There’s no place like home – it’s a saying and feeling that many of us are familiar with.
But what if you’ve been forced to leave the only place you’ve ever known, travel to a country you know little about and move into a home you’ve never seen before?
This is the stark reality for the former refugees who are expected to be welcomed to Invercargill this year. But thanks to the New Zealand Red Cross Pathways to Settlement Team, they will be welcomed with wide arms, wider smiles and their own set-up house.
New Zealand Red Cross Volunteer Program Lead for Migration, Darren Frazer, said that the Pathways to Settlement Team - with the help of dedicated volunteers - provide former refugees with holistic community support for up to 12 months. This ranges from help in enrolling at a GP or school, to navigating the cultural norms of their new place.
“There are so many elements that need to be considered to encourage a successful transition, and one of the most important of these tasks is setting up the home where they will live,” he said.
While an important task for the Pathways to Settlement Team, it is also the most time-consuming and resource heavy.
A general grant from Community Trust South enables the team to purchase new homewares – saving significant time and ensuring autonomy to purchase what is required when it is needed.
Mr Frazer said donated housewares are still greatly appreciated and needed with families receiving a mix of pre-loved and new items to establish their home.
“We know that not having access to basic items like bedding, towels, kitchenware can significantly impact a family’s ability to settle. With the support of funders like Community Trust South, we can provide tangible support that will help instil a sense of safety and familiarity after what has likely been an extremely traumatic time,” he said.
Community Trust South Grants Manager, Dianne Williams, said it was a real privilege to be able to play a small part in the support New Zealand Red Cross offers to former refugees.
“The mahi of New Zealand Red Cross in welcoming these families to the south completely embodies the Trust’s commitment to supporting people and enhancing communities so that all people can lead fulfilling lives. Through this support former refuges are not only provided with a house, but a place they can call their own and that is invaluable,”
Contracted by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) to provide community resettlement support to former refugees, Invercargill welcomed its first former refugees in 2018 and has since welcomed a further 469 former refugees to the city.
Through grants – like the one given to New Zealand Red Cross – Community Trust South helps our most valuable communities have access to equal opportunities and reach their potential.
With this support, The Trust hopes for former refugees to thrive and feel at home in Invercargill.
New Zealand Red Cross Pathways to Settlement Team received at General Grant from Community Trust South in February 2025. Grants of up to $75,000 could be available for projects, organisations, services and events that help us to support thriving communities.
