We do a lot with a little.
Help us to house and support asylum seekers and refugees in the Australian community.
St Mary’s BASP Trivia Night – Fri 6 Oct 2023
St Mary’s Hampton online trivia event in support of the Brigidine Asylum Seekers Project is back on Friday 6 October 2023. We aim to provide a fun night for you and your friends and raise money for a good cause. We’d love your support. To take part, sign up as a team...
I’m a refugee in Australia. I’m walking 1,000km to ask the PM for a fair go
Neil Para (Union of Australian Refugees) shared an update on 'I’m a refugee in Australia. I’m walking 1000km to ask the PM for a fair go'. Join Neil in petitioning our Prime Minister here My name is Neil. I’m walking 1000km to ask the Prime Minister for fairness for...
BASP Discussion Session – Wed 30 Aug 2023
A BASP Discussion Session with be held at 2pm–3.30pm on Wednesday 30 August 2023 at 54 Beaconsfield Parade Albert Park VIC. How have Immigration Ministers and the Public Service interacted to enact Cruel Care to people seeking protection in Australia? An opportunity...
You can help
- provide hospitality and practical support for people seeking asylum
- actively network with like-minded individuals and groups who are working for justice for asylum seekers
- promote advocacy for the rights of people seeking asylum
- engage in education about asylum seekers’ issues
- donate or volunteer
Our staff
BASP is staffed by a small team of dedicated experienced professionals, and Volunteers who kindly support our everyday work with an extraordinary range of expertise and experience.
Brigid Arthur, Project Coordinator
Brigid Arthur CSB is our Project coordinator and a Brigidine Sister with a long and passionate career as an educator. She has been described as ‘an octogenarian human rights advocate, protester and leader.’
(csb = Congregation of Sisters of Brigid)
Libby Saunders, Project Coordinator
Libby is an experienced social worker who worked in disability and community care before joining BASP in 2014.
Libby is mainly involved with housing and volunteers.
Aims
The Brigidine Asylum Seekers Project (BASP) is a Melbourne-based initiative of the Brigidine Sisters which aims to:
- Provide hospitality and practical support for people seeking asylum;
- Actively network with like-minded individuals and groups who are working for justice for asylum seekers;
- Promote advocacy for the rights of people seeking asylum;
- Engage in education about asylum seekers’ issues.
Volunteer
We have many volunteer opportunities e.g. volunteer for our Friendship through teaching English program, providing friendship and support to an asylum seeker family along with personalised assistance in everyday English. Help families settle in their Australian community by exploring local facilities and services together. Volunteers visit an assigned family once a week to offer friendship and support.
Please contact us to help.
Be informed about asylum seekers in Australia
Authorised Travellers
Contrary to the images sometimes projected by government and the media, most asylum seekers arrive in Australia by air as authorised travellers.
Ordinary Human Beings
Asylum seekers are ordinary human beings with the same emotions and reactions that most of us would have in similar circumstances.
Persecution
They have been involved in persecution in their own countries that we find hard to imagine from the safety of this country.