Annual Report 2024-25

This has been an important year of validation for the work of Community Refugee Sponsorship Australia (CRSA). Against a backdrop of the ever-growing global displacement of people, and the shrinking opportunities for refugee resettlement, our work is more relevant and necessary than ever.

A landmark achievement was the government’s very welcome announcement that the Community Refugee Integration and Settlement Pilot (CRISP) will transition from a pilot to a permanent program. This milestone reflects the success of community-led sponsorship and the trust placed in this model by government and partners. Hundreds of refugee households have been successfully welcomed into communities in every state and territory through the work of highly invested and well-trained community supporter groups.

Securing the future of the CRISP enables us to work more confidently towards enlivening other ways in which community sponsorship can expand and improve refugee protection. It provides a secure foothold and the proof of concept upon which other successful programs can be built.

Community sponsorship is not just a way to get refugees into Australia, or to help them settle well. It’s a way to change the narrative and bring in new narrators. It’s a way to give more Australians direct ‘skin in the game’ and become champions for and defenders of Australia’s world renowned humanitarian migration program.