The Community Refugee Integration and Settlement Pilot (CRISP) is a settlement program announced by the Australian Government in December 2021. The program is based on the Canadian model and is expected to support 1,500 refugees within the overall humanitarian allocation cap. CRISP will become permanent feature of Australia’s overall humanitarian program. The Rotary Club of Glenferrie is working to form a Community Supporter Group of ten people from local Rotary clubs.
CRISP operates as a dedicated settlement pathway for refugees who:- do not have family links in Australia
- are referred to the Australian government for resettlement by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
Trained community groups called Community Supporter Groups (CSGs) will help CRISP participants to settle in Australia by providing a range of support for 12 months from their date of arrival in Australia including but not limited to:
- organising furnished accommodation
- registering for government support, such as Medicare and Centrelink
- accessing education
- linking with employment services
- attending appointments.
The current pilot program, due to conclude on 30 June 2026, has delivered positive settlement outcomes for refugee category visa holders and the Australian communities involved in welcoming them. The Government will draw from the University of Queensland’s evaluation to administer the program into the future.
Wendy and I hope to form a CSG of ten from the Rotary Club of Glenferrie and local Rotary clubs.
For anyone interested in joining us in this very worthwhile project, please contact Wendy or me.
Maria Pantling