Belong Aotearoa

What Belong Aotearoa does

Belong Aotearoa is a non-profit organisation headquartered in Auckland, New Zealand, that supports migrant and refugee-background communities through advocacy, research, community programmes, and settlement services. It was founded in the mid-2000s (dates of 2003 and 2005 appear in the record) as Auckland Regional Migrant Services Charitable Trust and was rebranded to Belong Aotearoa in 2018 to reflect a broader, nationally oriented mandate and a strategic pivot from regional settlement support toward systems-level change. The organisation operates with 11-50 employees under a recruited board of governance.

The organisation's service portfolio includes: Safari Multicultural Playgroups (early-years families), Meet2Connect (a network of 40+ partner organisations across six Auckland localities), Kahika, the Pass The Mic podcast (30+ episodes, co-produced with Planet FM and Storyo), the Safari Wraparound Programme (an eight-month pilot extending the Safari model), FCP Training (a family-and-community training programme running for 10+ years), a Hot Desk service, and direct advocacy services. Programmes are delivered free of charge to beneficiaries.

Revenue derives primarily from donations, supplemented by modest fee-for-service income from Hot Desk rental (NZ$26/day + GST) and ticketed events (NZ$35 waged / NZ$10 unwaged). No audited financials, grant details, or funder roster are disclosed in the available data. The organisation's 20-year anniversary falls in October 2025, marked by public events including the Belonging and Social Cohesion Kōrero.

Name

Belong Aotearoa

Legal name

Belong Aotearoa

Website

https://belong.org.nz

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Belong Aotearoa is an Auckland-based non-profit that supports migrant and refugee-background communities in New Zealand through advocacy, research, free community programmes (including playgroups and training), a 40+-partner settlement network, and a co-produced podcast.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Social Services

NAICS

Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Human Rights Organizations (813311)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Refugee & Humanitarian Newcomer Orientation (Resettlement Support) (EDAAADAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Minority, Indigenous & Disability Rights (BPADAGAH), Family & School System Navigation (Parent Engagement, Youth Services) (EDAAADAH), International & Local Implementing NGOs (HLAJAKAD)

Keywords

• Migrant settlement services
• Refugee community support
• Settlement advocacy programmes
• Multicultural playgroup services
• Non-profit social services

Headquarters

HQ city

Auckland

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations: Individual and organizational donations received via direct credit (ANZ bank) and Givealittle online platform. Donations are the primary form of public support for the organization's programs and operations.
2. Hot Desk Rental: Revenue generation through hot desk rental at $26/day + GST, providing workspace to professionals while supporting the organization's mission.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Belong Aotearoa is a non-profit charitable organisation that delivers community programmes and advocacy services supporting migrant and refugee-background communities in Auckland, New Zealand. Core offerings include the Safari Multicultural Playgroups (six locations across Auckland for early childhood education and maternal support), Safari Wraparound Programme, Meet2Connect sector networking, Pass The Mic multimedia storytelling platform, Kahika Youth Employment Programme, Food Control Plan training, and Hot Desk co-working facility. The organisation also conducts systems-change advocacy addressing root causes and policy barriers to settlement.

Product overview

Belong Aotearoa is a community organisation (formerly Auckland Regional Migrant Services Charitable Trust) offering a portfolio of programmes supporting refugee-background and migrant communities in Aotearoa New Zealand. The core offerings include Safari Multicultural Playgroups for early childhood education with integrated support services, the Safari Wraparound Programme providing holistic mentoring, Meet2Connect for sector networking, Pass The Mic for amplifying community voices through multimedia storytelling, the Kahika Youth Employment Programme, Food Control Plan training for entrepreneurs, and Hot Desk workspace rental. Advocacy services address systemic barriers to settlement through policy engagement. The organisation shifted from direct settlement support in 2018 to tackling root causes and systemic barriers to successful settlement.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Safari Multicultural Playgroups Free multicultural early childhood education programme operating six playgroups across Auckland (Lynfield, Henderson, Otahuhu, Panmure, Manurewa, Avondale) for children aged 0-5 with mothers staying alongside. Includes English classes, parenting courses, health workshops, librarian visits, cultural celebrations, and $2 koha van transport.
• Safari Wraparound Programme 8-month pilot programme in West Auckland supporting migrant and former refugee women to overcome settlement barriers through one-on-one mentoring, group workshops, English classes, and driving lessons, addressing language, transport, isolation, and employment challenges.
• Meet2Connect Monthly networking and information-sharing gathering for refugee and migrant sector organisations held over shared lunch on the third Wednesday of each month, fostering collaboration and partnerships across 40+ organisations in Auckland.
• Pass The Mic Multimedia platform amplifying voices of people from migrant and former refugee backgrounds through personal narratives, a published book of stories, and a podcast series exploring migration, identity, and belonging. Season 1 featured 15 voices from diverse communities in partnership with Planet FM and Storyo.
• Kahika Youth Employment Programme Employment readiness programme for young people from refugee and migrant backgrounds featuring workshops, mentoring with professional volunteers, and mock interview practice to build career skills and confidence, partnered with Refugees as Survivors New Zealand Trust.
• Food Control Plan (FCP) Training Certification training course enabling migrants and refugees to start food businesses, covering food safety requirements and business readiness, with participants launching market stalls, catering businesses, and food trucks. Delivered in partnership with Wesley Community Centre for nearly 10 years.
• Hot Desk Service Pay-per-day co-working workspace at $26/day + GST offering desk, Wi-Fi, printer/scanner, kitchen facilities, and access to a hub of migrant and refugee support organisations at the Mt Roskill headquarters.
• Advocacy Services Systems-change advocacy for improvements to resettlement policy and practice in New Zealand, covering mental health support access, professional interpreter availability, and community navigator positions for migrant and refugee communities. Includes coalition engagement with government ministers and local boards.

Named customers3 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• AUT Migrant and Refugee Health Research CentrecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on mental health advocacy for migrants and former refugees. Organizations work together to highlight mental health needs and explore collaboration with government for appropriate, timely, and effective access to mental health services.
• Mental Health Foundation of New ZealandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership focused on advocating for culturally responsive mental health support for migrant and refugee communities in New Zealand.
• Refugees as Survivors New Zealand TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on mental health and settlement support for refugee communities. Partnered on Kahika Youth employment programme.
• Hato Hone St JohnminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in mental health advocacy efforts for migrant and refugee communities.
• Asian Family ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership on mental health and wellbeing support for Asian migrant and refugee communities.
• Planet FMcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRadio station collaboration for Pass The Mic podcast production and distribution. Created Season 1 featuring 15 voices from diverse communities.
• StoryocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAudio storytelling production partner for Pass The Mic podcast series documenting migrant experiences.
• Sport WaitakereminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity sports organization partner in Pass The Mic podcast production.
• Centre for Social ImpactcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partnership for Impact Report 2022-2024, providing evaluation and measurement of organizational outcomes.
• Wesley Community CentrecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-term partnership for FCP training delivery and community programming. Running Food Control Plan training for nearly 10 years.
• New Lynn Community CentreminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorVenue partner for community programs and workshops.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• New Zealand Human Rights Commission: Government-established statutory body responsible for human rights in New Zealand. Adjacent rather than directly comparable, as it operates as a regulator and advocate rather than a service provider, but its work overlaps with Belong Aotearoa's minority rights advocacy.
• Ara Taiohi: New Zealand's peak body for youth development, providing capability-building and advocacy across the youth sector. Adjacent to Belong Aotearoa's Kahika employment programme and youth-focused programming, though not a direct competitor.

Direct peers

• Asian Family Services: New Zealand non-profit supporting Asian migrant and refugee communities with mental health, social services, and settlement navigation. Active partner of Belong Aotearoa, with overlapping community focus and advocacy work.
• Multicultural New Zealand: National umbrella organization supporting multicultural communities and ethnic associations across New Zealand. Comparable mission of inclusion and belonging, with broader scope but similar advocacy-driven community network.
• Refugees as Survivors New Zealand: New Zealand non-profit providing mental health and settlement support specifically for refugees. Directly comparable mission and beneficiary base, and an active partner of Belong Aotearoa on the Kahika Youth employment programme.
• Mental Health Foundation of New Zealand: National non-profit advocating for mental health across New Zealand. Active partner of Belong Aotearoa on migrant mental health advocacy, with comparable systems-change policy approach.
• English Language Partners New Zealand: National non-profit providing English language and settlement support to adult migrants and refugees in New Zealand. Highly comparable beneficiary base and direct overlap with Belong Aotearoa's English classes delivered through Safari playgroups.
• ChangeMakers Resettlement Forum: New Zealand-based refugee and migrant advocacy and research organization focused on resettlement policy. Comparable systems-change advocacy orientation and policy-level engagement with government.

Broad incumbents

• New Zealand Red Cross: Large international humanitarian organization with substantial refugee and migrant resettlement programmes in New Zealand. Operates at significant scale with broader geographic reach, but with overlapping service categories like settlement support.

Emerging players

• Caritas New Zealand: New Zealand arm of an international Catholic development agency supporting refugee and migrant communities through humanitarian programmes. Comparable international NGO profile but broader portfolio spanning multiple causes.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeplanetaudio.org.nz/podcast-archive?pId=3851
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/belong-aotearoa

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Belong Aotearoa