Advocacy

We are committed to enhancing advocacy for our clients and to positive liaison with community and governmental agencies. This is greatly assisted by our staff members’ fluency in a range of languages, including Persian, Farsi, Kurdish, Turkish, Arabic and Hindi.

We work to

• connect clients with their own ethnic communities and activities
• support families in meetings with other organisations and professionals, such as community law society, Auckland budgeting service, City Mission (food parcel assistance), Salvation Army and Red Cross, WINZ and Housing NZ, GPs and mental health crisis team, court administration and JPs
• advocate for families with legal professionals ( eg legal aid,  children’s lawyer , family lawyer, mental health lawyer, criminal lawyer, human rights lawyer and matrimonial lawyer) in seeking protection orders, child custody, prevention of deportation etc

Our Testimony

I am writing this letter in appreciation of the kindness and help I received by New Zealand Ethnic Social Services Trust. Given my past situation (things that went down with my family), my visa situation and status, and struggling with a few personal issues, I was really running out of hope and saw no way out; until my partner’s mother brought me to NZESS, and that’s where I met the lovely social worker. She was very warm, kind to me and very considerate, listened intently to the very complicated situation I was put in because of everything I went through, and brought light to a few options I could have. She showed me there was a way when I was really lost, and I will forever be grateful for this. Although not much could be done, social worker got me in touch with an excellent lawyer, who assisted with my visa application, and was very genuine. With his help, my visa got approved without any hassle in a little over two weeks’ time. I cannot express my gratitude enough for this, eventhough it may not seem like much. The social worker gave me hope, and that’s what I am thankful for.