Supporting refugees in your community

Moving to a new country is often hard, but it can be even more challenging if you're a refugee arriving in Aotearoa New Zealand, having to rebuild a life from scratch.

Refugees are people who are forced to leave their home country, often because they’re in serious danger. This danger might come from:

• civil wars
• being targeted because of their ethnic background
• being persecuted for their political views
• being threatened because of their religious beliefs.

Many experience incredibly difficult circumstances:

• They may have been imprisoned or tortured.
• Some have lost family members during conflicts.
• Many spend months living in crowded refugee camps.

Refugees typically arrive in a new country with no personal belongings and with limited or no ability to speak the local language. Most must adapt to a completely different culture and society, often while living with past trauma.

Refugees can also be family members of other settled refugees or refugees who have found asylum here. Aotearoa New Zealand has signed an international convention that supports the right of people to claim asylum. Asylum seekers are also known as convention refugees. Read more about claiming asylum in New Zealand(external link).

Aotearoa New Zealand is one of about 37 countries that help refugees start new lives through a programme run by the United Nations and managed by the UN's refugee agency, UNHCR.

Every year, New Zealand offers to resettle 1,500 refugees through its ‘Refugee Quota Programme’. This has been happening for a long time – since World War II, New Zealand has resettled over 35,000 refugees.

By being part of this programme, Aotearoa New Zealand plays an important role in helping people who have been forced to flee their homes, find safety and start new lives.

Image credit: Depositphotos

When refugees come to New Zealand under the Refugee Quota Programme, they're given automatic permanent residence status. This gives them the same rights as other permanent residents regarding access to education, health care, employment, and social welfare.

Image credit: Canva

On arrival, our newest Kiwis go to a special centre called Te Āhuru Mōwai o Aotearoa(external link) – Immigration New Zealand’s Refugee Resettlement Centre in Auckland – for 5 weeks, to learn about life in Aotearoa. While at the centre, Immigration New Zealand (INZ) will look for suitable housing, and once this is found, refugees will be able to move to their new home.

Refugees are settled in different parts of the country and given support for up to a year, including:

• housing
• employment assistance
• enrolment in medical practices, school and English language classes.

The New Zealand Red Cross plays a major role in refugee resettlement, read about how the Red Cross supports refugees.(external link)

The New Zealand government has a useful website called Live and Work New Zealand(external link) which describes life in Aotearoa and has good information about living here.

Healthify also has a list of organisations providing services and support for refugees in Aotearoa New Zealand.

1. Volunteer

Red Cross refugee support volunteers help newly arrived families or individuals with practical help such as enrolling children at school, registering with a GP, shopping and explaining how things work in Aotearoa New Zealand. Training sessions are held throughout the year so if you’re keen to volunteer, you can find out more(external link).

2. Offer work opportunities

Using its Pathways to Employment, the Red Cross helps refugees find work across Aotearoa New Zealand. If you or your business have vacancies or can help refugees find work, contact your local Red Cross branch(external link).

3. Donate household goods

If you’re looking for a good place to donate items you don’t need anymore, check with your local branch of the Red Cross to see what items they require.

4. Invite and involve

If you have newly arrived families living on your street, at your local school or in your community, show them some Kiwi hospitality. Drop off some home baking or some garden-fresh veg and get to know them. Invite them for a BBQ, a game of touch, a working bee, or any other activity you think might help them feel involved. Perhaps you could just introduce yourself and ask if there’s help they need. This could be taking their child to an after-school activity, offering them a ride, introducing them to others locally.

5. Be respectful of their culture and traditions

Being respectful of different cultures and traditions is important for building a rich and diverse community. By embracing and welcoming new cultures, we enrich our lives and learn new things. Learning about others’ customs and beliefs helps everyone feel included and valued.