Supporting former refugees on their journey to independence
HMS Trust has provided services and programmes to support settlement of refugee and migrant communities since 1999. The Trust is a lead settlement NGO and works collaboratively with community partners and local service providers.
NEW Kiwis Settlement Service (NKSS) focuses on supporting successful lifelong settlement of former refugees, and we do this by assisting people to build independence and forming local community connections
Our goal is to help support former refugees settle in Hamilton by helping families and individuals understand kiwi culture and achieve five settlement goals
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Self-sufficiency
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Secure housing
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Access education
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Health and well-being
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Community participation
Volunteer
Volunteers play a key role in the settlement of new families. Potential volunteers attend training sessions so they can learn about the settlement journey and develop cultural understanding so they can support new families.
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Volunteers will help:
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Set up the new home
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Assist with enrolling the children in schools
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Enrol in English classes
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Assist with enrolling at a GP practice or health clinic
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Connect families with service providers
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Link families with the wider communities
If you would like to get involved, learn about new cultures, meet new people, and make a world of difference in someone’s life then please contact us to become a Settlement Support Volunteer.
Contact info@hmstrust.org.nz
The Refugee Journey
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Hamilton is one of the Governments settlement cities with 100-120 placements
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The annual refugee quota for New Zealand is 1500 placements
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Refugees arrive in New Zealand with Permanent Residency status
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When they first arrive, they are placed at the Mangere Refugee Settlement Centre – Te Ahuru Mowai o Aotearoa for a five-week initial settlement programme run by Immigration New Zealand
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Once a house is secured the families are then transported to their new home and begin their settlement journey in their new community, supported by volunteers and the team at HMS Trust