Why is Aotearoa Migrants 4 Migrants Academy (AMMA) Important and Relevant to New Zealand and How is it Different to other Providers?

AMMA is an educational organisation set up by female migrants for female migrants. One of the core reasons for the success of our initial volunteer English programme is the connection the participants felt with the tutors (volunteers) who are also migrants. This is due to many similarities such as cultural and personal experiences of migrating to a different country.

​

As migrants ourselves, we understand the many difficulties migrants face. One crucial difficulty common amongst the female migrant community is securing good jobs. For some, it may be due to their language abilities. However, even those with great English language skills, high academic qualifications and relevant job experiences are often rejected for positions they are qualified for. There is a significant lack of high-level employment opportunities for migrants and there could be many reasons for this. Aside from language barriers and lack of employment opportunities, difficulties may also arise from cultural and religious differences. Many women from different ethnic and religious groups are not used to the New Zealand culture where men and women are able to mingle freely. When attending courses, community, and networking events, they often find themselves at loss and unable to communicate well. Due to cultural or religious reasons, the presence of men may also impede them from being able to communicate freely as these women are not used to the New Zealand culture.

​

As AMMA is an organisation run by women for women, women who participate in AMMA classes can feel comfortable and thus, able to express themselves freely and openly. The directors, tutors and volunteers are women and we hope that through this initiative, they will be able to comfortably reach their full potential.

The programmes at AMMA will help to ingrain confidence in migrant women and enable them to socialise and network outside of their ethnic and religious communities by equipping them with the most basic communication skill – language – and also cultural understanding of Aotearoa. We also aim to provide them with relevant skills that will not only aid them in becoming self-sufficient, but also to potentially increase their economic power.

​

Through AMMA, we aim to not only help migrants settle in and integrate, we also aim to empower and help them feel a sense of belonging. Through AMMA, we not only want our participants to feel belonged, we also hope to encourage acceptance, tolerance and understanding throughout the whole of New Zealand society so that they do belong.

Interested in learning more about Aotearoa Migrants 4 Migrants Academy (AMMA)? We invite you to keep exploring our website, and get in touch with questions about our values, academics, community and more. Join us today!