Apply Now: Pathfinder Refugee Settlement Grant (Australia)

Deadline: 24-Sep-2026

The WE SWIM: Multicultural Community Water Safety Program – Pathfinder Refugee Settlement offers grants of as much as $100,000 per pilot undertaking to native consortia in Australia. The alternative helps culturally protected, subsidised swimming and water security training for refugees and lately arrived migrants by integrating these companies into present early settlement pathways.

What Is the WE SWIM Pathfinder Refugee Settlement Program?

The WE SWIM: Multicultural Community Water Safety Program is a nationwide initiative funded by the Australian Government and delivered by Royal Life Saving Society – Australia.

The Pathfinder Refugee Settlement alternative will fund 2–4 native pilot initiatives in precedence metropolitan or regional areas.

The pilots will check how swimming and water security training can grow to be a routine a part of early settlement companies for refugees and lately arrived migrants.

The programme responds to obstacles that may enhance drowning threat, together with:

• Limited swimming skill.
• Limited information of Australian water environments.
• Unfamiliarity with native water hazards.
• Language obstacles.
• Cultural obstacles.
• Financial obstacles.
• Limited entry to aquatic services.

Why It Matters

Multicultural communities, notably newly arrived refugees and migrants, could face further obstacles to accessing swimming and water security training.

The Pathfinder programme goals to make water security training extra accessible and culturally applicable whereas strengthening connections between new communities and native aquatic companies.

The key aims are to:

• Reduce drowning threat.
• Increase entry to swimming training.
• Improve water security information.
• Promote fairness in aquatic participation.
• Strengthen cultural security inside aquatic services.
• Connect multicultural communities with native swimming and aquatic centres.
• Build sustainable native capability for culturally responsive water security programmes.

What Will the Pilot Projects Do?

Funded pilots will combine swimming and water security actions into present refugee and migrant settlement pathways.

Projects ought to tackle native wants and activate a number of of the WE SWIM pillars.

These pillars embody:

• Building connections between multicultural communities and aquatic services.
• Improving cultural security and creating welcoming aquatic environments.
• Delivering focused and multilingual water security messages.
• Removing monetary, cultural, transport and different obstacles to participation.

What Activities Can Be Funded?

Eligible actions can embody sensible interventions that make swimming and water security training simpler to entry.

Examples embody:

• Swimming classes.
• Water security training.
• Pool entry prices.
• Swimming instructors.
• Bilingual or multilingual help.
• Transport help.
• Swimwear help.
• Multilingual communication supplies.
• Staffing related to undertaking supply.
• Community engagement actions.

Projects ought to show how these actions will grow to be built-in into settlement pathways fairly than function as remoted companies.

Grant Amount and Funding

Each chosen pilot can obtain as much as $100,000 excluding GST.

Approximately $300,000 excluding GST is on the market throughout the programme.

The funding construction means roughly 2–4 native pilot initiatives could also be supported.

Local companions are anticipated to offer co-investment, demonstrating a shared dedication to delivering and sustaining the pilot.

Who Is Eligible?

Applications have to be submitted by native consortia fairly than particular person organisations.

The consortium have to be led by an:

• Incorporated not-for-profit organisation; or
• Other integrated physique eligible below the programme necessities.

The consortium should embody the next core companions:

1. At least one settlement or humanitarian service supplier.
2. At least one water security or aquatic supplier.
3. At least one council or council consultant.

Additional companions can take part the place they strengthen the proposed pilot.

What Is a Local Consortium?

An area consortium is a partnership of organisations with complementary experience that collectively delivers the pilot.

The required partnership mannequin ensures that the undertaking combines:

• Settlement experience.
• Water security and aquatic experience.
• Local authorities information.
• Community connections.
• Local infrastructure and repair capability.

Other organisations could also be included the place applicable to the native undertaking design.

Priority Project Characteristics

A powerful pilot ought to show a transparent want inside its goal group and present how the proposed mannequin may be built-in into present settlement companies.

Important issues embody:

• A clearly recognized native drowning or water security threat.
• Strong connections with refugee and lately arrived migrant communities.
• Culturally protected programme design.
• Accessible swimming alternatives.
• Multilingual communication.
• Removal of participation obstacles.
• Strong collaboration between consortium companions.
• Potential for the mannequin to proceed after grant funding ends.

How the WE SWIM Pilot Works

The programme is designed round integration fairly than standalone swimming classes.

Step 1: Identify the Local Need

The consortium ought to determine the precise water security challenges skilled by refugees and lately arrived migrants within the goal space.

This could embody swimming skill, information of native water environments, language obstacles, transport or affordability.

Step 2: Build the Consortium

Bring collectively the required settlement, aquatic and native authorities companions.

Each organisation ought to have clearly outlined tasks.

Step 3: Design a Culturally Safe Model

Develop actions that replicate the cultural and linguistic wants of the goal communities.

Consider:

• Gender and cultural preferences.
• Language wants.
• Appropriate communication strategies.
• Accessibility.
• Community belief.
• Affordability.

Step 4: Integrate Activities Into Settlement Pathways

Connect swimming and water security training with present settlement companies.

The goal is to make water security a standard a part of early settlement fairly than an elective exercise that newly arrived households could wrestle to entry.

Step 5: Remove Participation Barriers

Use grant funding and native co-investment to deal with sensible obstacles corresponding to:

• Pool entry charges.
• Transport.
• Swimming gear.
• Swimwear.
• Language help.
• Access to instructors.

Step 6: Deliver and Evaluate the Pilot

Implement the programme and monitor participation, engagement and outcomes.

The findings ought to assist show whether or not the mannequin may be sustained or replicated in different communities.

How to Prepare a Strong Application

Applicants ought to clearly join the proposed pilot to the programme’s aims.

A powerful utility ought to clarify:

• Who the goal refugee and migrant communities are.
• Why they face obstacles to water security training.
• What native companies exist already.
• What gaps the pilot will tackle.
• How every consortium companion will contribute.
• Which WE SWIM pillars might be activated.
• How contributors might be reached.
• How cultural security might be integrated.
• How the programme will cut back participation obstacles.
• What measurable outcomes might be achieved.
• How native companions will contribute assets.
• How the mannequin may proceed after the pilot.

Tips for Applicants

Applicants can strengthen their proposal by:

• Using local people information to show want.
• Involving multicultural communities in programme design.
• Providing clear proof of companion dedication.
• Defining tasks for each consortium member.
• Including multilingual and culturally applicable communications.
• Demonstrating real native co-investment.
• Building relationships with aquatic services from the start.
• Including a practical supply and analysis plan.
• Showing how the pilot can create lasting native functionality.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Consortia ought to keep away from:

• Applying with out all three required core companion sorts.
• Designing a generic swimming programme with out cultural adaptation.
• Focusing solely on swimming classes with out water security training.
• Failing to determine particular native obstacles.
• Treating the undertaking as a short-term exercise fairly than a settlement pathway.
• Providing unclear roles for consortium members.
• Underestimating transport, language or affordability obstacles.
• Failing to show group engagement.
• Omitting a sustainability or continuation technique.

Programme Details at a Glance

• Programme: WE SWIM: Multicultural Community Water Safety Program – Pathfinder Refugee Settlement
• Funder: Australian Government
• Delivery organisation: Royal Life Saving Society – Australia
• Target beneficiaries: Refugees and lately arrived migrants
• Geographic focus: Priority metropolitan and regional areas of Australia
• Number of pilots: Approximately 2–4
• Maximum grant: $100,000 per pilot
• Total accessible: Approximately $300,000
• GST: Funding quantities are unique of GST
• Application kind: Local consortium
• Core companions required: Settlement/humanitarian service supplier, aquatic/water security supplier, and council or council consultant
• Co-investment: Expected
• Key focus: Swimming, water security, cultural security, accessibility and settlement integration

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the WE SWIM Pathfinder Refugee Settlement alternative?

It is a funding alternative supporting native pilot initiatives that combine subsidised, culturally protected swimming and water security training into early settlement pathways for refugees and lately arrived migrants.

How a lot funding is on the market?

Each pilot can obtain as much as $100,000 excluding GST, with roughly $300,000 excluding GST accessible general.

Who can apply?

Applications should come from eligible native consortia led by an integrated not-for-profit or integrated physique.

What companions have to be included?

Each consortium should embody a settlement or humanitarian service supplier, a water security or aquatic supplier, and a council or council consultant.

What can grant funding pay for?

Eligible prices could embody staffing, pool entry, swimming instructors, bilingual help, transport, swimwear help and multilingual communication supplies.

Why is cultural security vital?

Culturally protected programme design helps tackle language, cultural, monetary and participation obstacles that will stop refugees and newly arrived migrants from accessing swimming and water security training.

What is the principle aim of the Pathfinder programme?

The central aim is to cut back drowning threat whereas bettering equitable entry to culturally responsive swimming and water security training and constructing sustainable native capability.

Conclusion

The WE SWIM Pathfinder Refugee Settlement alternative offers native Australian partnerships with a considerable alternative to enhance water security amongst refugees and lately arrived migrants.

With grants of as much as $100,000 per pilot, the programme helps sensible interventions corresponding to swimming classes, water security training, transport, bilingual help and entry to aquatic services. The strongest proposals will mix settlement experience, aquatic functionality and native authorities help to create a culturally protected mannequin that may grow to be a part of routine early settlement companies and ship lasting group water security advantages.

For extra info, go to Royal Life Saving Society – Australia.