A woman who was asked to explain the difference between Islam and terrorism to her primary school class says it is one example of the difficulty refugees face when it comes to settling into the New Zealand.

The young woman says it is representative of the lack of understanding on the part of teachers in terms of cultural and religious sensitivity.

She was speaking at a forum in Auckland, where 24 people aged 18-24, all refugees to New Zealand, discussed their ability to build lives here.

In a panel discussion involving local and central government representatives, and the Red Cross and Human Rights Commission, five areas of concern shone out: education, health, access to social services, employment and community engagement.

Education was key, as young people arriving as refugees in New Zealand are often far behind in their educational achievements, due to the realities of war and persecution in their countries of origin, forum participants said.

Many also have little to no English language skills when they arrive.

The participants suggested more interpreters and multi-lingual teacher aides be made available for newly arrived students, in order to help them catch up academically with their peers.

They also recommended training for educators around cultural sensitivity, and said access to employment opportunities needed to be prioritised.

"My father was a builder for 15 years before we came here," one young woman told the forum.

"He used to teach other people how to build. But here, he has to go back to student level because his experience is not transferable in the New Zealand system.

"There is a lot of pressure on him to support his family, so he works as a landscaper, but he doesn't enjoy it and feels held back, like many skilled and educated older refugees."