The PARSEL project was born out of the recognition that schools play a unique and critical role in the lives of refugee children and their families. In Malaysia, refugee children have restricted access to education and are enrolled in Community Learning Centres (CLCs) that typically face challenges such as space, funding, and resource limitations. Additionally CLC teachers, many of whom are refugees themselves, often have not had opportunities to obtain sufficient training and support to provide comprehensive education that meets the students’ needs and prepares them for the future. Yet, they have a demonstrated commitment towards nurturing refugee children’s learning and social-emotional wellbeing. 

With this in mind, PARSEL recognises schools as safe and nurturing spaces that have the potential to promote the social and emotional well-being of children, foster a sense of community, and provide opportunities for learning and growth. The goal of this pilot initiative focuses on increasing the resilience of refugee communities, especially refugee children and expanding their access to resources that would foster their psychosocial development.