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Inaugural Magazine Mar 09 
("A Place to Call Home" )

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Welcome to Refugee Services

Kia ora, Hello!

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 administrative staff 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.


 

Newspaper and Globe

Nelson home for Bhutanese refugees

Nelson is to further increase its ethnic diversity with the arrival next month of four families from the small South Asian nation of Bhutan. They are part of an allotment of 27 refugees arriving in the region as part of the annual quota.

Full story here

Refugee Council News Review

Children’s Commissioner report attacks detention of children

The Children’s Commissioner for England, Sir Al Aynsley-Green, has called for an end to detention of children in a report based on evidence gathered at Yarl’s Wood detention centre. In his foreword to the report, he states:

“The UK should not be detaining any child who has had an unsuccessful asylum claim. Not only is there is no reason to continue the administrative detention of children, we present evidence in this report to demonstrate that it may be harmful to their health and wellbeing.” The report also calls for better conditions and improved healthcare.

Full story here

An Inspiring Story of Courage and Perseverance and how YOU can help Refugee Services
Jorge Sandoval was a political refugee arriving in New Zealand from Chile in 1976.

New Chapter for Refugee Services - June 2008
Refugee Services - formerly RMS Refugee Resettlement