Belong Aotearoa Brings Migrant and Refugee Voices Into Social Cohesion Debate

Summary

Belong Aotearoa held a social cohesion forum in Auckland on 11 August 2026, bringing migrant and refugee perspectives into settlement discussions. The event examined belonging, participation and community connection as key settlement outcomes. It also highlighted the need for coordinated, culturally responsive support beyond immigration and employment services.

Our Analysis

• We see this as a clear reminder that settlement success depends on belonging, not merely visa approval.
• In our experience, migrant voices improve service design and reveal barriers statistics often miss.
• Our sector should strengthen referrals across employment, housing, health and community networks.
• The discussion reinforces demand for culturally responsive, locally delivered settlement support.

Full Story

Belong Aotearoa has convened a national discussion on belonging and social cohesion, bringing migrant- and refugee-background communities into a public conversation about settlement outcomes in New Zealand.

The Belonging and Social Cohesion Kōrero, held in Tāmaki Makaurau on 11 August 2026, focused on how newcomers experience connection, participation and inclusion in their communities. The event brought together community representatives, settlement practitioners and sector stakeholders to examine the factors that help migrants and former refugees establish secure and meaningful lives in New Zealand.

Belong Aotearoa, formerly known as the Auckland Regional Migrant Services Charitable Trust, has worked for more than two decades on migrant settlement, advocacy and wellbeing. Its latest forum reflects a shift in the sector toward approaches that place lived experience at the centre of service design and policy discussion.

The programme included economist Shamubeel Eaqub and community perspectives intended to encourage practical discussion about social cohesion. For immigration-service providers, the event highlights that settlement support extends beyond visa approval, employment and initial orientation. Access to trusted information, culturally responsive services, community networks and a sense of belonging can all influence whether migrants remain connected and contribute successfully over the longer term.

The discussion also comes as New Zealand manages changing migration patterns and renewed demand for settlement assistance. Providers are increasingly expected to coordinate across employment, education, health, housing and community services while responding to the different needs of skilled migrants, families and people from refugee backgrounds.

Belong Aotearoa’s forum underscores the importance of giving migrants and refugees a direct role in shaping the services intended to support their settlement. Its conclusions may help inform future advocacy and strengthen collaboration across New Zealand’s migrant-support sector.