CNSST Foundation (formerly Chinese New Settlers Services Trust) was first registered as a charitable trust on 9 September 1998. The foundation offers comprehensive services delivered in a culturally and linguistically appropriate way to the wider community and Asian new settlers, in particular, those from China, Korea, Japan and Vietnam.
CNSST Foundation is located in the Panmure business centre with 7 cultural learning centres located across the Auckland region. It provides social services, social housing and educational programmes, and trading under the name of ‘CNSST Education Institute’ (CNSSTEI) offers tertiary level courses to both local and international students. NZQA currently evaluate CNSSTEI as a Category 2 PTE (Private Training Establishment); this means NZQA is ‘confident’ in our ability to deliver educational outcomes and ‘highly confident’ in the self-assessment capability of the institute.
The list of governmental organizations and professional associations, for whom CNSST Foundation is an approved service provider in various capacities include:
CYF, as a community service provider
SHU, as a social housing provider
NZQA, as a PTE.
NZICA, as an ATO.
Distinctions: In the past 18 years CNSST Foundation has been distinguished with awards from both local council and governmental organisations from China for exceptional performance. These awards include:
Mayoral awards for excellence
Community volunteer awards
Community awards for road safety programmes
The award for excellence in teaching of Chinese language
The award for outstanding performance in overseas cultural education
Our most recent distinction is to have been chosen as one of the finalists in the HSBC NZCTA China Business Awards 2015 for the Cathay Pacific Award for Outstanding Contribution.
Our Team and Our Languages: CNSST Foundation serves over 15,000 clients per annum. Our staff consists of 23 full time paid staff, 11 part time paid staff, 74 contracted professionals, and over 50 unpaid long term volunteers. These include board members, lawyers providing free legal advice and speakers at our educational workshops.
All of our workers are qualified in New Zealand and in many cases bring overseas qualifications with them as well. We are able to provide services in a range of languages including English, Chinese (Mandarin, Cantonese and other dialects), Korean, Japanese, Vietnamese and Malay.
Our mission: To improve the quality of life of Asian New Zealanders.
Our vision: To work towards meeting the needs of the Asian seniors, children, youth and all other new settlers, and to facilitate the successful integration of Asian new settlers into wider New Zealand society.
Our purpose: To enable Asian new settlers to participate in and contribute to NZ multicultural society through learning NZ culture and to promote Asian cultures within a New Zealand context.
Our Services and Programmes: CNSST Foundation is proud of to be regarded as a high trust community NGO. We are contracted with a range of government departments to provide a variety of services to local communities. In addition, the foundation runs several social enterprise projects including social housing.
A. Social Services
Social Work & Counselling:
Case work with clients who are experiencing difficulties in their lives during their settlement process, e.g. cultural shock & lack of social support
Running community educational programmes, such as for children who witness family violence, senior mutual support networks & parenting programmes delivered by professional social workers, counsellors & clinical psychologists
Providing free bilingual legal advice to the local migrant community
Employment & Enterprise:
Providing unemployed migrants with advice on the local employment market, employment knowledge (employment contracts & employer law) and job search skills (including CV & cover letter writing, interview and presentation skills)
Providing job seekers with work experience and permanent job placements
Providing local entrepreneurs/employers with and staff recruitment services and information on employment legislation
Asian entrepreneur network: we work with local businesses and the academic sector to organize and hold our annual Asian entrepreneur forum
Settlement Support:
Providing new migrants settlement orientation and support
Running community educational workshops regarding NZ law & legislation as well as road and water safety programmes
Promoting the understanding of the NZ social system, such as health and education, via local ethnic media.
Asian Community Services:
Developing community services for local Asian communities
B. Education
CNSST Education Institute (NZQA Approved PTE):
Establishment of an educational hub which provides vocational qualifications, intercultural business and social services to both local and international students in New Zealand
NZQA accredited National Certificate in English & Computing, levels 1 – 4 ; National Certificate in Social Services, level 4 and National Certificate in Chinese, levels 1 – 2.
Providing new migrants with an appropriately structured English language programme & familiarisation with ‘kiwi’ culture
Supporting all learners, in particular international students, with CNSST’s ‘wrap-around’ social services
CNSST MYOB Training Centre (NZICA Approved ATE & MYOB Approved Partner):
Providing the MYOB training programme tailored for small business owners, accounting students and anyone wishing to gain competence in MYOB. Topics include: Payroll management, day to day processes, end of year reconciliation, advanced processing, business report & analysis, inventory management, accounting and taxation
Providing fieldwork placements to tertiary accounting students enabling them to gain invaluable hands-on experience in an accounting environment
Providing new settlers and local small businesses free taxation advice and related services (tax returns)
CNSST Cultural Learning Centres (awarded as an ‘Excellent Overseas Teaching School’ by the Chinese government’s Chinese Overseas Affairs Office): Running cultural programmes at 7 Branches across the Auckland region. Locations are: Howick, Botany, Manukau, New Lynn, Panmure, Parnell & Glenfield:
Running weekend cultural programmes for children and young people which include: Chinese & English language, art, maths, dance, keyboard, chess and Chinese martial arts (Gongfu)
Organizing cultural activities and events for the local community such as art exhibitions, Chinese speech contests and celebrations of traditional festivals
Running craft centres for seniors & school holiday break programmes
C. Social Housing
Constructing affordable rental social housing (36 units) for Asian seniors in the Panmure business centre in partnership with government
Providing culturally and linguistically appropriate wrap-around services to support the wellbeing of its elderly residents
