#429: Systems, Values, and Conceptions Shaping Computing Education in Refugee Support Organizations

Refugee support organizations (RSOs) provide computing education for refugee youth. However, prior work has not yet examined how organizational systems and values shape learning about computing. These dynamics are important because RSOs' structures and practices directly influence access to equitable computing opportunities. We conducted a case study of one Youth STEAM Program, analyzing observations, interviews, and lesson plans to examine computing education through the lens of the Ecological Systems Theory and critical pedagogy. We found that multi-level constraints, such as funding, transportation, and translation, staff content knowledge, and reliance on external partnerships, restricted access to and depth of computing education. Culturally responsive and justice-centered practices built belonging and engagement, but tension at the micro, meso, and exosystem levels curtailed participation. Addressing these limits requires justice-centered coordination that aligns organizational values, resources, and pedagogy.