Today marks a very important day for the CRSA team, the dozens of organisations, and the thousands of people involved in our work over the last few years.
The Community Refugee Integration and Settlement Pilot (CRISP) officially becomes a permanent program today, under a fresh mandate from the Department of Home Affairs. This follows a successful 4-year pilot during which more than 950 refugee newcomers were welcomed into every state and territory by groups comprising more than 1,600 individual local supporters.
See the journey ‘From Pilot to Permanence‘ in this short, feel good video – or explore our CRISP two‑page summary for the key facts and figures.
The fundamentals of the CRISP model haven’t changed. That said, we remain committed to continuous improvement so you can expect to see a few discrete adjustments and refinements in the way that CRSA does things going forward. Stay tuned!
It also happens to be CRSA’s 5th birthday as an independent charity! What began as a joint project of a number of established human rights and humanitarian organisations has turned into a small but mighty organisation, supporting a growing movement helping to create a more welcoming, connected and cohesive Australia through community sponsorship of refugee newcomers.
As we celebrate, we share gratitude and thanks to the following people and organisations for their role in the collective achievement that is Australia’s growing community sponsorship movement:
- Our original founding organisations – Save the Children Australia, Refugee Council of Australia, Amnesty International, Welcoming Australia, Rural Australians for Refugees and the Australian Churches Refugee Taskforce
- Our early donors and all subsequent philanthropic supporters including Sidney Myer Fund, Barlow Impact Group, Open Society Foundation, Berg Family Foundation, Bowden Marstan Foundation, Lindisfarne Foundation, Yulgilbar Foundation, The Scanlon Foundation, The Shapiro Foundation, Nick Griener AC, Padraig O’Sullivan and Carole Field, The Shine On Foundation, ANZ, TPG Telecom, Kmart
- Our Supporting Community Organisations – view the full list on our SCO page
- Early adopters – (both newcomers and Australian supporters) who tested this model through the Group Mentorship Program
- CRISP participants – More than 1,600 Australians and almost 1000 newcomers
- Partner organisations – who are now working with to develop other pathways supported by the power of everyday Australians including Skill
- International colleagues at the Global Refugee Sponsorship Initiative and Pathways International and others all over the world
- Anyone who has donated funds, time or energy to this movement
By choosing to welcome you have all changed lives, including the lives of those who will be welcomed through this program in the years to come.
And of course, our sincere thanks to the Department of Home Affairs, which funds CRSA to deliver the CRISP nationally.