We do a lot with a little.
Help us to house and support asylum seekers and refugees in the Australian community.
Welcome to BASP
At BASP, we walk alongside people seeking asylum with compassion, respect, and practical support. Many who come to us have nowhere else to turn — facing homelessness, food insecurity, uncertainty about their visa status, or simply the isolation of starting again without community. Whether newly arrived or having lived in Australia for many years, we welcome each person without judgement and without distinction.
We operate in a constantly changing environment. Government policy shifts, housing pressures, economic hardship and global events can quickly create new and urgent needs. In this context, we remain responsive, flexible, and people-focused — prioritising those with no income, no work rights, and little or no ability to support themselves.
Our work is personal and relational. We provide emergency relief, housing assistance, help with employment and English, and connections to legal and community services. We assess each request individually, guided by our available resources and a deep commitment to fairness and care. While we cannot help everyone, we are honest, welcoming, and thoughtful in every conversation.
BASP chooses to remain small and independent. This allows us to respond quickly, advocate freely, and adapt to changing circumstances. We are risk-aware but not risk-averse — open to creative solutions that restore dignity and hope.
Above all, BASP is a community. Our volunteers, house providers, parishes, ministries, and supporters are the lifeblood of our work. Together, we form relationships rather than manage cases. People tell us they feel they belong — that they are known and cared for.
Thank you for visiting BASP. We invite you to learn more, connect with us, and be part of a community that stands in solidarity with people seeking asylum.
Upcoming Events
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
Sign up here to our free newsletter
Stay informed of what BASP is doing to assist and advocate for refugees, by reading our newsletter
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.
Renee Mazloum, Co-CEO
Renee brings over 12 years of leadership experience in migrant and refugee social justice services and holds qualifications in Australian Migration Law, Human Resource Management and Leadership.
Her commitment to this work is both professional and deeply personal. Growing up in a family shaped by the experience of seeking asylum and refuge, she developed a lifelong passion for ensuring others receive the dignity and support her own family was denied. Fluent in Arabic and English, Renee connects meaningfully with the communities BASP serves and brings professionalism, compassion and a strong commitment to human dignity to her leadership.
Libby Saunders, Co-CEO
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.
Julie Catalano, Administration Support Officer
Julie Catalano has been a valued member of the Brigidine Ministry Centre and BASP for the past nine years. As our Administration Support Officer, Julie plays a key role in supporting the day-to-day operations of the office and is a trusted source of assistance and guidance for staff and community members alike.
She has worked for many years in education, including at an international school overseas, and has experience in educational publishing, acquiring and developing academic content for Australian universities. She holds qualifications in education, publishing, and migration law and policy, reflecting her ongoing commitment to professional learning and service.
Julie has a strong interest in migration law and is passionate about supporting people as they pursue their goal of living and working in Australia.
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)
Cleo Fleming, Housing and Support Officer
Cleo joined BASP in February 2026 after relocating from Canberra to Melbourne with her family. She has a background in community services and international development, with experience working alongside people from refugee and asylum seeker backgrounds.
In her role as Housing and Support Officer, Cleo supports individuals and families to navigate housing challenges and connect with services in the community. She brings experience in case coordination and frontline support within the community sector.
Before joining BASP, Cleo worked with St Vincent de Paul Society of Australia and Companion House Assisting Survivors of Torture and Trauma. She holds a Master of Social Science (International Development) and a Graduate Diploma in Community Services.
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.