1. Settling refugees in the community
Rachel Kidd, Rachel O’Connor,
Judi McCallum
About me and my BG

2. Today NZ Red Cross Our resettlement programme 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 10,000 volunteers 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 Client Social Worker Volunteers/ Volunteer Supervisor
Cross Cultural Worker
Resettlement Case Worker
Volunteers/ Volunteer Supervisor

8. Volunteer Programme Recruitment Training
Setting up houses, getting small household 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
Note: developing how these will be done currently

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 Employment An 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 Employment Pathways Team
Client
Assessor
advisor
Cultural interpreter
Employer Liaison
Data entry
administrator
Red Cross Volunteers
Client Services (Resettlement Team)
Social Enterprise Team
Corporate Partnerships Team

15. Pathways to Employment Creating 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 Employment Expected Outcomes
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 hrs pw work, work experience, voluntary work
37% gain ≥ 15 hrs pw work
10% start full-time further study
“I did agricultural work back in Myanmar, so this was familiar to me. I feel really lucky to have a job here”

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

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.