New Zealand and Australia are destinations for refugees and migrants from around the world. Both countries have formal refugee resettlement programmes, as well as larger flows of economic migrants and humanitarian entrants. Refugee and migrant communities include some of the most resilient, entrepreneurial, and community-minded people in our societies — and some of those most in need of targeted support.
Immigration New Zealand. Manages the refugee resettlement programme. Funds Refugee Resettlement Regional Support Organisations (RRSOs) who provide initial settlement support services.
Ministry of Social Development. Funds Settlement Support New Zealand (SSNZ) — a network of community-based organisations providing information, advice, and support to migrants and refugees during the settlement process.
Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment. Funds migrant employment support, skills recognition, and labour market integration.
Gaming and community trusts. Fund community organisations serving refugee and migrant communities — language classes, social connection, cultural events, community wellbeing activities.
Local government. Some councils with large refugee and migrant communities fund community organisations providing welcome and settlement support.
Ethnic Communities Development Fund (MSD). A dedicated fund supporting ethnic community development — capacity building, community activities, and leadership development for ethnic communities.
Language access. Grant applications written in complex formal English are harder to complete for organisations where English is a second or third language. Simplified applications, translated guidance, and application support improve access.
Organisational development stage. Many refugee and migrant community organisations are in early stages of development — recently incorporated, building governance, developing their first strategic plan. Assessment criteria that penalise organisations for not yet having sophisticated infrastructure may systematically exclude early-stage community groups.
Trust and relationship. Refugee communities in particular may have experience of authoritarian institutions in their countries of origin. Building trust with funding bodies — through consistent, respectful engagement — takes time and relationship investment.
Cultural specificity of need. What works for one cultural community may not work for another. Funders should support culturally specific organisations and approaches, not just generic multicultural services.
Refugee-specific trauma. Many refugees have experienced significant trauma — displacement, violence, family separation, loss. Service providers working with refugee communities need trauma-informed approaches, and funders should assess for this.
Rapid change in community composition. Refugee and migrant communities are not static — waves of new arrivals from different countries create new communities with different languages, cultures, and needs. Funders need flexibility to respond as community demographics change.
Community-led organisations over mainstream services. Evidence consistently shows that refugee and migrant communities are better served by their own organisations than by mainstream services that add a multicultural component. Funders should actively seek out and support community-led organisations.
Capacity building alongside programme funding. Many refugee and migrant organisations need support to develop their organisational capability — governance, financial management, grant writing — alongside funding for programmes. Building capacity is an investment that multiplies the impact of programme funding.
Multi-year funding for settlement support. Settlement is not a short process. Organisations supporting refugees through the 2-5 year settlement journey need multi-year funding commitments, not annual grants.
Intercultural competency in assessment. Assessment panels and programme officers should understand the contexts from which refugee and migrant communities come — the political situations driving displacement, the cultural practices of different communities, and the systemic barriers to settlement.
Flexible accountability. Written reports in formal English are not the most appropriate accountability mechanism for all community organisations. Phone conversations, translated summaries, and community hui as reporting mechanisms are appropriate for some contexts.
Effective outcomes for refugee and migrant community programmes:
Tahua supports community trusts and gaming trusts funding refugee and migrant communities — with accessible applicant portals, configurable programme management, and reporting tools suited to community organisations at all stages of development.