John Murphy, a member of the Sponsorship Group of RAR Bendigo, says the families will be arriving in Bendigo in the next month or so and that RAR is now preparing for their arrival. The arrivals will be staggered so that RAR can give each family the necessary attention in their first weeks in Australia. 

 

The families’ resettlement in Australia is auspiced by the Australian Government’s Community Refugee Integration and Settlement Pilot (CRISP).  This new settlement program provides a dedicated settlement pathway for refugee visa holders who have no family in Australia and who are referred to Australia for resettlement by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

 

CRISP works in partnerships with local Community Supporter Groups (CSGs), who have been trained to support refugees according to CRISP guidelines.  RAR Bendigo, is one such group.  

 

The CSGs commit to support CRISP refugees in a variety of ways throughout their first year in Australia.  No doubt, with RAR Bendigo, support will last much longer than the obligatory 12 months, as mutually fruitful friendships between RAR members and CRISP refugees develop. 

 

The Department of Home Affairs plans to resettle 1,500 refugees through CRISP until 30 June 2025.

 

The Australian Government has allocated $8.6 million to establish and support CRISP and the University of Queensland has been engaged to evaluate the effectiveness of CRISP in achieving strong integration outcomes for CRISP participants.   

 

For those who would like to assist by providing accommodation or household items,
please contact John Murphy: 0417 541 155.