SCOA CEO Forum: A Conversation about CRISP
The Settlement Council of Australia (SCOA) CEO Forum, A Conversation about CRISP, explored the implementation and impact of Australia’s Community Refugee Integration and Settlement Program (CRISP), which transitioned from a pilot initiative in 2022 to a permanent component of the country’s humanitarian program in 2026. Speakers outlined how trained Community Supporter Groups of more than five volunteers provide 12 months of wraparound settlement support while preserving refugees’ existing entitlements and access to the Humanitarian Settlement Program when needed. The discussion highlighted CRISP’s growing national reach, with more than 1,670 volunteers across 180+ Community Supporter Groups supporting over 950+ refugees, as well as its positive outcomes in housing stability, language acquisition, and employment.
From Pilot to Permanent: Introducing CRISP as a permanent program
The Community Refugee Sponsorship Australia (CRSA) event, From Pilot to Permanent: Introducing CRISP as a Permanent Program, explored the transition of the Community Refugee Integration and Settlement Program (CRISP) from a multi-year pilot to a permanent refugee sponsorship pathway in July 2026. Speakers highlighted evaluation findings from the University of Queensland demonstrating positive outcomes in language acquisition, local employment, and community connections. Reflections from refugees, sponsors, volunteers, and civil society organizations also emphasized the reciprocal benefits of sponsorship, including a greater sense of belonging and protection for newcomers, stronger community solidarity, and fostering lasting friendships.
Summary of The Global Refugee Sponsorship Initiative: A Case Study in Canadian Engagement
Launched in 2016, the Global Refugee Sponsorship Initiative (GRSI) supports governments and non-state actors in developing sustainable, community-based refugee sponsorship programmes across more than twenty countries. This research examines Canada’s global influence through the GRSI, arguing that traditional policy transfer theory alone is insufficient to capture its impact. By integrating policy transfer, migration diplomacy, and capacity building, the authors explore how the Initiative expands refugee protection through civic engagement, strengthens host communities, shapes public narratives, and fosters locally owned, sustainable sponsorship models through collaborative learning, knowledge exchange, and long-term capacity development.
Summary of Rethinking Canada in the global refugee regime
Canada has been an active global actor on forced migration, shaped by a wide range of government and non-government actors, as well as regional and global contexts. Canada’s contributions to refugee resettlement and humanitarian assistance are valuable, but the extent of their impact on areas of change remain unclear. Further research on Canada’s ability to influence global refugee outcomes needs to consider if, when, and how Canadian domestic policy impacts its influence abroad.
Summary of Introduction: Canada in the Global Refugee Regime
This volume aims to outline the complexities and nuances of Canada’s engagement with the global refugee regime. The three editors and eighteen other contributors bring diverse perspectives to the discussion, with topics including the history of Canada’s relationship to the global refugee regime; Canada’s role in refugee issues in human rights bodies; and Canada’s involvement in refugee issues in Latin America, South Asia, and the Middle East. The volume also covers the evolution of Canada’s resettlement efforts; the Global Sponsorship Initiative; the challenges faced by resettled refugees with family reunification; refugee diplomacy; along with the overlap and distinction between foreign policy and refugee policy.
Launch of the Refugee Mentorship Toolkit
The Refugee Mentorship Toolkit provides practical guidance for organizations seeking to create meaningful mentorship opportunities that support refugee leadership, professional development, and participation. Developed through research, consultation, lived experience, and lessons from the uOttawa Refugee Hub–Pathways International Fellowship Program for Refugee Leaders, the Toolkit brings together adaptable frameworks, guidance, case examples, templates, and practical tools to support mentorship programs from design through implementation and sustainability.
Summary of Key Insights from Sponsorship in Rural Communities
Research on refugee sponsorship in rural communities explores how community-led initiatives can strengthen refugee integration while generating social and economic benefits for host communities. Drawing on experiences from Canada, Australia, and Spain, this review highlights how effective sponsorship is supported by early planning, strong local partnerships, and flexible volunteer-led approaches that respond to newcomers' needs. The findings also demonstrate that rural communities can foster long-term belonging, improve access to housing, employment, and language supports, and build more resilient sponsorship programs through sustained community engagement and collaboration.
Exploring the PGRN 2027 and the Safe Pathways Update
The UNHCR webinar on the 2027 Projected Global Resettlement Needs and Safe Pathways Update examined global displacement trends and the widening gap between refugee resettlement needs and available protection pathways. Speakers emphasized the continued importance of resettlement and complementary pathways, while highlighting the need for greater international cooperation and expanded access to safe and legal routes for refugees.
CARFMS Webinar: UNHCR’s Global Trends in Forced Displacement 2025 Report
The CARFMS webinar on UNHCR's Global Trends in Forced Displacement 2025 Report explored the growing scale of global displacement and the evolving challenges facing refugee protection systems. Participants highlighted that protracted armed conflict, political violence, and terrorism continue to drive record levels of forced displacement, while Canada faces increasing pressures from refugee processing backlogs, sponsorship pauses, and policy changes affecting access to protection. Speakers also emphasized the importance of addressing the root causes of displacement through stronger international cooperation, conflict prevention, and durable solutions alongside humanitarian responses.
Research Matters Event: Refugee Resettlement and the Canada-US Safe Third Country Agreement
The Research Matters event on refugee resettlement and the Canada-U.S. Safe Third Country Agreement explored the evolving relationship between refugee protection, regional settlement, and asylum policy in Canada. Participants highlighted that while refugee resettlement has expanded into smaller and mid-sized communities, successful long-term integration depends on sustained investment in settlement services, community networks, and local infrastructure rather than geographic dispersal alone. Discussions also examined the historical development of the Safe Third Country Agreement, emphasizing that it was designed to balance asylum system management with Canada's international refugee protection obligations. Speakers ultimately underscored the importance of ensuring that refugee protection remains centred on equitable access to services, strong institutional support, and policies that uphold both humanitarian commitments and long-term integration outcomes.
Summary of The Power of Sponsorship: Power and Moral Action in Private Refugee Resettlement
Research on private refugee sponsorship in Canada examines the complex power dynamics that shape relationships between sponsors and the newcomers they support during the resettlement process. Drawing on interviews with Canadian refugee sponsors, the study identifies how sponsors exercise both power over resettlement by facilitating access to essential services, and power over newcomers by influencing decisions through greater social and institutional knowledge. The findings highlight the distinction between mutualistic approaches that prioritize newcomer autonomy and paternalistic approaches that reinforce hierarchy, emphasizing that awareness of these inherent power imbalances is essential for ensuring ethical, supportive, and newcomer-centred sponsorship practices.
Summary of Brokering Refugee Integration: Promises and Pitfalls of Refugee Co-sponsorship in the United States
New research on refugee co-sponsorship in the United States explores how volunteer-based sponsorship models shape refugee integration through both institutional support and social navigation. Drawing on interviews with resettlement agency staff, volunteers, and refugees, the study highlights how co-sponsorship enables volunteers to extend support beyond traditional government-funded services, while also revealing challenges such as unclear role definitions, uneven service delivery, and shifting power dynamics. Findings also show that co-sponsorship is a deeply reciprocal process, with volunteers themselves transforming as they develop greater awareness of structural inequalities and adopt new cultural perspectives through their relationships with refugees.