Group Mentorship Program
The Group Mentorship Program offers an opportunity for local groups of five or more to provide practical support and friendship to refugees already living in Australia.
What is the Group Mentorship Program?
The Group Mentorship Program (GMP) connects refugee newcomers in need of additional support with a local group of volunteers who have been trained by CRSA to provide that support.
Since June 2020 CRSA has mobilised more than 90 mentor groups around the country (comprising around 700 individuals). The Group Mentorship Program facilitates support for more than 350 people annually.
Mentor groups provide support, connection and friendship to mentees building the foundations for their new life in Australia.
“It’s really just being there as a friend and support, it’s quite an easy thing for me to do, I speak the language and I know the culture but it means so much to them because they don’t. I was their first mate here so I was able to help them.”
Rebecca – Mentor
How does it work?
A group of five or more adult volunteers (known as a ‘Mentor Group’) will provide 6-12 months of practical hands-on support to a refugee household to supplement government-funded case management. Mentor groups can be made up of friends, family members, neighbours or colleagues. A varied group of mentors provides the refugee household the group is supporting with access to a broader network of support, knowledge, experience and expertise.
Community Refugee Sponsorship Australia (CRSA) will approve, train and support mentor groups and connect them with a refugee household in their area who has been referred into the GMP.
‘Mentees’ are refugee individuals or families who have arrived in Australia in recent years, who would benefit from additional support with their settlement.
Mentees can be referred into the program by Australian agencies or they can be self-referred.
Mentees participating in previous program years have been looking for support with things like learning English, establishing their career, furthering their studies and making social connections.
Hear from some everyday Australians who have put their hands up to support refugees settling in their communities.
What types of support do Mentor Groups provide?
Mentor Groups provide holistic settlement support to refugee households. Groups work with mentees to identify areas where support is needed, supplementing the support that is provided by any government-funded settlement services. Mentor groups use their own local knowledge, networks and experience to help refugees achieve their personal goals and successfully integrate into their new community.
Mentor groups can support a refugee household with:
- Finding suitable employment
- Securing suitable housing
- Enrolling in school or tertiary education
- Practicing English
- Learning to drive
- Understanding how to have overseas qualifications recognised
- Accessing previously unknown local services
- Making new friends
How do I get involved?
Find out more about the program
Make sure this program is right for you by learning more about what’s involved:
- Attend an information session – register for upcoming live info sessions via our events page or watch this pre-recorded information session
- Read the GMP Information Pack
Form a group
If you are an individual looking to find others in your area to form a group with, please post your interest on the CRSA Facebook group.
Register your group's 'Intention to Apply'
Let us know that your group is intending to submit a more formal application by registering your ‘Intention to Apply.‘
Next steps…
After you register your group’s ‘Intention to Apply’ CRSA will be in touch.
GMP application form
All group members will need to provide background checks as part of their application. Read our resource about applying for national police checks and working with children checks.
Invitation to training
We’ll send you an invitation to join our training workshops. If you’d like to plan ahead visit our training page for information about upcoming training dates.
Looking for something else?
If you can't find what you're looking for, try checking our Community Hub, including our Frequently Asked Questions.
Otherwise, feel free to get in touch with us via our Contact Us page.