Our Story
How a shared vision to improve and expand refugee resettlement in Australia led to the establishment of CRSA and the growing community sponsorship movement in Australia.
How an idea became a life-changing reality
Discover how an advocacy initiative evolved into a permanent national program, empowering everyday Australians to welcome and support refugee newcomers into their local community.
Our beginnings
In 2018 six leading Australian non profits joined forces to launch the Community Refugee Sponsorship Initiative (CRSI) with a focus on exploring the potential for harnessing the power of private citizens and organisations to expand and improve refugee resettlement in Australia, supplementing the government-led effort.Â
Inspired by ‘the Canadian model’, a group of six organisations – the Refugee Council of Australia, Save the Children Australia, Amnesty International Australia, Welcoming Australia, Rural Australians for Refugees and the Australian Refugees Churches Taskforce – joined forces to in 2018 to launch the Community Refugee Sponsorship Initiative (CRSI) with a focus on exploring the potential for harnessing the power of private citizens and organisations to expand and improve refugee resettlement in Australia, supplementing the government-led effort.Â
The CRSI initiative was later relaunched as Community Refugee Sponsorship Australia (CRSA), an independent stand-alone organisation (and registered charity) on 1 July 2021. Â
What began as an advocacy organisation led to CRSA now being at the forefront of both community sponsorship advocacy and programs in Australia. In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, CRSI launched a pilot Group Mentorship Program (GMP) to garner extra support for refugees already in Australia. The GMP tested and demonstrated the viability of the community sponsorship approach in Australia. As part of this, CRSA developed many of the tools and processes that were required for a successful sponsorship program and mobilised support for hundreds of refugee newcomers including many Afghan evacuees after the Taliban takeover in August 2021.Â
Following its incorporation and launch as an independent entity in 2021, CRSA was appointed by the federal government to partner in the co-design and national delivery of the Community Refugee Integration and Settlement Pilot. The pilot ran from mid 2022 to 30 June 2026, before becoming a permanent program on 1 July 2026 following the conclusion of a comprehensive independent evaluation led by the University of Queensland under commission from the Department of Home AffairsÂ
CRSA continues to run the Community Refugee Integration and Settlement Program on a national basis, with funding from the Department of Home Affairs. CRSA is also applying the community sponsorship models to support other pathways for refugees including the Refugee Student Settlement Pathway (led by Skill Path Australia in collaboration with the Department of Home Affairs) and the Skilled Refugee Labour Agreement Pilot (led by Talent Beyond Boundaries in partnership with the Department of Home Affairs). We also continue to advocate for the policy settings and programs needed to fully harness the power of the Australian community to support other pathways for refugees.
Milestones for CRSA and
the Community Sponsorship movement
The origins of community-led response
The Indochinese refugee crisis prompts Canada and Australia to adopt programs that involve ordinary citizens in helping to resettle refugees. This includes the Canadian Private Sponsorship of Refugees (PSR) program and the Australian Community Refugee Support Scheme (CRSS).
Professionalising settlement services
Australia moves to fully professionalise settlement services for refugees and discontinues CRSS program.
Global shifts and private sponsorship
Argentina and the UK launch community sponsorship programs, predominately for Syrian refugees. Australia introduces pilot private sponsorship program (Community Proposal Pilot) (CPP).
A unified call for Canadian-style sponsorship program in Australia
The Australian government announces the launch of the Community Support Program (CSP). Leading Australian charities unite to advocate for an affordable and larger Canadian style sponsorship program.
A growing global movement + launch of CRSI
Community Sponsorship programs are launched in New Zealand, Ireland, Spain, Germany. In 2018, Community Refugee Sponsorship Initiative (CRSI) was launched as a joint project by Refugee Council of Australia, Amnesty International Australia, Save the Children Australia, Welcome to Australia (now Welcoming Australia), Rural Australians for Refugees and the Australian Churches Refugee Taskforce.
Adapting and forging ahead during a global pandemic
In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, CRSI launched a pilot Group Mentorship Program (GMP) for refugees already in Australia that tested and demonstrated the viability of the community sponsorship approach in Australia. As part of this, we developed many of the tools and processes that will be required for a successful sponsorship program.
Establishment of CRSA and expansion of the GMP
In 2021 ‘CRSA’ was established as an independent charity to continue working with government and community representatives to take over and continue on the work of CRSI.
The fall of Kabul and evacuation of Afghanistan sees an outpouring of support from Australians around the country. Additional waves of volunteer groups become involved in the CRSA Group Mentorship Program which expands in response, following the arrival of thousands of Afghan evacuees in Australia.
In December, the Federal government announces that it will partner with CRSA in the co-design of the ground-breaking new ‘Community Refugee Integration and Settlement Pilot’ (CRISP).
This community sponsorship program will enable groups of everyday Australians to take primary responsibility for welcoming and settling 1,500 UNHCR-referred refugees over a four-year period, beginning in 2022.
The pilot
In May, 2022 the CRISP was launched and it’s a watershed moment in Australia’s history of providing community-led support to refugees. CRSA begins to mobilise groups of everyday Australians in communities around the country who will ‘show up’ for refugee newcomers.
In February 2025 the government announced the CRISP will become a ‘permanent and valuable’ part of Australia’s humanitarian migration program.
New ways to apply this innovative model
In 2025 CRSA established partnerships with Talent Beyond Boundaries and Skill Path Australia to harness the power and benefits of community sponsorship in the context of labour pathways and student pathways for refugeesp.
Launch of the permanent program
CRSA is appointed to deliver the permanent CRISP program, launched in July 2026.
A milestone for CRSA
From Pilot to Permanence
In August 2022, the first families were welcomed to Australia under a groundbreaking new program, the Community Refugee Integration & Settlement Pilot – or the CRISP.
On 1 July 2026, after many more joyous airport arrivals and with the care and support of hundreds of everyday Australians, the CRISP became a permanent part of Australia’s overall humanitarian program.Â
This video was produced in celebration of this important milestone and to capture the journey of the CRISP from pilot to permanence.