Monday November 28, 2016

Independence and integration for former refugees

What grows, how it grows, and where it grows … all great questions to be answered about Dunedin’s gardening conditions for a group of former Syrian refugees.

The group of up to 30 people will visit Otago Polytechnic’s Living Campus on Friday, December 2nd. They’ll be shown around the community gardens situated right in the middle of campus, and shown plants that grow well in Dunedin. They’ll also be welcomed back to use whatever vegetables they want from the gardens.

The group will then head to the polytechnic’s horticultural nursery, where they’ll get their hands dirty, creating their own planted vegetable pots to take away.

Aaron Blaker, Otago Polytechnic’s Refugee Resettlement Coordinator, says part of Otago Polytechnic’s social responsibility involves looking for practical ways to be a part of the integration of these new New Zealanders.

“Successful integration means gaining independence, and so if we are able, through our knowledge and resources, to have people engaged in workshops, courses and education that allow them to gain skills, qualifications, resilience and confidence toward achieving independence, then let’s launch in.”

Otago Polytechnic has already held food-safety courses, fashion sessions and language classes for former refugees.

Aaron Blaker hopes others follow suit. “I think the idea is seeded for other agencies to come on board and work as partners, or develop their own initiatives … and it is two-way - there is a lot of gain in both directions.”

The former refugees will visit Otago Polytechnic from 9:30am-12pm on Friday December 2nd.

An interpreter will be present.

ends

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