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Global Refugee Forum 2019 Civil Society Pledge

A pledge from the Australian community to support refugee sponsorship

On the occasion of the inaugural UNHCR Global Refugee Forum in December 2019, CRSA together with Settlement Services International launched a ‘civil society pledge’ to demonstrate to government the widespread support for the introduction of a well-designed community sponsorship program. Organisations who endorsed the pledge welcomed the Australian government’s commitment to undertake a much-needed review of this policy area and pledged to actively support the development of a community refugee sponsorship program in Australia which is:

  1. Co-designed with community groups and refugees
  2. Affordable to sponsors
  3. Accessible to refugees in most urgent need of resettlement
  4. Engages a broad cross-section of the Australian community
  5. Provides a way of expanding Australia’s resettlement program

In the two years between the Global Refugee Forum and the announcement by the Australian government in December 2021 of the new Community Refugee Integration and Settlement Pilot (CRISP), approximately 200 Australian organisations endorsed the pledge (see list below).  Many of these organisations are now actively involved in the CRISP.

Endorsed by the following organisations (as at 26 November 2021):

Adelaide United Football Club
Afghan Fajar Association Incorporated
Afghan Social Group
Alfred Deakin Institute
Alice Springs Community Garden
Alliance for Peace
AMES Australia
Amiculus: The Humble Friend Project
Amnesty International Australia
Anglican Parish of Gosford
Anglican Parish of Inglewood and Maldon
Armidale Sanctuary Humanitarian Settlement, Inc
Asylum Seekers Centre
Australian Association of Women Judges
Australian Churches Refugee Taskforce
Australian Karen Organisation
Australian Multicultural Foundation
Australian Oromo Community Association in Victoria
Australian-Palestinian Partnerships in Education and Health
Baptist Union of Victoria
Bay and Basin Amnesty
Bega Valley Rural Australians for Refugees
Bikes for Refugees (SA)
Blackwood Youth Action
Blue Mountains Permaculture Institute
BR4R Ballina Region for Refugees
Braidwood Rural Australians for Refugees
Bridge for Asylum Seekers
Brigidine Asylum Seekers Project
Brotherhood of St Laurence
Canberra Baptist Church
Canberra Refugee Support
Castle of Kindness Refugee Sponsorship Group
Catalysr
Catholic Education Wollongong
Catholic Social Services Victoria
CatholicCare Social Services Western Sydney & Blue Mountains
Central Victorian Refugee Support Network
Centre for Human Rights Education, Curtin University
Centre for Multicultural Youth
Christ Collective
City of Fremantle
Coast Community Care
Community Refugee Sponsorship Initiative
Coromandel Valley Uniting
Council of Churches Western Australia Inc
Creating Communities Australia
Critical and Ethical Mental Health Research Group, University of Adelaide
Damel Cleaning Services
Daughters of Charity
Daylesford Rural Australians for Refugees
Diaspora Action Australia
El shaddai Voice Band
Enchoir Australia
End Child Detention Coalition Australia
FamilyCare
Federal Loves Refugees
Football Victoria
Free to Feed
Freedom Fighters Activists
Friends of Refugees in Dungog
Galerie des artistes paintre refugee en Afrique du sud
Gippsland Multicultural Service Inc
GLAPD
Global Alliance for Peace
Holy Trinity Church (Dulwich Hill)
Huddle Community Services
IBA
Indigo Foundation
Innovate Communicate
International Society for Human Rights Australia Inc
Jakarta Refugee Network
Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) Australia
Jesuit Social Services
Justice and Peace Office Sydney Archdiocese
Kare Psychology
Kyogle Quakers
Land Welcome
Lanka Lions Cricket Club Inc
Lauriston Girls School
Lismore Amnesty Vigil Group
Little Rocket
LOOKa-Design
M & D Holdings
Makassar Refugee Learning Partnership
Mercy Community
Metro Assist Limited
Micah Australia
Migrant Youth Advocacy Network
Milton Ulladulla Baptist Church
Mitcham Village Uniting Church
Mountains Anglican Refugee Network
MRC North West
Multicultural Australia
Multicultural Services Centre of WA
Multicultural Youth Affairs Network NSW
Naked Emperor
National Council of Churches in Australia
New Zealand Myanmar Ethnics Council Inc
NSW Ecumenical Council Incorporated
Om Dhungel Consulting
Orgnex Pty Ltd
Our Lady of Dolours Catholic Parish Chatswood
Our Race
Overseas Services to Survivors of Torture and Trauma
Overwrought Pty Ltd
Oxfam Australia
Pak Gallery Pty Ltd
Peace Christian Ministries Pty Ltd
Peniel Free Pentecostal Church (PFPC) Incorporated
Pottsville Refugee Support Group
Pride Foundation Australia
Psychodos
Quakers Australia
Queensland Churches Together
Queensland Congregational Fellowship
Refugee Advice & Casework Service (RACS)
Refugee Council of Australia
Refugees and Partners Incorporated
Regents Park Christian School
Regional Council of the Temple Society Australia
Regional Opportunities Australia
Roadmap
Romero Centre
Rotary Club of Adelaide Light
Rural Australians for Refugee
Safe Asylum
Sanctuary Australia Foundation
Sanctuary Northern Rivers
Save the Children Australia
Scarf Community Organisation
Serbian Community Association of Australia Inc
Settlement Services International
Seventh-day Adventist Church in Australia
Sidney Myer Fund
Sisters of the Good Samaritan
SMEAC
Social Justice Advocates of the Sapphire Coast
South Gippsland Rural Australians for Refugees
Southern Downs Refugee and Migrant Network
Spectrum Migrant Resource Centre
Springwood Drop-In Centre
St Bridget’s Greythorn Refugee Action Group
St Marks Anglican Church (Yarraville)
Stand for the Refugee Africa
Supporting Asylum Seekers Sydney (SASS)
Sutherland Shire Refugee Connection
Sydney Multicultural Community Services
Szc women’s group
TacFit Solutions
Tasmanian Refugee Rights Action Group
The Generous and the Grateful
The Grail Australia
The Salvation Army Australia
The Tasmania Opportunity
Thread Together
Together for Ryde/Salvation Army Ryde
Torch Research and Consultative Centre
Tyndale Christian School Strathalbyn
UNHCR in Thailand
United Federation Of Volunteers For Refugees Action (ufvra) inc
Uniting Church Action for Society and the Environment (UCASE)
Uniting Church in Australia Assembly
Uniting Church Synod of Victoria and Tasmania
Victorian Council of Churches
WEFTshop
Welcome to Maleny – Refugee Support Group Inc.
Welcoming Australia
West Melbourne Baptist Church
Western Sydney Migrant Resource Centre
Whittlesea Community Connections
Willunga Circle of Friends
Wonthaggi Neighbourhood Centre at Mitchell House Inc.
worldcompassion
Wyndham Community and Education Centre
You Belong Australia
Zafira Fine Foods