Helping new Kiwi families find their balance
12 June 2025
There’s a flurry of activity when volunteer Jasmin White and her son Lucas are asked to help welcome a former refugee family to Invercargill.
The pair first help New Zealand Red Cross set up a home with basic furniture and homeware. Then it’s off to the airport, ready to greet a family who have finally made it to their new life.
Jasmin and her son Lucas have supported five former refugee families and haven’t missed a single airport pickup. Eighteen-year-old Lina arrived last October and says having volunteers waiting and ready to help her family was “the best experience ever”.
Former refugees often arrive with very little after long, dangerous and uncertain journeys. The Red Cross team always matches Jasmin with families with kids, especially if there’s a boy Lucas’ age. Jasmin and Lucas make sure to prepare little welcome bags with toys, books and clothing for arriving children.
Over the first few months, Jasmin and Lucas then help them get used to things like the supermarket, transport system, and getting to school and GPs.
They also get to introduce families to fun activities. “Queen’s Park is always a hit,” says Jasmin. “The kids love it, even the adults love it.” Lina went with them recently and agrees, “I was acting like a seven-year-old!”
Lucas knows all the park’s good spots and has shown some of the other kids how to ride a bike. "That was one of my ideas. It’s been going great,” he says. They also learn a bit about arriving families’ cultures. Lucas’ favourite memories are learning words in new languages and making and eating Colombian mozzarella sticks.
Jasmin began volunteering in 2021 after reading a news article about arriving families. Lucas liked the idea of learning about different cultures and wanted to sign up too, but he wasn’t old enough to join the volunteer training himself. As he says though, “I was supporting her all the time!”
Jasmin finds volunteering rewarding, and to anyone considering trying it, she says, “Just go for it!” Each family has a team of volunteers supporting them. Jasmin says, “You have other volunteers, and all the Red Cross people behind you – if you have a problem or a question someone will know the answer.”
Lina says, “Having a volunteer feels like they’re saying – ok, I can help you balance until you can stand on your own.” She already loves Invercargill, and says, “It’s just beautiful. I wouldn’t want to leave even in 10 years.”
More information
- If you want to get involved in our work, join us! We have volunteer roles to suit everyone.
Find a volunteer role - Find out more about how we help former refugees as they settle in New Zealand.
Refugee settlement - Donate to support our work, including responding to emergencies, helping former refugees resettle, and delivering meals to people who can’t cook for themselves.
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