Recreation helps resettlement

More than 40 young people with a refugee background have been exposed to a range of new sporting experiences in Lower Hutt, Wellington and Porirua in recent weeks.

The Fusion 2014 programme is part of a collaborative Ignite Sport and NZ Red Cross Refugee Services pilot to help young people resettle in their new country.

Participants came from a variety of backgrounds, including Burma, Colombia and Congo.

The programme is organised and delivered by the Lower Hutt youth development organisation Ignite Sport.

Fusion 2014 began in Porirua with two days of sports new to 16 participants – speedball, floorball, boxing and sparring and a climbing wall challenge. In between, recreation session workshops encouraged the young people to recognise their own gifts and talents and have balance in life.

A Lower Hutt programme was also held on 10th and 11th July with more than 20 young people aged between 14 and 18 years trying out the sports. This group participated in similar sessions, with Hutt City Council having input to show the young people what’s available through their recreation programmes.

Ignite Sport Coordinator Kevin Goldsbury says the programmes involve socialising, recreation and an introduction to community services.

Goldsbury explained “we use sport and recreation to encourage and motivate, build leadership, team-building and communication skills. We aim to strengthen the young people’s connection with their new community.”

This is the second year the Fusion programme has run in Lower Hutt, with support from Working Together More Fund and Hutt City Council. A positive evaluation of the 2014 programme could see it rolled out to other resettlement areas in New Zealand next year.