CRS Education Awards

CRS Education Awards

Honoring Canberra Region Students with Refugee and Asylum Seeker Backgrounds

Each year, Canberra Refugee Support Inc. (CRS) bestows Education Awards to students in the Canberra region who come from refugee or asylum seeker backgrounds. These awardees range in age from 5 years old to adults and are currently engaged in primary, secondary, or post-secondary education within the Canberra region.

The awards are named in honor of Mr. Geoff McPherson AM, the founding President of Canberra Refugee Support Inc. The Education Awards are a significant component of CRS’s support system for refugees and asylum seekers, complementing the broad range of assistance provided by the organization.

Purpose of the Education Awards

The CRS Education Awards serve multiple purposes. Firstly, they provide a little financial assistance to help students or their families cover the costs associated with education. Secondly, they serve to encourage students in their educational pursuits, helping them feel welcomed and rewarded in their new lives in Australia.

Message to the Recipients

Through this program, CRS aims to convey a message of welcome and recognition to the recipients. The awards acknowledge the achievements the students have made so far and express anticipation for the contributions they will make to their families and the broader community in the future.

The CRS Education Awards are a vital part of the support system for refugees and asylum seekers in the Canberra region. By aiding in educational expenses and fostering a sense of belonging and encouragement, these awards play an important role in helping students integrate and thrive in their new environment.

The 2024 CRS Geoff McPherson Education Awards Program

This year, the annual CRS Geoff McPherson Awards Ceremony were held at 9.30am on Tuesday 18^th June – during World Refugee Week, at Cook Hub Hall.

This event is a highlight for the awardees their families and friends, donors, and supporters. We hope many of you can join us and the awardees and their families for this lovely occasion.

In 2024 we offered the Education Awards at primary, secondary, college and post-secondary education levels. We are aiming to provide 45 awards within a budget of $30,000. Primary awards are $300, secondary awards $500 and college / adult awards are $1,000.

As in previous years, the awardees were nominated by our partners, the ACT Education Directorate, Australian Red Cross (ARC), Canberra Institute of Technology (CIT), Companion House, NAVITAS and HUB Canberra. All these organisations provide training or support to refugee and asylum seeker students in the ACT

The awards are only possible due to the generous support of donors. We thank those individuals and community groups that have provided us with support. If you or your organisation would like to contribute to CRS for the Education Awards, please follow the instructions in the DONATE NOW link.

The 2023 CRS Geoff McPherson Education Awards Program

In 2023, the Annual CRS Geoff McPherson Awards Ceremony was held on World Refugee Day. The awards were presented by ACT Minister for Multicultural Affairs Ms Tara Cheyne MLLA and UNHCR Deputy Regional Representative Mr Nai Jit Lam.

In 2023, 40 awards were provided within a budget of $28,000. The awards provided were: 15 to primary school students, 4 to secondary school students and 21 to college/ adult awardees. The students came from 14 countries from the Middle East, Africa, Central America, and Asia regions. Seventy five percent of the awards went to females and 25% to males.

Some of the CRS Education Awards 2023 Recipients

CRS Education Awards 2022

Each year CRS provides Education Awards to Canberra Region students with a refugee/ asylum seeker background. The awardees are aged from 5 to adult and are currently undergoing primary, secondary or post-secondary education in the Canberra region.

The Education Awards are named after Mr Geoff McPherson AM, founding President of Canberra Refugee Support Inc.

In 2022, CRS provided 46 awards at a total value of $33,400. These included 26 awards for college students and adults in post-secondary education, 7 awards for secondary school students, and 13 awards for primary school students.

Nearly two thirds of the awardees were female. The awardees came from a range of countries with 40% this year from Afghanistan. Other countries and regions of origin include Myanmar, Central Africa, the Middle East, North Africa, Sri Lanka, Fiji, Malaysia, and China.

Through this program we want to say to the recipients that we welcome you to the Canberra Region, we acknowledge what you have achieved so far, and we look forward to what you will contribute to your family and to the community in the future.

The awards presented were only possible due to the generous donations from the Canberra Community, including Hands Across Canberra and OMA. We particularly thank those individuals and community groups that have provided us with generous, continued, and longstanding support. Without your assistance, CRS would not be able to assist these wonderful students in their studies.

As in previous years, the awardees were nominated by our partners, the ACT Education Directorate, Australian Red Cross (ARC), Canberra Institute of Technology (CIT), Companion House, NAVITAS, Max Solutions and CRS. All these organisations provide training or support to refugee and asylum seeker students in the Canberra Region.

Normally awards are presented at a major ceremony during United Nations World Refugee Week. As in 2021, we had a number of smaller ceremonies in June linked to the organisations that nominated the awardees. CRS hopes that we will be able to return to a single major ceremony in future years.

Past CRS Scholarship Recipients: