Human Rights Commission

Shakti Legal Advocacy & Family Social Services Inc, formerly known as the Shakti Migrant Services Trust has its origins in The Shakti Asian Women’s Support Group founded by Farida Sultana and 7 other ethnic women in Auckland in 1995. The support group was set up by ethnic women for ethnic women to overcome the barriers that come with migration and the intergenerational bonds of cultural oppression. Besides enrolling themselves in Life Skills programmes and learning to become self-reliant, these women sought to challenge the cultural acceptance of Domestic Violence within their communities, promote greater gender equity and bring about social change.

Over the years, the Support Group has grown from the confines of one tiny room to a national umbrella organisation with several centres covering Central, West and South Auckland, North Island Central (Bay of Plenty, Rotorua, Waikato) and South Island (based out of Christchurch). In 2008-2009 we expanded our services to women in the North Shore and set up a policy and advocacy office in Wellington. Shakti’s services include a 24-hour domestic violence intervention service and other social services to migrant and refugee families. Every year, Shakti caters to thousands of families in New Zealand, from several ethnic groups including Chinese, Thai, Japanese, Malay, Vietnamese, Cambodian, Burmese, Korean, Indian, Fiji Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Sri Lankan, Iranian, Iraqi and African. Shakti’s forte has been in providing culturally-sensitive services, by ethnic people for ethnic people of Asian, African and Middle Eastern origins.

Shakti Community Council Inc. is approved by Child, Youth & Family (CYFs) as a national umbrella organisation and holds various government funding contracts. Some of the member organisations are individually CYFs-approved as well. CYFs approval ensures implementation of best-practice standards in social services.

Mission
Shakti’s mission is to facilitate and ensure good health and overall well-being of New Zealand’s migrant and refugee communities through culturally appropriate services within a culturally appropriate environment.

Vision
To enable all immigrants to be fully integrated into New Zealand society in such a manner that they are able to live a life of dignity free from violence and are able to exercise their rights and responsibilities.

Visit the website of Shakti Legal Advocacy & Family Social Services Inc.

Project 2011

MYNZ 2011 – Shakti Youth Annual Conference

MYNZ 2011 Youth Conference: “Know your Rights. Step up against what’s Wrong.”

In sharing our vision towards an inclusive multicultural New Zealand, with youth of Asian, African and Middle Eastern origins grounded and aware of their identities, and their capacity as leaders and change-makers in the community, we bring you our second MY NZ conference as Multicultural Youth New Zealand in 2011.

Previously “M” stood for Migrant, but many young people when approached for feedback, found the word as a label uneasy to deal with. The organisers found this an opportunity to continue facilitating this year’s discussion on what many young people think about this issue. They agreed that the change of “Migrant” to “Multicultural” would bring more young people to come together, without losing focus on the forum being catered to youth of ethnic migrant and refugee backgrounds.

The change in what “M” stands would extend last year\’s discussions on what is “MY MIgrant identity”, and how young people across various ethnicities and generations describe their sense of belonging in New Zealand. It also marks a beginning in terms of how young people from immigrant backgrounds, be it recently or generations ago, situate their sense of what “MY NZ” means to them in terms of both local and global community contexts. This year’s theme is “Know Your Rights. Step up against What’s Wrong” in an effort to encourage young people to keep voicing out their opinions openly and fairly, with dignity and without fear. Topics such as human rights, gender & cultural diversity, social and family relationship safety will be facilitated. There will also be skill share workshops where youth workers and advocates share their experiences and cool DIY skills, with the aim of mobilising young people to get invol ved, be proactive about what matters to them, and exercise their rights and responsibilities in Aotearoa New Zealand.

This year, the conference, led by ethnic youth for ethnic youth, will be held on Thursday 29 September 2011 at Wesley Community Centre, in light of the recently launched Roskill Youth Zone. The conference invites schools and young people aged between 15 – 24 years, of Asian, African and Middle Eastern origins, migrant and refugee backgrounds from all over Auckland, to come together and share their diverse stories, migrating/moving around and growing up experiences as well as discuss the issues they face in respective home communities. There will also be other mainstream youth services available for participants to get information, ask questions or just talk to.

The conference is supported by Auckland Council. It is organised by young volunteers of Shakti Youth Unit, an emerging branch of its parent organisation Shakti Legal Advocacy & Family Social Services Inc. The centre has recently located itself to Manukau Medical & Health Centre, providing a range of holistic family services such as individual and relationship counselling, family mediation, youth outreach, immigration and family legal advocacy services as well as leads and participates in various community forums, health & well-being projects.

Registration for MYNZ 2011 opens 31 July. Transport assistance available for schools; enquire now to book seats.

Contact Shasha Ali, 09 262 0487 (office hours) or email youth@shakti.org.nz