HMS TRUST

Supporting newcomers settle in the Waikato

Services at Hamilton Multicultural Services Trust (HMS TRUST):

• Affordable Energy
Working with families in ensuring access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy

• Bike Training
Free trainings at different leaves, for anyone aged 13 and up

• Community Connector
Helping ethnic communities access services and support

• Computers in Homes
Digital literacy course for former refugees

• Decypher
Interpreting and Translation services in over 60 languages

• NZ Ethnic Football Festival
Bringing together New Zealand's diverse cultures and communities through their shared love and passion for football

• Ethnic Health Hub
Supporting our ethnic communities with Covid-19 response

• Flourish
Leadership development for Ethnic women

• Employment Solutions
Supporting Ethnic Communities into work

• New Kiwis Settlement Service
Former Refugee Settlement Support

• Open Road
Driver training for former refugees

• Passport 2 Drive
Community Driving School

• Sisterhood
Connecting ethic woman

01/09/2026

Become a Volunteer Supporting Former Refugee Families in Hamilton 🤝

Are you looking for a meaningful way to give back to your community? We're looking for compassionate volunteers to help welcome and support former refugee families as they settle into life in Hamilton.

To become a volunteer, you'll need to complete our Volunteer Training Programme, which covers:

✅ Refugees and the refugee journey
✅ Understanding cultural differences
✅ The role of a volunteer
✅ Practical ways to support families

Training is approximately 8 hours and can be completed as either three shorter sessions or one full-day workshop at the Settlement Centre Waikato.

📅 Intake 2

Refugee families arrive in Hamilton on 23 October

Choose one training option:

🔹 Monday Evenings
21 September, 28 September & 5 October
6:00pm – 8:45pm

🔹 Wednesday Mornings
23 September, 30 September & 7 October
9:15am – 12:00pm

🔹 Saturday Full-Day Training
10 October
9:00am – 5:00pm

📅 Intake 3

Refugee families arrive in Hamilton on 11 December

Choose one training option:

🔹 Tuesday Evenings
10 November, 17 November & 24 November
6:00pm – 8:45pm

🔹 Thursday Mornings
12 November, 19 November & 26 November
9:15am – 12:00pm

🔹 Saturday Full-Day Training
28 November
9:00am – 5:00pm

💙 Volunteering is a rewarding opportunity to make a real difference in the lives of newly arrived families while learning about different cultures and building a stronger, more connected community.

📧 To register your interest, please contact our Volunteer Coordinator at [email protected]

Please share with anyone who may be interested in becoming a volunteer!

19/08/2026

Electoral Commission Community Drop-In at Settlement Centre Waikato

Do you have questions about enrolling or voting in the 2026 General Election?

The Electoral Commission NZ will be at Settlement Centre Waikato for two community drop-in sessions where you can:

✅ Enrol to vote
✅ Check or update your details
✅ Ask questions about voting in New Zealand
✅ Get information and support from Electoral Commission staff

📅 Thursday 27 August 2026
📅 Monday 7 September 2026
⏰ 10:00am to 1:00pm

📍 Settlement Centre Waikato
46G Boundary Road, Claudelands, Hamilton

No appointment needed. Just drop in anytime between 10am and 1pm.

The 2026 General Election will be held on Saturday 7 November 2026.

Please share with your networks and communities.

02/07/2026

We are proud to take a major step toward safer roads and greater opportunity in our community.

We are pleased to announce the launch of Driving Change in the Community, a new and transformational road safety initiative delivered by HMS Trust through its community driving school, Passport2Drive, and fully funded by the Community Road Safety fund of Waka Kotahi New Zealand Transport Agency.

This initiative represents an important milestone in improving access to driver licensing and supporting safer, more confident drivers across our community.

For many young people and adults, the journey to gaining a driver licence is often impacted by barriers such as cost, limited access to vehicles, lack of support, and language challenges. These barriers can limit access to employment, education, and independence, while also affecting road safety outcomes.

🚗 Driving Change in the Community is designed to address these challenges directly.

Through this initiative, we will provide structured, practical, and culturally responsive support to help learners successfully progress through the Restricted and Full stages of New Zealand’s Graduated Driver Licensing System (GDLS).

What the programme offers:
✅ Free driving education and support for youth aged 16–24 and adult learners
✅Access to I-endorsed driving instructors and dual-controlled vehicles
✅Supervised driving practice with trained volunteer mentors
✅In-class sessions focused on confidence, mindset, and road safety
✅Support from qualified and experienced interpreters to remove language barriers
✅Test preparation and full management of driving test bookings

Why this matters.

This matters because this initiative is about:
🔹 Creating equitable access to driver licensing
🔹 Building confidence and capability in learners
🔹 Supporting safe driving behaviours from day one
🔹 Reducing the number of unlicensed drivers on our roads

Since 2016, our community driving school has supported over 2,200 learners to gain their restricted and full licences. With this new initiative, we are expanding that impact, reaching more people who need support the most.

🙏 We acknowledge and sincerely thank NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi as the primary funder of this initiative.
We also appreciate the valued support of Ebbett Hamilton and WEL Energy Trust, whose contributions help strengthen delivery and community impact.

👉 If you are a school, organisation, or community group working with individuals who could benefit from this programme, we would love to connect.

Together, we are not just helping people get their licence, we are driving change in the community.

14/06/2026

Thinking of volunteering?

Make a real difference in the lives of newly arrived refugee families by becoming a Settlement Support Volunteer with HMS Trust.

When you volunteer with the New Kiwis Settlement Service, you’ll:
✅ Meet new people
✅ Learn about different cultures
✅ Be part of a supportive team
✅ Make a lasting impact in your community

Upcoming Volunteer Training Options:

📍 June Training
Refugee families arrive in Hamilton mid-July
🗓 Saturday 27 June
⏰ 9:00 AM – 4:30 PM

📍 August Training
Refugee families arrive early September
Choose the option that suits you:
🗓 Tuesday evenings: 4, 11 & 18 August | 6:00 PM – 8:45 PM
🗓 Thursday mornings: 6, 13 & 20 August | 9:15 AM – 12:00 PM
🗓 Saturday 22 August | 9:00 AM – 4:30 PM

Start your volunteering journey and help new families feel at home in Hamilton.

📩 Contact Carolyn to learn more or register:
✉️ [email protected]
📞 027 700 4127

11/05/2026

We’re Hiring – I‑Endorsed Driving Instructor (30 hrs/week)

Hamilton Multicultural Services (HMS) Trust is proud to support diverse communities across Aotearoa for over 25 years. Through our community driving school Passport2Drive, we remove barriers to driver licencing and create safer, more independent futures.

We’re now looking for an experienced I‑Endorsed Driving Instructor to join Passport2Drive as part of our new youth‑focused initiative Driving Change in the Community.

About the role
You’ll work with school students and young people aged 16–24, supporting them to progress to Restricted and Full licences. This is a permanent role (30 hours per week) within a supportive, values‑driven team making a real difference in road safety and employment outcomes.
You’ll bring:
✅ NZTA / Waka Kotahi I‑Endorsement
✅ Full NZ Driver Licence
✅ Experience working with youth and/or culturally diverse communities
✅ A calm, patient, learner‑centred teaching style
✅ Confidence using dual‑control vehicles

We offer:
🔹 Competitive remuneration
🔹 6 additional paid leave days (including cultural & birthday leave)
🔹 Free onsite parking
🔹 An inclusive workplace that celebrates diversity
🔹 Meaningful work with strong community impact

📅 Applications close: 5:00pm, Friday 5 June 2026

If this sounds like you, use the link below to submit your application.
https://nz.seek.com/jobs?advertiserid=63670852

20/04/2026

A big thank you to everyone who joined us at Community Day on the Park 2026 at Claudelands Park.

With 25 stalls from emergency, health, and community services, it was a great day of connection and learning.

Special thanks to all the services that came along to support and showcase the valuable help they offer our communities. We can’t wait to do it all again next year! 🙌

Bonus smiles thanks to Spider‑Man and SpongeBob SquarePants

08/04/2026

Community Day on the Park 2026 – Tomorrow!

Join us tomorrow, Friday 10 April, at Claudelands Park, Hamilton, from 11am – 2pm for a fun, free day out for the whole community!
Come along and meet our local heroes 🚓🚒🚑

✅ NZ Police
✅ Fire and Emergency
✅ Civil Defence
✅ St John
✅ Raglan Surf Life Saving Club
✅ Local community organisations & health services

✨ What’s on:
🎁 Giveaways
🎨 FREE face painting
👍Special guest appearance by Spider‑Man from 11.30am

Bring your family and friends and enjoy a fun-filled day on the park while connecting with our community.

📍 Claudelands Park, Hamilton
🗓 Friday 10 April
⏰ 11am – 2pm
🎉 FREE event – everyone welcome!

See you there!

Settlement Centre Waikato

Address

46G Boundary Road
Hamilton
3214

Telephone

+6478532192

Website

http://www.hmstrust.org.nz/

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