How We Work

Refugee Services Wellington area manager Shane La'ulu and Colombia cross cultural worker Natalia Coard

Refugees are ordinary people facing extraordinary conditions.

They have experienced war, persecution, discrimination, racism and oppression, and been forced to flee from their homeland for nothing more than their ethnicity, religion or beliefs. Most arrive in New Zealand with few to no posessions or belongings.

Over the past three decades, we have assisted in the successful settlement of over 40,000 former refugees and their families.

Annually the Government accepts 750 refugees to enter New Zealand, where they spend six weeks at the Mangere Refugee Resettlement Centre before being resettled in Auckland, Waikato, Manawatu, Porirua, Hutt Valley, Wellington and Nelson.

When they arrive in their areas of resettlement, they are supported by our qualified social workers, refugee background case workers, cross cultural workers and trained volunteers who work with arriving refugee families and individuals.