Research and service development
Using Evidence To Shape Practical
New Haven Aotearoa is a community-led charitable trust developing four connected areas of work. As part of this service development, we are planning Auckland-based research with former refugees and people seeking asylum.
This work will build on existing New Zealand evidence, identify local priorities and help shape practical, community-led services and programmes.
Why this phase matters
Building on existing knowledge
New Zealand research has already identified broad barriers, including language and interpreting, service navigation, cost, waiting, transport, cultural safety, mental health stigma, dental access and fragmented coordination. NHA will begin with that knowledge and focus on how barriers are experienced in Auckland, where care journeys break down and which responses communities want prioritised.
More local evidence is needed to show which communities face which barriers, where access breaks down for people with different refugee resettlement pathways or asylum-seeking experiences, what happens afterwards, and which practical responses could make a measurable difference. NHA also intends to include disabled people and family caregivers, whose experiences need clearer attention in local service development.
What this phase will add: local care-journey evidence, a verified service map, practical referral pathways and two testable community-led responses.
A focused first phase
Clear Boundaries, Useful Decisions
NHA has a wider organisational focus on former refugees, people seeking asylum and migrants. This research phase is intentionally narrower so it can examine the distinct effects of forced migration, entry pathway and disability.
- Former refugees and people seeking asylum aged 18 and over in Auckland
- Different refugee resettlement and asylum-seeking experiences
- Intentional participation by disabled people and family caregivers
- A focused survey alongside interviews or focus groups
- Real care journeys, including eligibility, interpreting, failed referrals and what happened next
- Safe reporting of patterns without overstating population-wide conclusions
What this phase will contribute
Eight Practical Outputs For Service Development
The scope will be finalised with project partners and community reviewers before data collection begins.
01
Updated Evidence Review
Map current public evidence, show what is already known and link every proposed research question to a clear evidence gap or decision.
02
Pilot-ready Protocol
Co-design and test a focused survey, interview or focus-group guides, consent materials, translations, safety processes and an analysis plan.
03
Auckland Service Map
Verify relevant health, disability, wellbeing and community services, including eligibility, cost, language, accessibility and referral details.
04
Findings Report
Report de-identified patterns, care-journey failure points and safe subgroup findings, with clear limitations and practical recommendations.
05
Community Summary
Return the findings in plain language, translated and accessible formats so participating communities can understand and use the evidence.
06
Referral Pathways
Create practical routes for common needs, including clear eligibility information, escalation options and warm hand-offs to qualified services.
07
Two Pilot Concepts
Develop two costed and safeguarded programme concepts linked directly to priority findings and measurable outcomes.
07
Partner and Provider Briefing
Share concise evidence, implications, partnership opportunities and research limitations to support informed service-development decisions.
How communities will be involved
Communities Help Shape the Work
Community involvement will be built into the design, testing and interpretation of the research. NHA will record how community advice changes the study. The exact approach will reflect the approved scope, languages, accessibility needs and available funding.
Community Leadership
Former refugees and people seeking asylum will help select questions, review language, shape participation and validate the findings.
Intentional Inclusion
Disabled people and family caregivers will be actively included, with accessible formats, suitable venues and assisted or verbal participation where needed.
Informed Participation
Participation will be voluntary and separate from access to services or immigration processes, with clear information about purpose, choice and withdrawal.
Privacy by Design
The project will collect only necessary information, separate follow-up details, use approved secure systems and protect small groups from identification.
Adults First
Phase 1 will involve adults aged 18 and over. Caregivers may describe family access, but direct research with children will require a separate protocol.
Honest Reporting
Findings will describe participating communities and safe patterns. NHA will not claim Auckland-wide prevalence unless the final sampling design supports it.
From evidence to service decisions
A clear path from learning to action
The research is intended to lead to better choices, not simply a report. Final measures will be agreed in the funded project plan.
| ACTIVITY | IMMEDIATE OUTPUT | INTENDED USE |
|---|---|---|
| Evidence review and co-design | A question-by-evidence map and agreed Phase 1 scope | Time and resources are directed to genuine evidence gaps rather than duplication |
| Mixed-method community research | De-identified evidence about care journeys, barriers, consequences and priorities | Local decisions are based on current community experience rather than assumptions |
| Service mapping | A provider-verified service map and gap analysis | Clearer referral routes, eligibility information and partnership priorities |
| Community validation and reporting | A findings report and accessible community summary | Communities can check the meaning of findings and see how evidence will be used |
| Action design | Practical referral pathways and two costed pilot concepts | Funders and partners receive credible next-stage investment choices |
Governance and accountability
Clear Oversight For Funded Work
New Haven Aotearoa is a charitable trust governed by a board and supported by a team. Funded work will be approved and overseen through the trust’s governance arrangements.
NHA will follow the eligibility, contracting, budgeting, evidence, reporting and record-keeping requirements agreed with each funder. Accounting support will help maintain budgets, expenditure records and financial reporting.
Before research begins, the project will have an agreed scope, budget, delivery period, privacy and consent approach, risk controls, outcome measures and reporting timetable.
Collaborate with NHA
Help Shape Services that Respond to Community Priorities
We welcome community participation, research expertise, service partnerships, technical support and funding conversations for this first phase.