Ballina Region for Refugees are supporting local community members to join the new Community Refugee Integration and Settlement Pilot (CRISP) and welcome refugees to the area.
One group, Ocean Shores for Refugees (OSR) have been helping Syrian family Essam, Douaa and their children establish roots in Brunswick Heads since their arrival in August 2022.
“Beyond the day-to-day admin, it’s been an incredibly rewarding experience supporting Essam, Douaa and their children as they navigate their new life in Australia” says community supporter Anika Ebner.
The OSR group hope to draw on the wider community for additional support, so that more families can be resettled in the area through the CRISP.
“We have been supported so much through this move,” says Essam, “We have had the best support we could dream of”.
Originally published by The Byron Shire Echo, 16 November, 2022
For more information on the CRISP program: