New Zealand has a secret problem, that immigrants don't feel welcome. Discrimination is most common in employment situations. We have more immigrants from non English speaking countries than English speaking countries. 55% of people feel judged based on their skin colour, race or nationality. My question is what can we do to make immigrants feel more welcome and stop prejudice against them?
What is prejudice?
Prejudice is judging someone by how they look without even knowing them. Prejudice is different in many way like racism, ageism, how much money you have and your skin colour. For example: When we interviewed Mrs B she said that when she moved to New Zealand from Iran, people asked her if she had a bomb in her lunchbox - she felt very unwelcome and sad.
We interviewed many immigrants to find out what actions made them feel welcome. We found out that at first people felt welcome when others smile say hello and take time to talk. As time goes on they feel more welcome. For example my mum, Nicki, said she felt welcome because people would bring baking and greet her.
I think that we can stop prejudice by actually trying to get to know them instead of just looking at them and thinking bad stuff about them.
What makes immigrants feel alienated or unwelcome?
Staring
Laughing and teasing them
Pointing out differences
Whispering
What tips or advice do you have for how we can help immigrants feel included.
Treating immigrants like everyone else
Making a conversation
Include them
Saying hello
Welcoming them
We should change that we look at people for the first time and judge them by how they look and there race and skin color. For the future I think that if we do all of the things that I have listed in my writing we can stop the prejudice.
