Here and Beyond

BOTTLE CREEK GALLERY

As a grassroots refugee background organisation, with a board, operations team nd community leaders and advisors predominantly of refugee background, ChangeMakers is well aware of the skills, life experience and knowledge that former refugees bring with them to Aotearoa New Zealand. These strengths, with appropriate and empowering support, ensure full participation and contribution of former refugees into society in Aotearoa New Zealand.

However, society in general continues to see former refugees in line with the images that are portrayed via media of refugees while still in the refugee state, in desperate need of a home and somewhere from which to rebuild their lives. This portrays a narrative of refugees as helpless, dependent, victims with little to offer, rather than showcasing what refugees offer the society into which they will settle.

Our aim with “Here and Beyond” is to change the narrative surrounding former refugees and people of refugee background. This is done by showing the reality of the participation and contribution brought to Aotearoa New Zealand by accepting refugees and providing them the initial support needed to empower them to utilize their knowledge, skills, and experience across all areas of life here.

We are very keen to ensure that the exhibition is representative of a variety of backgrounds and different means of contribution to, and participation in, society. We sincerely thank those people of refugee background who have participated in the development of this exhibition and look forward to working with more people to increase the representation of the exhibition.

ChangeMakers Resettlement Forum

https://crf.org.nz/