Structure and Membership

- Meets bi-monthly
- Currently 42 organisations and group
- Meets monthly
- Currently nine organisations
- Member organisations can apply to become part of the Steering Group
- Any organisation or group that works for refugees or former refugees in New Zealand
- Groups and organisations can join as a Full Member or Associate Member.
- Member organisations do not have to be a registered charity or legal entity.

Membership & Eligibility

There are two tiers of membership.

Full Membership

Full Membership is open to non-government organisations (NGOs) and community groups that work with or represent refugee background communities. Full Member organisations do not have to be a registered charity or legal entity. Each Full Member organisation can have two representatives with a vote each. At least one of the representatives needs to be someone with lived experience (refugee background).
Full Member organisations vote to approve:
Major campaigns/priority issues
Annual budget
And make commitments to:
Participate in campaigns on priority issues / engage members of their organisation in action
Build capacity / identify new leaders / engage in training
Meets 4-5 times per year or as needed
Full Member organisations receive regular updates and information and will be consulted on significant decisions, within a reasonable time frame as much as possible
Associate Members

Associate Members are organisations or groups who do not qualify for Full Membership, including research institutes, universities, academic and legal networks, and other interested parties. Associate Members can participate in and support the work of The Refugee Alliance but do not determine the Alliance’s direction and do not have voting rights.
Associate Members can have two representatives and are encouraged to have one representative who is someone with lived experience (refugee background), if possible, or work towards this. Associate Members receive regular updates and information and can participate in campaigns on priority issues and engage members of their organisation in action. Associate Member organisations do not have to be a registered charity or legal entity.
The Refugee Alliance consists of all of its members (Full Members and Associate Members) and is supported by a Coordinator based at Belong Aotearoa and a smaller Steering Group which carries out the activities on behalf of The Refugee Alliance membership.

Steering Group

The heart of The Refugee Alliance’s leadership is a Steering Group, made up of 4-10 people committed to progressing the work of the Alliance. They are a mix of seasoned and emerging leaders’ representative of the diversity of the Alliance. Membership of the Steering Group is dynamic and based on interest and appetite. At least 50% of the Steering Group are people with lived experience (refugee background). The Steering Group provides leadership and drives the work of the Alliance in consultation with, and as agreed by, the Member Organisations.

Responsibilities include:

Big picture strategic thinking and planning
Oversight and coordination of issue campaigns
Cultivating key long-term political and ally relationships
Informing and engaging the leaders of Member Organisations not on the Steering Group
Attending to the Alliance’s long-term sustainability:
- Leadership growth and development
- Membership recruitment
- Core budget from membership dues, donors and events
Meeting fortnightly or monthly

Members of the Steering Group hold monthly meetings and are involved in a number of activities, including strategic planning, drafting of documents, responses to surveys, mapping, research and other evidence-based advocacy activities.

Membership Fee

Currently membership is free. Member organisations may be invited to support the Alliance through a financial contribution in the form of an annual fee. The Alliance does not want the membership fee to be a barrier to any organisation joining the Alliance. If organisations are voluntary or do not have resources, they don’t have to pay anything.

Become a Member