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 Welcome to the December edition of our newsletter A Place to Call Home for 2009.  We have a very full newsletter including stories from former refugees - some who have just arrived in their communities while others, like Dawit Arshak, who has been here for a number of years. We're also pleased to acknowledge the launch of the wonderful Somali Graduate Journal. They are amazing young men and women who have worked tirelessly to reach their educational goals and they are to be congratulated. At our AGM we announced a management trainee programme that we would like to have in place in 2010. We'll tell you more about it in a future newsletter, but looking at the Somali Graduate Journal, I was struck by how many young people there who would make a huge contribution to our work at Refugee Services.

International Volunteer Day was observed on Saturday December 5 and it was an opportunity to remember the many volunteers committed to assisting families from a refugee background settle in their new communities. We train over 450 volunteers annually with many returning for a second or third placement. Each issue we write about one of our volunteers, so if you are one, we may want to feature your experiences in one of our newsletters in 2010. We'd love to hear from you.

Here at Refugee Services we have had a very full year and many of our staff are tired and ready for a holiday break. I am sure you will want to join me in congratulating them for the fantastic work they have done in contributing to the resettlement of nearly 750 new New Zealanders this year.

On behalf of the Board and staff I would also like to take this opportunity to wish you all a very relaxing Christmas break and a peaceful and productive 2010.

Kind regards

Heather Hayden
Chief Executive
Refugee Services Aotearoa New Zealand

Refugee Services is Aotearoa-New Zealand's principal refugee resettlement agency (formerly known as RMS Refugee Resettlement).

We are a not-for-profit, non-government organisation committed to supporting the successful resettlement of former refugees within a welcoming and inclusive society.

Since our beginnings in 1976, our staff, including social workers, cross cultural workers, local coordinators and administrators, as well as our valued volunteer support workers, have assisted more than 40,000 refugees to settle and build new futures here in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Former refugees can now be found in every walk of life, making a wonderful contribution to the social, cultural and economic fabric of our increasingly multicultural society.

Volunteering

Trained community volunteers are key participants in the successful settlement of refugees. In liaison with the professional staff of Refugee Services, they help provide practical support and establish community linkages during the initial months of resettlement. Read or download brochure here ...for further information go to our "How You Can Help" section.

"I would recommend this volunteer programme to anyone who is interested in making a difference. It is a life-changing and humbling journey that empowers people to step outside their comfort zones. It is the small acts we make in our daily lives that create a massive shift in the world." Volunteer...Auckland.