​​​​​​Our role

 

As the umbrella organisation, HOST brings together the strengths of government, communities, and local partners to support successful Community Refugee Sponsorship.

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HOST's role is to walk alongside communities, supporting them to build the relationships, confidence, and capability needed to welcome refugees and support successful settlement. While HOST provides guidance, resources, training, and ongoing support throughout the sponsorship journey, Approved Sponsor organisations remain responsible for delivering their sponsorship commitments and providing direct community-based support to sponsored refugees within their communities. HOST supports the wider sponsorship system by strengthening connections, capability, and communication between partners, helping ensure communities are well equipped to welcome and support refugees.

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Our role spans the entire sponsorship journey. We:

• Support prospective community organisations to understand the programme and prepare strong applications to become Approved Sponsors.
   

• Provide guidance, coaching, training, practical tools, and resources that build the confidence and capability of Approved Sponsors before refugee arrivals and throughout the two-year sponsorship period.
   

• Facilitate communities of practice, peer learning, and opportunities for Approved Sponsors to connect, share experiences, and learn from one another.
   

• Where required, support sponsor groups to build connections with local networks, mana whenua, community organisations, specialised services, and other partners who can contribute to successful settlement outcomes.
   

• Help Approved Sponsors navigate available services and resources, strengthening pathways to housing, employment, education, health, wellbeing, and community participation.
   

• Support sponsored refugees to understand the Community Refugee Sponsorship programme, including the roles and responsibilities of each partner, what to expect before arrival and when settling into life in Aotearoa New Zealand, and provide pre-arrival information, orientation, and wellbeing check-ins throughout the sponsorship journey.
   

• Work alongside Approved Sponsors and sponsored refugees throughout the sponsorship period by providing guidance, facilitating communication, monitoring wellbeing, and helping identify or address challenges where additional support or connections may be needed.
   

• Work collaboratively with Immigration New Zealand and sector partners to share learning, strengthen community capability, and support the continuous improvement of the Community Refugee Sponsorship programme.

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Strengthening communities

 

Community Refugee Sponsorship is about more than supporting individual sponsorships. It is about building the confidence, capability, and connections of communities so they can play an active role in welcoming refugees and creating places where everyone feels they belong.

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HOST helps make this possible by connecting people, building partnerships, developing resources, sharing knowledge, and supporting communities to learn from one another. We work alongside Approved Sponsor organisations to help them develop strong local partnerships, including connections with mana whenua, community organisations, service providers, and other networks that can support successful settlement.

 

Community Refugee Sponsorship recognises that refugees are active participants in their own settlement journey. Refugees bring valuable skills, experiences, cultures, perspectives, and aspirations that enrich the communities they join. Successful settlement is built on reciprocity—communities and refugees learning from one another, sharing their strengths, and creating opportunities for everyone to contribute, connect, and thrive together.

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By bringing together the strengths of Immigration New Zealand, communities, mana whenua, former refugees, and local partners, HOST helps create the conditions for refugees and communities to build meaningful relationships, foster belonging, and thrive together.