8th International Metropolis Conference, Vienna, September 2003

Transcription

1 8th International Metropolis Conference, Vienna, September 2003 YOUNG MIGRANT SETTLEMENT EXPERIENCES IN NEW ZEALAND: LINGUISTIC, SOCIAL AND CULTURAL ASPECTS Noel Watts and Cynthia White New Settlers Programme, Massey University, New Zealand Introduction In New Zealand young migrants from non-english speaking backgrounds (NESB) are a significant and diverse segment of the adolescent and young adult population. Between 1991 and 2001, for instance, the proportion of young people between 10 and 19 years of age who were born overseas grew from 9.5 to 14.9 per cent (Department of Statistics, 1992; Statistics New Zealand, 2002). Among the more recent immigrants, young people are more likely to have been born in Asian countries than in other regions. However, despite the importance of younger people in the immigrant population, comparatively little attention has been given to their needs. Apart from a small number of studies (such as those carried out by Elsie Ho amongst young Hong Kong migrants (Ho, 1995a, 1995b), immigration research has tended to focus on the settlement experiences of adult migrants from non-english-speaking backgrounds (NESB). It is hoped that the study which is reported in this paper will help in some measure to fill this research gap. The Study Aim The study was conducted as part of the research activity of the New Settlers Programme at Massey University. The New Settlers Programme which is funded by the New Zealand Foundation for Research, Science and Technology involves a multi-disciplinary team of researchers who during the past six years have carried out a number of studies of the experiences in New Zealand of skilled, adult migrants, particularly those from Asia. As the settlement of adult migrants may be affected by the ways in which their children adapt to life in the host society, it was decided that a study of the experiences of young migrants in New Zealand would be a useful extension to the research programme. To gain an understanding of how young NESB migrants were coping with the demands of a different linguistic and cultural environment it was decided to draw on the perspectives of the young migrants themselves on their settlement experiences together with the views of tutors of English to speakers of other languages (ESOL) who assist young migrants and their families during the initial period of settlement. Research procedures The most practical way of gaining access to young NESB migrants and refugees and gain their cooperation was through the networks of the New Zealand Association of Home Tutor Schemes. Home tutors work closely with migrant and refugee family members to help them improve their English. They have entry to homes where there are young NESB people and can explain what is involved in the project and answer any questions that arise. Their experience as English tutors also makes them well suited for roles as interviewers. Through the assistance of the regional organisers we were able to brief home tutors on the aims of the project and ask for their cooperation in carrying out interviews based on the questionnaires that we had prepared. Though the home tutors network was the main avenue used in contacting young NESB migrants and refugees, some extra assistance was also provided by language schools in Christchurch, Wellington and Auckland. An overview of the responses of the young new settlers wax presented at two meetings with groups of ESOL teachers and tutors. one in Christchurch and the other in Wellington. The ESOL teachers and tutors were asked to add their views on the issues facing young new settlers in their adjustment to New Zealand life. In addition, the teachers and tutors were invited to suggest ways in which the needs of young NESB migrants and refugees could best be met. 1

2 Participants The NESB participants were 80 pre-adolescents/adolescents aged years and 77 young adults aged years. There were 45 males and 35 females in the age group, whereas in the age group there was an almost even balance of males and females (38 males, 39 females). They were all non-native speakers of English and came to New Zealand as migrants or refugees from 31 different countries with the main ones being: Korea, Somalia, China, Taiwan. Cambodia, India and Iraq. These young people had in common the fact that they came to New Zealand before adulthood. Unlike the second generation, born in New Zealand, which might include in some cases their own brothers and sisters, they share with their parents, some degree of first hand experience of the language and culture of their countries of origin. In other words, they can be identified as members of the 1.5 generation, the offspring who straddle the old and the new cultures (see Zhou, 1997). Results Our focus this paper is mainly on three sets of the findings that emerged from the young migrants responses in the interviews; those that relate to linguistic, social and cultural aspects. Linguistic aspects Even though most of the young people in the study had been in New Zealand a comparatively short time (three years or less), English appeared to have become firmly established as the main language in the public domain and was also encroaching on the private domain.. In a country such as New Zealand where English is the overwhelmingly the language of public education, administration and the workplace, the home plays a key role in immigrant language maintenance; there are relatively few opportunities for people from other language backgrounds to use their language outside the home 1. Over three-quarters of the participants in both age groups reported that they used mainly their ethnic language at home when speaking with their parents and also with family members other than their siblings (grandparents, uncles, aunts etc.). However, the influence of the English-speaking environment on younger family members was evident in the fact that under half of the participants used mainly their ethnic language when speaking with siblings, with the year old participants more inclined to use English than those aged (see Table 1) 2. With respect to communication with ethnic friends at their places of study or work or in other social situations less than a quarter of the participants (23.8 per cent) said that they used their ethnic language only or mostly in speaking with them. The increasing dominance of English in their lives was also indicated in the participants perceptions of the language of thinking. Over three quarters if the participants perceived that when they were at home they mainly thought in their ethnic language or in both languages equally (80 per cent of the year olds and 85.8 per cent of the year olds). However, away from home, except when in leisure situations amongst people from their own backgrounds, there was a strong tendency towards thinking in English. At study or work 63.8 per cent of those in the age group and 49.4 per cent in the age group said that they thought in English In the case of the year old participants, 70 per cent or more saw their reading and writing skills in English as now being at least the same if not better than their ethnic language, and 55 per cent or more saw their speaking and listening skills in English as being at least the same if not better than in their ethnic 1 In the case of speakers of the indigenous Maori language, however, there are opportunities to use Maori in ceremonial occasions and tribal meetings. There are also some schools where the language of instruction is Maori. 2 The pattern of reduced use of an immigrant language appears to be even more pronounced in the case of South African Afrikaans speakers. A follow up study of the children of South African parents included in the longitudinal study conducted by the New Settlers programme over the past six years has shown a strong and consistent switch to English in both private and public domains 2

3 language. Those in the age group were somewhat less confident about their proficiency in English. About 50 per cent saw their reading, writing and listening skills in English as being at least the same if not better than in their ethnic language and only 44 per cent claimed that their spoken ability in English was at least as good if not better than in their ethnic language.(see Table 2). These results appeared to validate Veltman s (2000) findings concerning a link between age on arrival and duration of residence in the receiving country and the rate of acquisition and use of the second language. According to Veltman those who arrive under the age of 10 years make the most rapid progress in acquiring and using the host society language in the early years of residence, This was the case for the and year olds in our study. As we have noted, the year old participants were adjusting to English language use more readily than those in the age group. While both groups were relatively recent arrivals (51 of the 80 participants n the age group and 41 of the 77 in the age group had been in New Zealand for 3 years or less), there was a clear difference in age on arrival, the mean age on arrival being 9.1 for the participants and 14.5 years for the year old participants. Social participation Apart from a switch towards using the language of the host country (English), in what other ways were the young migrants making changes in their personal lives? Sadness at leaving behind friends and family members in their countries of origin was a common theme. Some expressed feelings of loneliness Forming new networks of friends was, therefore, seen by the young migrants as a major priority for them. Over half of both age groups indicated that they didn t find it easy to make New Zealand-born friends or friends with other young people in New Zealand who had come from different countries. Having ethnic friends was not sufficient for a number of them. The statement I feel good when I am with ethnic friends from my own culture and we can speak our own language produced mixed reactions. Seventy per cent of the year olds and 79.2 per cent of the year olds replied in the affirmative, but 20 per cent of the participants in the age group and 13 per cent in the age group said that they were Not sure (see Table 3). These responses could suggest that some of the young new settlers, particularly those in the age group, were wanting to move away from their cultural backgrounds and develop more in common with (English-speaking) New Zealand friends. The young migrants used clubs and social activities as the principal means of forming links with New Zealanders outside their places of study or work. Almost 90 per cent of the young people were involved in leisure activities with sport being the main activity which enabled them to mix with New Zealand-born young people in their age group. That three-quarters of all the participants indicated they felt very different when they arrived in New Zealand suggests that initially they were very apprehensive about gaining acceptance and conscious of their outsider status. It is an encouraging sign that now 80 per cent or more in both age groups felt that New Zealanders were making them welcome. Cultural accommodation Although they now felt less different there were still aspects of New Zealand life they found difficult to cope with. When asked about the things they liked or did not like generally about New Zealand, many reported that they found it difficult to cope with material changes to their existence. the different climate, different food and different living conditions. Different customs and ways of doing things were seen as a challenge by some (particularly those from Asia or Africa) There were also reports of specific instances of clashes of attitudes and values. including examples of discrimination that they or other members of their families had encountered at times. The participants in the older (17-21 age group) were particularly concerned with difficulties in obtaining suitable employment and coping with what they saw as negative attitudes of employers towards foreigners. 3

4 Overall, however, the views expressed by the young new settlers were far more positive than negative which could support the conclusion that young migrants are more resilient and capable of coping with major cultural and social changes than might be imagined. In both age groups positive comments far outnumbered negative comments by a ratio of over 2:1. On the positive side, 85 per cent of them said that all in all they were glad that they came to New Zealand. Over 80 per cent of the young people in both groups felt that New Zealanders made them welcome. They liked the more relaxed way of life and the education and leisure opportunities. Some expressed that the bicultural nature of New Zealand with its blend of European and Polynesian traditions and customs was very interesting to them. Other positives were that New Zealand was not crowded, that young people had more freedom and that it was quiet and safe. In general, they thought that their family was happy in their adopted country. However, a question about their future plans produced a result that could suggest that their feelings about their new life in New Zealand might not be quite as positive as they made out. A substantial number of the young migrants indicated that they were undecided as to whether they would like to live in New Zealand in the future. In responding to the statement When I am an adult I want to live and work in New Zealand 33 of the 80 young migrants in the age group said Yes, while 11 replied No and 36 said Not sure. Of the 77 participants in the age group, 40 answered Yes, 12 responded No and 25 said Not sure. This result may suggest that the participants could have felt inhibited about expressing their personal views to adult interviewers and did not want. as relative newcomers, to seem overly critical of New Zealand life as this could appear discourteous. It may be noted, for example, that when asked to identify the disadvantages of life in New Zealand, many referred to safe areas such as the weather rather than to more personal aspects of adjustment and relationships with others. (In contrast, the ESOL teachers who were consulted were far more forthright in identifying the difficulties faced by young migrants including intergenerational conflicts, problems of acceptance by peers and difficulties in accessing employment because of negative attitudes on the part of some employers. In voicing these concerns they echoed much of what is expressed in the literature on immigrant settlement both in New Zealand and in other countries (see, for example, Basnayake, 1999; Boyer, 1996; Burnett, 1998; Department of Internal Affairs, 1996; Ho et al., 2000; Kipp et al., 1995; McKay and Wong, 2000; Winkelmann and Winkelmann, 1998)). Discussion and Conclusions The results of the study suggest that many young new migrants are making considerable efforts to fit in as far as life in New Zealand is concerned. This was evident in the way in which the participants in the study were adapting to using English as well as in their attempts to widen their range of contacts through joining clubs, sports teams and leisure groups. However, although they were making strenuous efforts to adjust to New Zealand life they were not sure that they would stay in New Zealand in the future. Indeed a number had already made up their mind to leave. Although the survey involved only a small section of the recent young migrant population it still gave some indication that more could be done to facilitate the settlement of young migrants which might make them more convinced that their future lies in New Zealand. At present settlement initiatives in New Zealand tend to focus on immigrants of working age. There is certainly a need for a co-ordinated plan to assist the children of immigrants in the initial period of settlement. Based on comments made by the young migrants and follow-up discussions with their teachers and tutors a strong case can be made for a partnership approach in assisting young new settlers - that is, an approach involving the young people themselves, their families, the ethnic communities to which the young migrants and refugees belong, host society members and local and central government organisations. It is clear that central government must take a key role in promoting such co-operative ventures. A step forward would be the development of an overall policy framework at the national level to guide and co-ordinate developments designed to assist young NESB migrants and refugees and help them to fulfil their social, cultural and economic potential. 4

5 Such a policy would recognise the strategic importance of facilitating the successful incorporation of young people and developing their capacity to be the next generation of productive citizens. While the study described in this paper may offer some useful insights into the views of young migrants on their settlement experiences in New Zealand, there is clearly a need for other studies to be carried out in this area. These include: studies that seek the views of parents, other members of ethnic communities; studies involving a wide variety of stakeholders (central government agencies such as health, social work, police; local government welfare services; non-government organisations :etc.); and longitudinal studies to help determine if the responses of young people change as they grow older and gain more experience of New Zealand life. References Basnayake, A. 1999: Employment Experiences of Sri Lankan Immigrants in New Zealand, Equal Employment Opportunities Trust, Auckland. Boyer, T. 1996: Problems in paradise: Taiwanese immigrants to Auckland, New Zealand, Asia Pacific Viewpoint, 37(1): Burnett, L. 1998: Issues in Immigrant Settlement in Australia, National Centre for English Language Teaching and Research, Macquarie University, Sydney. Department of Internal Affairs 1996: High Hopes: A Survey of Qualifications, Training and Employment Issues for Recent Immigrants in New Zealand, Department of Internal Affairs, Wellington. Department of Statistics 1992: 1991 Census of Population and Dwellings: New Zealand's Population Structure, Department of Statistics, Wellington. Ho, E. S. 1995a: The Challenge of Culture Change: The Cross-cultural Adaptation of Hong Kong Chinese Immigrants in New Zealand, PhD thesis, University of Waikato, Hamilton. Ho, E. S. 1995b: Chinese or New Zealander? Different paths of adaptation of Hong Kong Chinese adolescent immigrants in New Zealand, New Zealand Population Review, 21 (1/2): Ho, E., Cheung, E., Bedford, C. and Leung, P. 2000: Migration Assistance Needs of Recent Migrants, New Zealand Immigration Service, Wellington. Kipp, S., Clyne, M. and Pauwels, A. 1995: Immigration and Australia s Language Resources, Australian Government Publishing Service, Canberra. McKay, S. L. and Wong, S.-L. (eds.) 2000: New Immigrants in the United States, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. Statistics New Zealand 2002: 2001 Census of Population and Dwellings: People Born Overseas, Statistics New Zealand, Wellington. Veltman, C. 2000: The American linguistic mosaic: Understanding language shift in the United States, pp , in McKay, S. L. and Wong, S.-L. (eds.) New Immigrants in the United States, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge Winkelmann, L. and Winkelmann, R. 1998: Immigrants in New Zealand: A Study of Their Labour Market Outcomes, Department of Labour, Wellington.. Zhou, M. 1997: Growing up in America: The challenge confronting immigrant children and children of immigrants, Annual Review of Sociology, 23:

6 Table 1: Languages used in the home by participants by age group yrs yrs Languages used in speaking at home No. % No. % With parents (N = 79) (N = 72) Mainly ethnic language Mainly English About half in each language No answer With brothers and sisters (N = 72) (N = 68) Mainly ethnic language Mainly English About half in each language No answer With other family members (N = 64) (N = 55) Mainly ethnic language Mainly English About half in each language No answer ` Table 2: Participant perceptions of language competence by age group yrs yrs (N = 80) (N = 77) Language best at... No. % No. % Reading English Ethnic language Both the same No answer Writing English Ethnic language Both the same No answer Speaking English Ethnic language Both the same No answer Listening English Ethnic language Both the same No answer

7 Table 3: Participants responses to statements on making friends and feeling welcome by age group yrs yrs (N = 80) (N = 77) Statements No. % No. % I would like more New Zealand friends. Yes No Not sure No answer I feel good with ethnic friends... Yes No Not sure No answer When I arrived I felt very different. Yes No Not sure No answer New Zealanders make me feel welcome here. Yes No Not sure No answer My family is happy here Yes No Not sure No answer 2 2,5 - - When I am an adult I want to live and work in New Zealand Yes No Not sure No answer Note: Fuller details on the results discussed in this paper are in: Watts, N., White, C. and Trlin, A. 2002: Young Migrant Settlement Experiences and Issues: Two Perspectives, New Settlers Programme Occasional Publication No. 6, Massey University, Palmerston North. Contact (Noel Watts) n.r.watts@massey.ac.nz 7