“It affects me as a man”: Recognising and

responding to former refugee men’s experiences of

resettlement (An exploratory study in Dunedin, New

Zealand)

This is an executive summary. For the full version, please see the following link.

Rachel Rafferty with Nijmeh Ali, Megan Galloway, Heidi Kleinshmidt, Khin Khin Lwin, and Mercy Rezaun
Te Ao O Rongomaraeroa National Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies, University of Otago

Former refugees bring many valuable skills and attributes to the communities in which they settle. Providing tailored support to refugees in the early stages of settlement increases the opportunities for them to contribute their skills and knowledge to our communities. This support needs to take into account the fact that former refugees can experience resettlement differently, according to their gender or age (Innocenti, n.d.). However, the particular experiences of men regarding forced migration and resettlement are not often researched (Affleck, Selvadurai, & Sikora, 2018).

Dunedin is a small city in the South Island of New Zealand that became a designated resettlement location for former refugees from Syria and Palestine late in 2015. By 2018, staff in some organisations that provide services to assist former refugee families to settle in Dunedin (hereafter “service providers”) had noted that former refugee men tended to be less engaged in community life in the city, compared to their wives and children.

This small-scale, exploratory study was conducted by a team of consultants from the National Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies, at the University of Otago. The purpose was to understand how former refugee men have experienced settling into Dunedin, and to make suggestions for ways they could be supported to participate more fully in society. Three focus groups were conducted with 16 former refugee men, and in-depth interviews were also conducted with 14 individuals working across eight service provider organisations1. This report also refers to research studies relating to the resettlement of refugee men in other contexts, where this helps to contextualise our findings, and to make informed suggestions. However, it should be noted that our findings do not indicate how many of the other former refugee men in the city share the concerns raised in in the focus groups.

Summary of Key Findings

Men experience settlement in particular ways that are shaped by their understanding of male identity. Many men who attended the focus groups related how settling in New Zealand had impacted their ability to fulfil their traditional role in their family, and how this has affected their self-esteem and self-confidence. Men in all three focus groups spoke on this topic and this finding is in keeping with other research that suggests that men can experience forced migration in particular ways due to their gender identity.
Among the men we interviewed, work is seen as central to their ability to lead a fulfilling life and integrate into New Zealand society. Men in all three focus groups emphasised that working hard is part of their identity as Syrian men. Many of them stated their belief that working is the best way for them to integrate into life in Dunedin. Men in all three groups also raised a number of other challenges they face resulting from low family incomes, suggesting that finding work or starting a successful business would not only enhance their personal wellbeing, but also resolve a number of practical problems. The challenges of navigating bureaucratic requirements for setting up a business in a second language, and a perception that loss of welfare benefits demotivates them from taking up paid employment, were also mentioned in the focus groups as perceived barriers to employment.
Among the men we interviewed, the challenges of learning English in a classroom environment was seen as the primary barrier to finding work or setting up a business. Many men in the groups also highlighted how their limited knowledge of the English language hampers their ability to interact effectively with government agencies. Some service providers noted in interviews that former refugee women seem to be more engaged than their male peers in attending English classes and completing homework tasks. Men in all three focus groups expressed a preference for learning English through working in an English-speaking environment, rather than in a classroom. Problems with the timing of classes and getting transport to classes were also mentioned in focus groups and interviews.
The men we interviewed are interested in playing an advocacy role for their family and are interested in opportunities to raise issues about the experience of settlement in Dunedin with decision-makers. Many of the men displayed a conviction that if they could communicate directly with key decision-makers, the challenges they are facing could be resolved. This may demonstrate a lack of understanding of social systems in New Zealand, which might need to be improved. Nonetheless, communication between former refugees and service providers could be improved through the formation of former refugee advocacy groups and/ or discussion forums.
Among the men we interviewed, acts of welcome and kindness are particularly appreciated, and make a positive difference to their experience of life in Dunedin. Many of the men, in all three focus groups, expressed gratitude to the New Zealand government for accepting them as refugees, and to volunteers and neighbours in Dunedin, including the Māori community, who have been welcoming and supportive.
Service providers are mostly aware of the particular challenges former refugee men face, but are not always sure how best to address them. Some feel they could benefit from more resources and/or guidance about how to support the men to meet these challenges. Particular training in how Syrian or Palestinian men might exhibit poor mental health could be valuable, as well as improving service providers’ understanding of how masculine identity is understood in the former refugees’ culture of origin and how this may be impacting their experience of resettlement.
Frontline service providers are vulnerable to ‘burn-out’ if not well- supported. In particular, the potential for secondary trauma should be recognised by all employers, including those using freelance interpreters. Therefore, any additional measures taken to respond to men’s experiences of settlement should be resourced adequately and not place additional expectations on an already-stretched staff.

The findings and suggestions provided in this report are not intended to divert resources and attention from the particular needs of women and children from refugee backgrounds. Almost all the suggestions in this report are for initiatives that should be open to both men and women, with the exception of targeted support to men to adapt to their new social status and family role in New Zealand (and a female-centric version of this could also be developed). Rather, we hope this report points to the importance of additional resources being invested in refugee resettlement, in ways that can respond to the different experiences of men, women, and young people. We are confident such investment can have many positive benefits over the longer term, as former refugees become active contributors to our community earlier in their settlement process.

Finally, we would like to acknowledge the support of staff at the Dunedin office of New Zealand Red Cross in organizing this study. We also extend our thanks to staff at WellSouth who provided us with funding to cover basic research costs. And we thank all those former refugee men and service providers who gave up their time to speak with us and share their insights.