grounds of race, culture or religion

•The majority of indigenous students and foreign students are optimistic in sent children of immigrants in public State schools because they will adopt in schools and furthermore to the Cyprus European culture

•A large percentage of foreign students believe that truancy in schools promotes a negative reaction to the school performance and the overall image of immigrants

•Foreign and local students agree that there is no direct relation between immigrants and truancy

•Foreign students believe that having a good school environment can promote school results

Education and ImmigrationNegative Effects

•Frequent judgemental of foreign students in conjunction with the elements of racist discrimination by some of the local students can lead to segregation within the school space, therefore, in the same way can and immigrants be directed to similar ghettos

•A large percentage of students has unfortunately witnessed offensive comments after disagreement with local students in school space

•A small percentage of local students refuse immigrants on grounds of race, culture or religion

Families and SocietyPositive Effects

•Very low rate of local rejects the different. This shows a gradual increase in acceptance of foreign populations.

•A high proportion of locals indicate that they respect diversity. This made more obvious to individuals that belong to higher age groups

•A large percentage of students suggest and perceive that the locals respect diversity

•Both foreign and local people can distinguish between the terms of legal and illegal immigrants

•Children of immigrants are considered equal to those of the country hosted

Families and SocietyPositive Effects

•A high proportion of indigenous and foreign students are optimistic to the idea of children, whose parents are immigrants, studying in public State schools

•Families of immigrants once situated in Cyprus are socially accepted

•A high proportion of immigrants considers educational institutions as a means of smooth social inclusion, but also acceptance in Cyprus

•Locals need to realize that immigrants are a functional part of the society

•The female immigrants can easily find jobs and support their family as well as their men, promoting this way sex equality

•If at least one family member is employed there is a reasonable living standard in the family

Families and SocietyNegative Effects

•Frequent judgemental of migrants in conjunction with the elements of racist discrimination by some locals can lead to segregation

•A large percentage had unfortunately witnessed offensive comments after disagreement with locals in out of school premises

•A small percentage of locals unfortunately considers that all respective groups as illegal immigrants. The negative aspect of this is that they do not want or cannot distinguish between who is considered an illegal immigrant and who is not

•A noticeable percentage of locals consider foreign groups to be different due to their characteristics or their way of thinking

Families and SocietyNegative Effects

•Immigrants in many cases are subject of economical exploitation from employers. Moreover, conflicts may be caused and sometimes they suffer from racial abuse

•Migrants consider that the Cyprus Government, does not adopt adequate measures to smoothen their social inclusion

•A large percentage of foreign individuals believe that students who are not regularly attending school may lead to ghettos that promote illegal activities

•The impression is created that immigrants are the only hostile group – this image could not empower integration due to rejection and fear

•If women immigrants are employed there is a possibility of leaving immigrant men out of a job – negative effect on family balance

Economy and ImmigrationPositive Effects

•Both foreign and local individuals can distinguish between who is defined as a financial immigrant and who is not

•Both locals and foreigners comprehend that the standard of living varies within countries of the European Union

•A high proportion of indigenous and foreign students consent in the studying of children whose parents are immigrants in public State schools because they will uphold the economy of Cyprus and of the European Union

•After the establishment of immigrants in Cyprus they can act as a catalyst promoting the economy

•Once immigrants are installed in Cyprus and obtain work they can be classified as independent economically

Economy and ImmigrationPositive Effects

•Once immigrants are installed in Cyprus they can obtain work aiding the increase in productivity

•After employment immigrants may aid economical problems faced in their own countries

•Employment is an easier issue to immigrants

•Immigrants may acquire work in areas where Cypriots are not fond of

•Locals need to realize that immigrants are a booting economy factor

Economy and ImmigrationNegative Effects

•A large percentage had unfortunately witnessed offensive comments after disagreement with locals at the workplace

•A small percentage of locals unfortunately consider all respective immigrants being illegal therefore and being an economic burden in the host State

•A large percentage of foreigners unfortunately cannot understand that the standard of living is different due to multiple economic factors

•Immigrants may acquire work in areas where Cypriots are not fond of which makes it harder to be employed in other areas

Economy and ImmigrationNegative Effects

•When immigrants are installed in Cyprus and attain work in many cases they are not remunerated adequately

•Immigrants are in many cases subject of exploitation from their employers

•Dropping out of school complies to inadequate education that may be a factor in the difficulty of attaining work in a range of areas

ConclusionsConclusions

•Elements of discrimination surface

•The behaviour of immigrants e.g. higher truancy rates for economic reasons gives rise to added apprehension

•The school environment can possibly improve further the level of integration

•Immigrant children attend public schools in significant numbers

•Immigrant students do not seem to like the current immigration policies

•Immigrants attain jobs the Cypriots normally try to avoid

•Immigrant women are more likely to be employed

Psychologist's RemarksPsychologist's Remarks

The one emotion common to all the immigrants was hope

Their prosperity was influenced both socially and emotionally

The hesitation of many immigrants to be accepted in society is mainly to a

misinterpretation of their significance.

Nostalgia to their home countries is a common phenomenon among

immigrants

Elevated acculturative stress, low self esteem, ineffective social support,

lack of control, were significantly related to high anxiety levels.

Psychologist's RemarksPsychologist's Remarks

Gradual acceptance of the migrating population is made through education

and athleticism that promotes equality through groups consisting both of

foreign and locals

Students should acquaint the civilization and history of the

migrant counties in search of common elements of civilization

Students working in groups in miscellaneous courses having as a

task various projects will succeed in linking the two groups

Instituting Social and Cultural unions, where the participants

consist of both groups will aid in linking the two

Words to remember…Words to remember…

Remember, remember always, that all of us, and you and I especially, are descended from immigrations and revolutionists.

Franklin D. Roosevelt

Thank you for your attention!Thank you for your attention!