The New Zealand Refugee Resettlement Strategy
In 2012, the New Zealand government presented the New Zealand Refugee Resettlement Strategy with the overarching vision of refugees ‘participating fully and integrated socially and economically as soon as possible so that they are living independently, undertaking the same responsibilities and exercising the same rights as other New Zealanders and have a strong sense of belonging to their own community and to New Zealand’
Self-sufficiency: all working-age refugees are in paid work or are supported by a family member in paid work.
Participation: refugees actively participate in New Zealand life and have a strong sense of belonging to New Zealand.
Health and well-being: refugees and their families enjoy healthy, safe and independent lives.
Education: refugee:' English language skills enable them to participate in education and achieve qualifications, and support them to participate in daily life.
Housing: refugees live independently of government housing assistance in homes that are safe, secure, healthy and affordable.
This strategy is now being implemented progressively through 2014 with tenders for services currently being negotiated. While these goals are laudable, it is important to examine both the assumptions implicit in them and how they are going to be achieved, or at least pursued, both from the perspective of the individual but also that of the ‘mutual obligation’ of the state. It is worth noting that a focus on employment is actually implied in all five of the strategy's stated outcomes—some are just more explicit than others.
This focus and language around diminished social responsibility on the part of the state towards the individuals and families signals the imperative that refugees who settle in New Zealand be provided with meaningful opportunities to fully participate as peers in civil society. Part of this obligation is addressed by having a continued focus (meaning that these activities are not new) on offshore orientation programmes, six-week orientation at the Mangere Refugee Reception Centre and settlement support for another 12 months. The strategy's focus on employment has a synergy with the international literature on refugee settlement which demonstrates that one of the most important aspects of individual, familial and community well-being relates to experiences of meaningful work and opportunities for self-determination. Get Best New Zealand Visa Consultants in Lahore
While the strategy therefore focuses on a key aspect that influences a person's settlement experience, employment is not, in itself, a de facto measure of holistic settlement and acculturation. Thus, we suggest, employment must not become the implicit principal measure that eclipses other important considerations for defining ‘successful’ settlement for refugee individuals, families or communities.
Self-sufficiency: all working-age refugees are in paid work or are supported by a family member in paid work.
Participation: refugees actively participate in New Zealand life and have a strong sense of belonging to New Zealand.
Health and well-being: refugees and their families enjoy healthy, safe and independent lives.
Education: refugee:' English language skills enable them to participate in education and achieve qualifications, and support them to participate in daily life.
Housing: refugees live independently of government housing assistance in homes that are safe, secure, healthy and affordable.
This strategy is now being implemented progressively through 2014 with tenders for services currently being negotiated. While these goals are laudable, it is important to examine both the assumptions implicit in them and how they are going to be achieved, or at least pursued, both from the perspective of the individual but also that of the ‘mutual obligation’ of the state. It is worth noting that a focus on employment is actually implied in all five of the strategy's stated outcomes—some are just more explicit than others.
This focus and language around diminished social responsibility on the part of the state towards the individuals and families signals the imperative that refugees who settle in New Zealand be provided with meaningful opportunities to fully participate as peers in civil society. Part of this obligation is addressed by having a continued focus (meaning that these activities are not new) on offshore orientation programmes, six-week orientation at the Mangere Refugee Reception Centre and settlement support for another 12 months. The strategy's focus on employment has a synergy with the international literature on refugee settlement which demonstrates that one of the most important aspects of individual, familial and community well-being relates to experiences of meaningful work and opportunities for self-determination. Get Best New Zealand Visa Consultants in Lahore
While the strategy therefore focuses on a key aspect that influences a person's settlement experience, employment is not, in itself, a de facto measure of holistic settlement and acculturation. Thus, we suggest, employment must not become the implicit principal measure that eclipses other important considerations for defining ‘successful’ settlement for refugee individuals, families or communities.
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