New Zealand Refugee Resettlement Strategy – Phase 3 implementation: Interpreter Barriers Antoinette Tanguay, Senior Advisor Strategy and Governance, Refugee and Protection – Immigration New Zealand

Barriers for refugees accessing mainstream services have been discussed at: – The National Refugee Resettlement Forum 2014 – Regional consultations in July/August 2014 and Government officials meeting in September 2014 Mainstream services defined as those which provide services in the areas of health, education, social assistance and housing to everyone who needs the service, including to refugees. Background

Analysis of feedback Feedback grouped identified barriers under three broad headings: – Interpreter use funded, but not utilised – Interpreters are not funded – Quality/quantity of interpreters

Interpreter use funded, but not utilised No standard or consistent policy for access and provision of interpreters across government agencies Interpreters not utilised for a range of reasons Inconsistencies in how funding is applied

Interpreters not funded Services include, but not limited to: Family violence programmes/women’s refuge Parenting/strengthening families including relationship counselling Disability support Mental health Financial management/budgeting Health care (dentists, pharmacies, optometrists, smoking cessation, drug and alcohol treatments) Early childhood education Community law centres

Quality and/or quantity of interpreters Not sufficiently trained Not available in a particular language (and sometimes only in particular locations) Insufficient number of interpreters to meet the need Issues with mode of interpreter (phone vs face to face)

Progressing barriers work Senior Officials Group December 2014 Regional consultations February and March 2015 Wellington and Auckland NZRRS Key Stakeholder Reference Groups Senior Officials Group April 2015 Skills and Safe Workplaces CEs Group June 2015

Work to be completed by 30 June 2015 Identification of the services/programmes refugees access within their first three years in New Zealand Development of framework for analysis of interpreter policy, provision and funding across the identified services/programmes Development of an inter-agency work programme with specific actions and milestones for each sector

Feedback needed from you Identification of services/programmes refugees access within their first three years in New Zealand

Thank you