Settling refugees in the community

1. www.redcross.org.nz Settling refugees in the community Rachel Kidd, Rachel O’Connor, Judi McCallum

2. Today • NZ Red Cross • Our resettlementprogramme • Pathways to Employment • Refugee youth resettlement support

3. One Red Cross • Largest humanitarian network involved in conflict and disaster operations in world • Member-based organisation. Over 10,000volunteers and members • National and international programmes • Focus on unity

4. Three priorities • Disaster management and building stronger communities • International operations • Refugees and vulnerable migrants • Refugee Advisory Committee

5. Our work with quota refugees We aim to: • empower former refugees to achieve their goals and contribute to their new home • foster an inclusive, welcoming community which values the strength, resilience and skills they bring

6. Settlement Programme • Welcome • Orientation • Settlement plan • Practical and social support • Information and advice • Linkages to resources • Connection to community • Support with complex needs • Referral to specialist services • Goal: Independence and integration • Up to 12 months

7. Client Team

8. Volunteer Programme • Recruitment • Training • Setting up houses, getting smallhousehold items • First 6 weeks: busy, practical tasks • 6 weeks – 6 months: • Advocate for families • Social outings • Building a friendship relationship with families and keeping in touch

9. Orientation: 9 modules • Introduction • Keeping safe in New Zealand • Financial literacy • Housing • Health • Emergency preparedness • Strong families and positive parenting • Education • Community support services

10. NZRC 2020 Strategy BY 2020 WE WILL… Understand and meet the essential needs of asylum seekers, refugees and their families by supporting them in their transition into New Zealand society, without discrimination and irrespective of their legal status

11. Restoring Family Links

12. Pathways to Employment • Currently 2 pilot programmes –Wellington and Waikato • Expanding to Auckland, Manawatu and Tasman-Marlborough • New services start 1 September 2014 • Goal is sustainable employment • Workshop and 1-to-1 support

13. Pathways to EmploymentAn individualised, developmental approach Pathways helped me enormously in mentoring my short term and long term career. They helped me apply online for jobs and contacted employers. Many steps concurrently: • Comprehensive assessment • Career and employment plan • Referral to right services/training at right time • CV, job search and interview skills development • Guidance with identifying relevant jobs and making applications • Sourcing work experience • Understanding NZ employers priorities and expectations • On-going monitoring of progress

14. Pathways to EmploymentPathways Team Red Cross Volunteers Client Services (Resettlement Team) Social Enterprise Team Corporate Partnerships Team

15. Pathways to EmploymentCreating Opportunities • Accessing decision makers • Working with employers to understand benefits • Providing support after placement • Preparing clients and helping with paper work • Accessing entitlements • Finding partners • Identifying champions “In our business people need tenacity Yodit fits well here” Mike Egan (restaurant owner)

16. Pathways to EmploymentExpected Outcomes “I did agricultural work back in Myanmar, so this was familiar to me. I feel really lucky to have a job here” • All working-age new arrivals attend workshop • 290 clients registered as active job seekers (language and employment assessments, plans with milestones, CVs etc) • 80% engage in relevant ESOL • 60% gain ≤ 15 hrspw work, work experience, voluntary work • 37% gain ≥ 15 hrspwwork • 10% start full-time further study

17. Refugee Youth Resettlement Report “Then came reality”: Lived Experiences of refugee youth in their first 12 months in New Zealand Rachel.oconnor@redcross.org.nz

18. Refugee Youth Resettlement Report “I avoided school for 2 months until they dragged me down to enrol. I didn’t want to go to school. I went through so many schools after so many moves, with so many gaps. I didn’t want that feeling that you are a ‘newbie’”

19. Refugee Youth Resettlement Report “In Africa I thought ‘I will work like a slave [in NZ], never any rest, I need money.’ But the first time when I migrate…we said to our community who were here ‘we need to work’ [they said]… ‘you guys don’t know here’. They started laughing at us. ‘it’s hard to find a job’”

20. Refugee Youth Resettlement Report “I’m a talkative person; I like to communicate. But I wasn’t communicating as much as I wanted to. It was quite hard to interact with others. I felt lonely”

21. Refugee Youth Resettlement Report • The need for service providers to ensure they have access to cultural information and training on understanding the refugee journey and resettlement experiences • Provision of language support is needed to ensure barriers to participation is reduced. • Schools play a central role in education, integration and social participation. • Orientation for youth needs to be increased across all priority areas of employment, education, health and wellbeing and social participation • Coordinated approaches across the sector to ensure youths employment pathways are supported.