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The Community Organisation Refugee Sponsorship (CORS) programme has been described by sponsors and refugees alike as life-changing and now, an independent evaluation confirms its positive impact.
The programme is a community-led pathway for refugee resettlement in New Zealand. Operating alongside the national Refugee Quota Programme, CORS enables approved New Zealand-based community organisations to sponsor refugees and support their settlement over a 2-year period.
These organisations provide wraparound support — from securing housing and enrolling in education and health services, to helping refugees find employment and build connections within their new communities.
How the CORS pilot programme helped refugees settle and succeed
An evaluation of the programme found that the CORS pilot met or exceeded expectations across all evaluation criteria. Refugees felt welcomed and supported, children settled quickly into school, and sponsor groups helped foster independence and self-agency. Sponsor organisations effectively used local networks to provide practical support, and most refugees were making steady progress toward employment, education, and managing daily life.
The evaluation drew on interviews with refugees, their families, sponsor organisations and stakeholders. These insights were supported by reports and data, and the findings have now been provided to the Minister of Immigration and Associate Minister of Immigration.
But beyond the numbers, it is the stories from the participants that show the heart of CORS and the impact it has.
Stories of CORS supporting refugee families
One sponsor in Waihi Beach shared how their non-government organisation (NGO) work in Afghanistan led them to support families fleeing the Taliban. “When I found out about CORS and this became possible, I was just pinching myself with excitement,” they said. After years of trying to help refugees settle in the Bay of Plenty, the opportunity to sponsor through CORS finally opened the door.
The first night with the sponsored family was unforgettable. “The kids kept us awake running all over the house, something they hadn’t been able to do for 2 years while sharing a small apartment in Islamabad.” The next day, they saw the sea for the first time. “Just the simple joy of being able to run around outside was a memory that will never leave me.”
The wider community wrapped around the families with generosity and care. Trinity Lands provided a rent-free home, local dentists and medical centres offered support, and the kiwifruit industry gave both men employment. “The thing I am most proud of is that as the months go by, they need us less. They are finding their own way and making their own lives.”
In Christchurch, the Oaklands Sponsor Group described their experience as “a reunion rather than a first meeting” thanks to months of WhatsApp calls before arrival. Within weeks, their sponsored refugees were navigating life in New Zealand — opening bank accounts, enrolling in English classes, and hosting a housewarming party with their new neighbours. They even participated in a church fundraiser, cooking traditional food to raise money for overseas causes.
Sponsor groups across South West Baptist Church echoed similar motivations: a desire to respond to global injustice, build cross — cultural friendships, and show how effective communities can be in refugee resettlement. “CORS permits people of conscience to stand up and say, ‘There are issues in our global community that trouble us deeply. We’ll work at micro level, transforming despair into hope, one family at a time.’”
The evaluation confirms what the stories from participants have shown all along: CORS works. It delivers safe, effective resettlement and builds lasting connections between refugees and communities. As one sponsor put it, “It has been a hugely rewarding experience for all of us. But more importantly, it is better for the assimilation of the families into New Zealand. We are always here to help them navigate life, but they are also finding their own way.”
