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Prime information sources for handling local settlement issuesNew Zealand Immigration ServiceNew Zealand Settlement Strategy, under implementation by the New Zealand Immigration Service, makes provision for links to community directories. It also makes provision
for national coordination and establishment of migrant resource
services. Behind the settlement support progress lies official advice on issues for multi-agency collaboration and practice at central and local government level and for the non-government sector on which Cabinet was to be briefed. Experience with settlement support has also led Department of Labour interest in leading short and long term planning with senior government officials. In early February 2006 when David Cunliffe spoke in Waitakere about an example of the service he said new migrants and refugees in Waitakere will benefit from improved settlement assistance - thanks to the nationwide initiative called Settlement Support New Zealand. Mr Cunliffe launched Waitakere's Settlement Support initiative, led by Waitakere City Council in West Auckland. "This is in direct response to Goal Three of the 2004 New Zealand Settlement Strategy for migrants, refugees and their families to access appropriate information and responsive services that are available to the wider community. "We know that the first two or three years of settlement are the most challenging for migrants and refugees. A lack of local knowledge can mean that people miss out on the support and services which are available to them. "Not only will Settlement Support Waitakere provide a vital first point of contact to help direct newcomers to the services they need - it will also build on existing connections between government agencies, local service providers, migrant and refugee communities and the people of Waitakere. "Migrants have come to New Zealand to improve their lives and want to make meaningful social and economic contributions to their new homeland. "We all benefit from the skills and resources that migrants bring to New Zealand, but in order for them to be able to contribute to our communities and our economy they need to be able to settle quickly into good jobs and healthy communities, intact. "By coming here, migrants and their families make a commitment to the future of New Zealand. We need to respond to this commitment by helping them settle in their new community. "I'm confident that Settlement Support New Zealand will make a vital difference in the settlement experiences of those migrants and refugees who have come to live in Waitakere. We all stand to benefit from this initiative," Mr Cunliffe said at the launch. Briefing
to ministers The briefing proposed that the next phase of the development of the long term programme of work to support the New Zealand Settlement Strategy should be coordinated through the New Zealand Settlement Strategy Senior Officials’ Group. The briefing proposed the long term programme be responsive to issues identified through ongoing consultation within migrant and refugee communities. It also proposed the programme draw on, and responds to, the consultation findings for the development of the Auckland Regional Settlement Strategy and other regional initiatives. Department of Labour officials sought to be directed to lead the development of a draft work programme containing a mix of both short term actions focused on a two year horizon and longer term strategies for the consideration of joint ministers by 30 June 2006. A hard copy of the briefing, provided from the immigration minister’s office, records that copies were for ministers of Education, Pacific Islands Affairs, Police, Economic Development, Health, Local Government, Social Development and Employment and associate for CYF, Ethnic Affairs, Housing, Internal Affairs, Community and Voluntary Sector. The Auckland strategy, in which Auckland local authorities and central government agencies were engaged, was to be completed by the end of February 2006, and cabinet was to be briefed on it before its release. Ministers were briefed that the Auckland strategy “raised policy and service implications for individual agencies”. The consultation findings also “raise issues for multi-agency collaboration and practice at central and local government level”. By Anthony Haas, Asia Pacific Economic News Bureau, Press Gallery, Parliament Buildings, Wellington Upated 14 February 2006 SETTLEMENT
SUPPORT - The Wellington Regional Settlement Strategy was seen by advisers to local councils “as an umbrella document that includes migrant attraction along with support for new migrants in the community”. In Wellington, local management of the initiative will be through the City Council as the lead agency. It looked to appoint a Local Settlement Support Co-ordinator to be based in the Community Services Business Unit. The Wellington City Council advertised for the Settlement Support Co-coordinator, funded by Department of Labour, in July 2005. The Settlement Support Co-ordinator was described as being responsible for co-ordinating Community and government responses by assisting in local settlement planning. The co-ordinator was to be appointed for a fixed term of one year. The advert wanted to hear from people who had: • a good
understanding of issues associated with the settlement of migrants
and refugees In this role the co-ordinator would: • provide
the required information, links and activities for the local Settlement
Support Initiative to function effectively Applications closed Monday 8 August 2005. Information was provided by Nadia Fawzi, Intercultural Relationships Co-ordinator, Community Services, Wellington City Council. Their web is www.wellington.govt.nz/services/ethniccomm/index.html. In April 2005 the Porirua City Council had considered the report of the Settlement services project and framework for the development of a Wellington regional settlement strategy. The report sought endorsement of the most recent phase of developing and implementing a Wellington Region Settlement Strategy. A similar report was being presented to Wellington City, Hutt City, Upper Hutt City, and Kapiti Coast District Councils. Recommendations
for Porirua Council noted
that these positions were expected to be fully funded through an
application for grant funding from New Zealand Immigration Service. The Wellington Mayoral Forum had taken a lead role on co-ordinating development of this programme. A key consideration had been the role of central government (alongside local government) in improving the settlement process. In the June 2004 Budget, central government allocated funding for improved delivery of migrant resource services and a project has been developed to investigate how this could be implemented in Wellington region. The Mayoral Forum recommended the establishment of a co-ordination function that would be delivered by three full-time co-ordinators of migrant services in the Wellington region. The New Zealand Immigration Service had called for funding applications for this function (tailored to the circumstances in each area) with an expectation that nine such co-ordinators would be appointed across New Zealand in 2005 and a further 10 subsequently. Excerpts from the background, wider implications and conclusions of the April 2005 report to Porirua City are recorded here. Background The Wellington Region Settlement Strategy is closely linked to national changes to immigration policy announced by the Government in July 2003 which affected the way migrants can obtain work permits and New Zealand residency. They gave effect to a change in policy direction of the Government from being a passive recipient of residence applications, to becoming an active recruiter of the skills and talent New Zealand needs. A new Skilled Migrant Category replaced the General Skills Category in late 2003/early 2004 and an enhanced points system now applies. Bonus points recognise qualifications and experience matching New Zealand’s skill shortages and relevant job offers in regions outside Auckland. This has been accompanied by significant new resourcing in the 2004 Budget. The impact of these policy changes is not yet clear in terms of the percentage of migrants settling in Wellington. Good data on this is difficult to obtain because of internal movement (city to city within New Zealand) and subsequent emigration. The Census provides the most robust data on migration patterns, and the NZ Immigration Service is now recording better information to track migration trends. Wider
implications - environmental and social The report to the Mayoral Forum from that project highlights the complexity of this sector and the multitude of agencies involved. A clear theme emerged that better co-ordination of activities and work to ensure that new settlers were aware of services available, along with an ongoing mechanism to identify issues would be a significant improvement on the current situation. The report recommends the establishment of a co-ordination function that would be delivered by three full-time co-ordinators of migrant services in the Wellington region. Conclusion NZ
settlement sources Links to websites about immigration to New Zealand. Updated
by APEN, 15 August 2005 |
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