REA Humanitarian Scholarship CoP (Q4 2026)

This is our final Humanitarian Scholarship Community of Practice (renamed from Supporting People Seeking Asylum) for 2026.

In this meeting, we hear from Melinda Mann from SSI about the Allianz Refugee Education Scholarship Program, offering up to $5,000 in financial support to people from refugee and asylum seeker backgrounds across secondary, vocational, university and skills recognition pathways in NSW, QLD and VIC.

This session will cover:

• How the program is promoted to eligible communities.

• How applications are assessed, with input from key stakeholders.

• How recipients are celebrated at annual scholarship ceremonies.

• The real challenges of reaching and supporting applicants as the program grows — and how they're addressed.

About the presenter

Melinda Mann's career began in education, where she discovered a lasting passion for expanding access to learning. That passion has shaped two decades in community services, including 12 years working directly in the refugee and asylum seeker space. Over that time she has held leadership roles both onshore and offshore, working across settlement and integration programs that support people rebuilding their lives after displacement. Melinda now leads a diverse portfolio at Settlement Services International (SSI), overseeing more than 150 Multicultural Support Officers nationally, student placements, the volunteer program, Client First projects, Community Impact, and the Community Support Program, a humanitarian visa pathway. Her work continues to be driven by the belief that education is one of the most powerful tools for rebuilding lives after displacement.