Australian Refugee Volunteers
Australian Refugee Volunteers (ARV) is dedicated to improving the quality of life for children and families from asylum seeker and refugee backgrounds who are now part of the Australian community
Australia Refugee Volunteers (ARV) is a volunteer-run not-for-profit organisation based in Sydney, Australia. The main objective of ARV is to improve the lives of children and families from asylum seeker and refugee backgrounds. ARV programs provide essential recreational and developmental opportunities for children, families and adults which ease loneliness and isolation and improve physical and mental health.
2025 Pitch
Funds Raised: $95,700
Pitched at Thriving Young People 2025 event for support to expand the number of clients they can support, enhance program offerings and diversify curriculum and thirdly, extend program days.
6 Month Impact
12 Month Impact
The funding enabled ARV to expand both the breadth and depth of its programs by onboarding new clients, diversifying activities such as swimming, camps and workshops, and extending program duration—supporting 80 children and young people.
Impact Story: Among the children who joined ARV's new swimming program this year was a 9-year-old girl (let's call her Amira) who had never set foot in a pool before. Like many of our clients, she arrived in Australia after significant disruption and had grown up in environments where recreational activities like swimming were simply not accessible. Over four weeks, supported by ARV volunteers and a qualified swimming instructor, Amira went from gripping the pool wall and refusing to put her face in the water, to swimming independently across the pool. Several parents have asked us to please run the program again next year. Amira's story captures what ARV does best: turning a small amount of funding into a big moment of confidence.
Learn more about Australian Refugee Volunteers
Supporting Sustainable Development Goals:
