Refugees need Hamilton volunteers

Hamilton refugee services are on the look out for volunteers to help settle new families into the Waikato region.

Volunteer programme coordinator, Lorraine Hooper stresses the importance of lending refugee families a helping, friendly hand.

“These families have come through really difficult experiences and when they get here, they are survivors.

“Sometimes even the children have experienced things that we as adults couldn’t even imagine,” she said.

Volunteers are placed with a family for six months and do everything they can to help the family form a home in Hamilton.

To begin with, volunteers have training so they are prepared and aware of everything they need to do.

Firstly the volunteers furnish a house for the family, all with donated goods.

From here it is the little things such as setting up bank accounts, enrolling the children into schools and going supermarket shopping for the first time.

“Everything you can think of  if you moved somewhere new and had nothing there,” said Lorraine.

Volunteers Jenny De Groot and Deborah Robertson are currently placed with a family of five from Burma.

“It was a really busy fortnight setting up the home, but since then I don’t feel like I’m running around doing chores for the family, it’s just like helping out a friend and dropping in to visit and see how they’re doing,” said Deborah.

Jenny, a migrant from South Africa, is well aware of the stress that comes with moving to a new country.

“For me, I came in with English, looking like everybody else and from a Commonwealth background and yet still for me it was very difficult to work out processes.

“Without people holding my hand and taking me along it would have been much harder so it’s good to give back.”

Jenny and Deborah both recommend volunteering and find it as much of a reward for themselves as it is for the families they help.

“It’s so worthwhile, and it’s not terrifying, you have nothing to lose, you will only gain.

“Time is the most valuable commodity, so you have to use it well,” said Jenny.

Deborah said she was looking for something practical that she could do.

“It’s wonderful to feel like you’re doing something worthwhile with your time and being part of something so special.”

Training will begin on Friday August 17 for all new volunteers.

For more information or to register your interest contact Lorraine on 07 853 2195 or lorraine.hooper@refugeeservices.co.nz