GAINING A SENSE OF CITIZENSHIP AND BELONGING IN AOTEAROA NEW ZEALAND: The Work of Refugee Support Providers

Abstract

This article examines the notion of citizenship in relation to refugee-background people by exploring how refugee support providers aid in the resettlement process in Aotearoa New Zealand. The policy and funding environment that these support providers work in is dynamic, and the contact they have with the refugees whom they support is complex and challenging. Refugees’ positions are precarious. While they are subject to screening by the immigration system and become integrated into a new society in material ways, they also negotiate new forms of citizenship. The research reveals the central role of refugee support organisations as enablers of citizenship in providing platforms that bridge the differences between cultures, amidst barriers.