Australia's first community sponsorship program
What started as an innovative pilot, will now be a permanent feature of Australia’s humanitarian migration program.
Launched in mid 2022, the Community Refugee Integration and Settlement Pilot (CRISP) gives groups of locals the opportunity to welcome refugees into their community, supporting them from day one of their Australian journey.
The federal government partnered with CRSA in the design and delivery of the pilot, initially earmarked to run from 2022 to 2025. In May 2024, the government extended the pilot to mid 2025, before committing to making the CRISP permanent in February 2025 (with effect from mid 2026). This is testament to the wide range of benefits of this community-led approach for refugee newcomers, local communities and the everyday Australians who put their hands up to welcome a newcomer.
How does it work?
1. A group of five or more adult volunteers (known as a ‘Community Supporter Group’ or ‘CSG’) join forces to provide 12 months of practical, hands-on support to a refugee household from their date of arrival in Australia. CSGs can be based anywhere in Australia, provided they can demonstrate capacity to provide appropriate support to a refugee household within their community.
2. Community Refugee Sponsorship Australia (CRSA) approve, train and support CSGs and connect them with a refugee household referred into the CRISP.
3. Refugee participants identified as in urgent need of resettlement by the UNHCR are referred into the CRISP program by the Australian government. They come from a wide variety of countries, with most waiting a significant amount of time to resettle in a new, safe country.
Support provided by CSGs
Community Supporter Groups (CSGs) get to know the household before they arrive in Australia, then assist refugee newcomers with some immediate needs on arrival and during their first 12 months in the country. Things like:
– Meeting refugee household at the airport
– Local orientation and using public transport
– Initial income support (first 1-2 weeks)
– Temporary accommodation (estimated 4 – 6 weeks)
– Helping secure long-term housing
– Enrolling children in school
– Registering for Centrelink support and other government services
– Signing up to English language classes
– Accessing social opportunities and emotional support
– Opening bank accounts
– Obtaining a driver’s license
– Finding employment or starting a business
How to get involved
Learn more
See if this program is something you want to be a part of. Attend an upcoming live information session or watch a pre-recorded version via the same link to learn more about the CRISP.
Form a group
Get together with friends, neighbours, even strangers in your area who want to support refugee newcomers. If you are an individual looking to find others in your area to form a group with, please post your interest in this CRSA Facebook group. We recommend checking out our 5 tips on forming a group.
Submit an Intention to Apply
Register your group’s interest in the CRISP by creating an Intention to Apply.