Preface
From August 1997, the first time a few new migrants were gathering in my garage to now, it just seems happened yesterday not 10 years ago. When I looked back the journey, so many forgettable people and events made me so emotional. I thank our board for asking me to collect all documents that have recorded CNSST's history, in order to encourage people to be aware of and understand what CNSST has done to our community during last 10 years and why we are here.
----------- Jenny Wang in Auckland March 2008
1. The Founder of the Chinese New Settlers Services Trust (CNSST)-- Jenny Wang
The New Zealand Asian population has increased dramatically since the 1987 Immigration Act, and Asians now make up a significant segment of New Zealand society. At that time, this group of people was doubly disadvantaged in New Zealand society. Firstly, they were new migrants that came from a non-English speaking background. Secondly, they had many problems and issues and there was no appropriate assistance given to them during their initial settlement crisis period. Many mainstream agencies have not been seen to respond appropriately to the needs of Chinese new settlers at that time, mainly because of a lack of understanding and communication with each other. This lack of support has made it even more difficult for Chinese new arrivals to settle and thus has prevented them from integrating and contributing to New Zealand society.
Jenny (Ling Juan) Wang came to New Zealand in November 1994 with her husband and 11 year old son. As a new migrant herself, she has experienced all of the difficulties. In the middle of 1997, Jenny started to plan to establish a charitable organization to help Chinese-speaking people to settle down well in New Zealand. So she called a group of Chinese new settlers mainly her English classmates at MIT, who came from China, Taiwan and other Asian countries, voluntarily gather together at her home. They started with a senior Tai Chi group that run some entertainment activities in the Kotuku House square in the front of Manukau City Council white house building.
During the initial CNSST establishment period, as a key worker and leader at the group, Jenny worked hardly and voluntarily for 3 years. She has to work till middle night every day for 7 days per week. In particularly, due to her poor language and lack of knowledge on New Zealand social system at that time, she had overcome lot of difficulties, not only physical hardship, but also mental isolation and cultural barriers.
In order to acknowledge Jennys contribution to CNSST and local community, the Board awarded her a title of Life Honourable Chairperson when she retired from the Executive Director role after 10 years work at CNSST in July 2007. In New Year 2008, she was awarded Queens Service Medal (QSM) for services to Chinese migrants by New Zealand government.
2. The CNSSTs logo designerMr Guihua Zhang
In October 2000, Mr Guihua Zhang formerly an art tutor for our childrens weekend programme designed this Logo for CNSST. The description of the Logo as follows:
* The blue hands and young plants pattern represent CNSSTs multi-services;
* The red circle pattern represents the Chinese New Zealanders;
* The Blue and Red colours represent both the New Zealand and Chinese cultures;
* The word under the logo A Brighter Future for You is CNSSTs slogan.
Mr Zhang was a trustee at that time and he voluntarily had been working on the logo for more than a month, than, she provided three drafts to board and the current logo we use was one of them.
CNSST thanks Mr Zhangs great contribution and acknowledge this big gift he given to our community. We will remember him forever.
3. CNSST--------Started from Jenny Wangs home garage
For nearly three years from 1997 to the beginning of 2000, Jennys home garage has been used as agencys office at 45 Sikkim Cres, Manukau, which it registered in CNSSTs legal document, and all official correspondences went to Jennys home address, her home telephone, fax and email etc were used as organizations official information. Many significant events had been held in this garage, e.g. the first official board annual general meeting was held just at Jenny Wangs garage room and approved the many important things, e.g. elected 7 trustees; approved the strategic plan which drafted by the first chairperson Jenny Wang and it became a fundamental document to guild CNSSTs development in future, also, after 10 years, all of CNSSTs philosophies, principles etc were still kept the same as before; approved the financial management policy etc.
In particularly, for many years, her husband Nixon Liu has been working voluntarily as a development advisor and on call labour worker, and her son Mr Brendan Liu has been working voluntarily as a board English secretary and administrator. CNSST really appreciates Jennys family for their great contribution to local Chinese migrant community by providing free venue and other facilities. CNSST also thanks them for their invaluable financial and spiritual support during the initial development of the organization.
4. CNSST thanks lot of Volunteers and Friendship Houses Support
From 1997 to 2000, many volunteers home telephone numbers were used for contacting local clients and appeared in CNSSTs promotion flyers, E.g. trustee Mr Xue, trustee Mr Tang and trustee Mr Chen etc. also, the weekend centre programme voluntary workers, e.g. Howick: Ms Nancy, Ms Chang, Ms Chen, Manukau: Ms Chen. Ms Zhou, North Shore: Ms Zhao, Ms Zhai, Mr Wu, Ms Jin etc. CNSST thanks all contributors during last 10 years.
Until January 2000, CNSST could rent its first office an only about 8 square meters room at the second floor of Friendship House. However, due to the lack of funding, CNSST was still not able to open its own telephone. Fortunately, CNSST got support from Ms Vicki Sykes, director of Friendship House to share their telephone 09-262 2322 or 09-262 2335 ext 820/928 for nearly 3 years. We appreciated Ms Vickis help with CNSSTs development as Jennys mentor and advisor. Without her support, there will be no CNSSTs today.
CNSST should thank thousands tutors who worked and are work at its 7 branches to teach the childrens language and culture.
5. Some stories about the name of CNSST
1) Chinese Name
The initial Chinese name of CNSST was given by Jenny Wang called: Hua Ren Yi Min She Qu Fu Wu Zhong Xin. Later on, it has been changed to current name: Hua Ren She Qu Fu Wu Zhong Xin as our services not only for new arrivals but also the Chinese community as a whole. The brief names all the same called: Hua She Fu.
2) English Name
The initial English name of CNSST was also given by Jenny called: Chinese Migrants Services Trust?before registration?. When Jenny met former mayor of Manukau Sir Barry Curtis with other four representatives at the Mayors office in 21st August 1998, the Mayor advised us to change the migrants to new settlers, because he does not like to see people being labelled as outsider, and it might make new comers to have no sense of belonging. So in following month in Sep 1998, the organization name was registered as Manukau Chinese New Settlers Services Trust.
In September 2001, as CNSSTs services have expanded to the whole Auckland area, so the board decided to take the word of Manukau off and re-registered the organization name as Chinese New Settlers Services Trust (CNSST).
CNSST acknowledges former Manukau Mayor Sir Barry Curtis for his advise on the organizations name and in particularly, the positive attitude towards new comers and the spiritual support to our members, which gave the our new settlers a welcome feelings and have a sense of belonging. During the past years when he was mayor, the council has also encouraged our members to participate into local community through many different ways, such as Manukau new settlers policy announcement.
3) The discussion on the proposal of changing CNSSTs English name
At the annual planning day on 13 Dec 2003, all staff and volunteers have brainstormed on the proposal of changing the English name of CNSST, the question was: whether we should change Chinese new settlers services trust to Chinese community services trust as our services are not only for new settlers but also the Chinese community as a whole? At the end of the meeting, all participants agreed to keep our current name, because CNSST has already raised a very good reputation and highly respected by both Chinese and wider communities. So CNSST board respected all workers advice and keeps our name till now.
6. The Senior Volunteers at the initial period
The CNSST first official activity was taken place at Manukau square, we started from senior activities included Tai Chi for local residents, information exchange, network etc. So at the initial CNSST establish period 10 years ago, lot of senior volunteers have contributed a lot to CNSST in many ways e.g. helped to organize social and cultural events, recruit clients and manage the agencys operation etc.
For example, Mr Xue Fuxi who was a senior club leader, and his family members have done lot of voluntary works, e.g. his home telephone has been used as organization telephone for recruiting senior members and communication with the seniors etc. Another senior volunteer Ms Zhou Aiguang and her daughtera professional accountant, have made a great contribution to manage our bank account and financial bookkeeping, in particular in helping with the establishment of a professional financial management and governance system at the first point, so that CNSST can be easily approved by different auditors at the annual auditing process during last 10 years.
CNSST acknowledges their contribution and will remember them forever.
7. Story about funding application
In September 1998, CNSST applied for lottery seniors funding. After a month, the board members had a meeting with the funding advisor Ms Janet Waire, after she clarified all questions and asked all documents she requested, she said, Jenny, your groups application was prepared very well and professional, you are the best case I have seen in all hundreds applications within the country. So CNSST got the first $9000 grant towards to the senior social activities and establishment costs. Since then, during the past years, Janets comment always encourages CNSST to keep its professional work and make sure all funding received to be spent well.
1) The first national VIP visited CNSST
In January 1999, the first national VIP Hon David Carter visited CNSST at Southern centre at Papatoetoe community centre, he listened our proposal Regarding 1999 international year of old people. When he know about lot of Chinese seniors were so isolated from local community due to language difficulties and cultural barriers, he also made a good comments on CNSSTs proposal and agreed to fund $9500 to organize a series social activities for local Chinese seniors.
So during 1999, a total of 7 big events have been organized including,
* Retirement village visit
* Children Chinese speech contest on the topic of my grandparents
* Senior chess and Majiang competition
* Chinese family food exhibition
* Traditional Chinese art and calligraphy exhibition
* Tai chi performance
* International year celebration party etc.
Over thousands local people have participated in all activities and also over hundreds volunteers helped to organize those events, no one get any paid. Through so many successful functions CNSST organized, a very good reputation has raised in local community. CNSST thanks the Mr David Carters support.
8. The philosophies of CNSST
Since August 1998, the first board AGM, CNSSTs office locations have been change from Jennys home garage, Friendship house and PGF building Newmarket, and also due to the community demands, the projects have been changed from smaller to bigger. However, one thing has been keeping the same from the beginning to now, which is our philosophies and principals as follows:
Chinese New Settlers Services Trust (CNSST) is registered as a Charitable trust which offers culturally and linguistically appropriate services to both Chinese new settlers and the community.
Our mission:
To improve the quality of life of the Chinese New Zealanders.
Our vision:
To work towards meeting the needs of the Chinese Seniors, Children, Youth and all other new settlers, and to facilitate the successful integration of Chinese new settlers into the wider New Zealand society.
Our purpose:
To enable Chinese new settlers to participate into and contribute to NZ multicultural society through learning NZ culture and promoting Chinese culture.
9. The Board Chairpersons and Members
1st Board from Aug 98 to Nov 99(7 members)
Chairperson? Jenny Wang
2nd Board from Nov 99 to Jun 01(9 members):
Chairperson? Jenny Lin
3rd Board from Jun 01 to Jul 02 (10 members):
Chairperson? May Zhu
4th Board from Jul 02 to Oct 03 (7 members):
Chairperson? John Wong
5th Board from Oct 03 to Oct 04 (6 members):
Jenny Wang, Anne Zhou, Yi Xie, Kai Shao, Kit Wong
6th board from Oct 04 to Nov 05 (7 members):
Jenny Wang, Anne Zhou, Yi Xie, Kai Shao, Kit Wong, Raymond Huo
7th board from Nov 05 to Oct 06 (6 members):
Jenny Wang, Anne Zhou, Kai Shao, Kit Wong, Raymond Huo
8th board from Oct 06 to Oct 07 (6 members):
Jenny Wang, Anne Zhou, Kai Shao, Kit Wong, Jan Wu
9th board from Oct 07 to Oct 08 (9 members):
Jenny Wang, Anne Zhou, Kai Shao, Kit Wong, Jan Wu, Jessica Phuang, Vivian Cheung, Maggie Chen
10. Some supporters who used to support a lot to CNSST
During past years, a lot of government officers have given CNSST great support, in particular the different projects first supporters and some of them are:
* 1998, Ms Liz Watkins:
Ms Liz Watkins, community advisor Manukau city council, signed as a witness on the document.
* 1998, Mr Key Yee:
Mr Ken Yee was the first lawyer who signed as a verify person on our first funding application from Lottery and other documents e.g. IRD.
* 1999, Mr Tony Kake:
Community service manager, Manukau city council
* 2001, Mr Shaun Coleman:
Employment English Course project
* 2002, Ms Robyn Rusher:
* 2002, Ms Jenny Clark:
CNSST thanks Jenny Clark, community advisor, W & I, worked alongside of the staff on the project.
* 2002, Ms Rosemary Nash:
CNSST thanks Ms Rosemary Nash, former Manager of SAFVPN, for helping cnsst to prepare documentation for Approval? for the Conditionally approved by CYF as a community services provider to serve the local Chinese community in a greater Auckland region.
* 2002, Ms Polly OBrien:
Thanks Ms Polly OBrien, contract manager for NZ immigration services, helped with the settlement project.
* 2003, Mr George Wood, Former Mayor of North Shore City:
Our organization won the Community Awards for Excellence Mayoral Award 2003, awarded to us for our contribution to migrant community on the North Shore.
* 2003? Ms Wong Liu Shueng, community advisor at the office of Ethnic Affair:
* 2003, Ms Trish Rudolph & Mr Vernon Wootton, community educators NZ Land Transport:
* 2004, Ms Helen Wittle, road safety advisor, North shore city council;
* And so many others..
|
