Settling In Palmerston North and Feilding - Human Rights Commission

Key Issues (feedback from focus groups) 33Language• ‘I was crying during the first week I came here. I was nervous, I don’t know the language.’ Sarah, 8• ‘Most people thought that their inability to communicate well in English was the biggest barrier to employment, and that this was a bigger factorthan their ethnicity’ ‘(Note – most participants have not been told yet about the new English for Employment programme which EHT now hasa contract to provide)’• ‘One participant explained how he had to work (farming) for an income to support his family, but this prevented him studying English to betterhis situation in life. He feels much happier now he is retired and has the opportunity to study English at EHT. An ex-teacher, he missed havingthe chance for another education.’• ‘Participants talked of seeing language as the real key to settlement – access to a higher standard of living, education, employment, and thecommunity generally. Without good English they were very isolated and lonely.’• ‘More kiwi volunteers to help speak/practice English’• ‘General communication issues’• ‘Learn English’• ‘To get funding support for Palmerston North Chinese School’• ‘I wish I can get more teachers in class. At least two, so everybody can get help.’ Fia, 7• ‘Maintaining mother’s Chinese tongue and at the same time learning English.’• ‘Lack of strong support for children to learn the second language (English)’• ‘Learning English in the home is really good’• ‘ESOL in schools – some are good and some are bad’• ‘Language and communication problem’• ‘Have difficulties to understand when learning English’• ‘Will be good if English teacher could explain in a bit of Chinese’• ‘We would like to have more opportunities for learning English than are already provided – there are free lessons available for beginners oradvanced learners – but nothing in between. The waiting list for one to one tuition is too long. We would be very pleased if the council couldemploy some tutors to teach English one to one to enable us to be more part of the community.’• ‘Overall most women in this group are happy to be in New Zealand but they are not confident to mix with New Zealanders. English languageseems to be the biggest problem for them. This is really basic to our integration.’• ‘Language barrier’• ‘Looking for jobs is hard, sometimes due to lack of reading skills.’• ‘English language barrier’• ‘For refugees 2 years funding for learning English is not long enough, they would like more.’• ‘Education we do not worry about young children but for adult and older people we do. Adult there are two types. One is who have basic andanother group have not. Those who are have basic for them two years free study at ETC may enough. Those who have not basic not enoughfor them.’• ‘Difficult to understand English in school.’• ‘Language line not available all the time.’• ‘Vocational training should be provided to the people who can’t speak English properly’• ‘Some felt the English levels required for access to professional employment in particular were unreasonably high. For example, nurses hadto score 7/9 on all the Ielts language tests to get into nursing. Quite reasonably they questioned whether this level could be achieved by manynative English speakers. One participant was concerned that the agent who helped with their migration to NZ had told her that passing thenecessary English test would be “easy”.’• ‘Put Chinese back into school curriculum Training more staff of different language.’Focus Group Suggestions• More kiwi volunteers to help newcomers practice their English• Support for a Chinese language school• More English language opportunities to meet the range of different needs• Extension of the two-year funding period for ESOL for refugeesCost• ‘Most formal language courses and professional studies are prohibitively expensive for anyone not receiving government funding help. Manymigrants are envious of people who seem to them to be receiving generous study allowances.’• ‘High cost of training/course for partner/wife of husbands who came to study in NZ. Example: $2000 for a course for permanent residents and$6800 for non-residents – although these women had jobs and good qualifications in their home countries, they can’t work or study here andfeel discouraged, bored, disappointed and frustrated.’• ‘To reduce education fees for wife/partners of international students to enable them to do some training in NZ’• ‘It was told that free schooling will be provided but now we need to pay some amount of fees’• ‘parents wish their children to have the opportunity of free education in New Zealand.’33This feedback comprises direct quotes from focus group participants or notes as interpreted andpresented by facilitators.SETTLING IN PALMERSTON NORTH AND FEILDING53