CNSST Foundation in Aotearoa New Zealand
CNSST Foundation (formerly Chinese New Settlers Services Trust) is a registered charitable organisation established in Auckland, New Zealand, in 1998. Rooted in the values of equity and inclusion, CNSST has evolved from a volunteer-led initiative operating in the home garage of its Founder, Jenny Wang, into one of New Zealand’s leading ethnic social service organisations. Each year, it provides holistic and culturally responsive support to more than 45,000 Asian and ethnic migrants, enabling their full participation and contribution to New Zealand society.
Guided by its North Star Model, CNSST’s mission is clear — to enhance the quality of life for ethnic New Zealanders. This framework integrates five key dimensions that shape the organisation’s philosophy and practice:
- Purpose: Enhancing the quality of life for ethnic communities.
- Philosophy: Grounded in human rights and social justice.
- Principles: Non-political, non-religious, and non–money-driven.
- Products: Delivering excellence across social services, education, housing, and social enterprise.
- Products: Delivering excellence across social services, education, housing, and social enterprise.
As an accredited social service provider and community housing provider of the New Zealand Government, and a NZ Qualifications Authority-approved Private Training Establishment, CNSST delivers integrated services across five key divisions:
- Social Work and Community Health: delivering accredited social work, counselling, community health and wellness services.
- Education and Employment: providing NZQA-accredited tertiary language education, vocational training, employment coaching and placement.
- Social and Community Housing: offering safe, affordable, and culturally responsive homes for seniors and families.
- Cultural Learning and Settlement: nurturing youth, newcomers, and families through language, arts, cultural and settlement support programmes.
- Social Enterprise and Sustainability: advancing the entrepreneurship through international conferences and exchange programmes, immigration and translation services, overseas study tours and internships, research and development projects, as well as the environmental leadership through the community waste-wise education, eco-housing, solar system, etc.
In collaboration with multiple New Zealand government and non-government agencies, CNSST is now advancing a 30 to 40 years’ vision to evolve into a leading Ethnic and Migrant Community Hub, as well as a thriving collective of social enterprises, contributing to a more cohesive and inclusive New Zealand and global society.