The social worker has built up connections with many of the refugees - some now housed in Australia - while also getting involved in helping resettle refugees to Toronto, Canada.

Ms Horton is currently fundraising to help resettle refugees through a network of like-minded people.

She described the Manus Island and Nauru refugees as "just people stuck in a hard place" after they arrived in Australia post-2013.

"At that time, Kevin Rudd announced that these people would not be settled here and would have to be settled outside Australia," Ms Horton said.

"But I know their stories of why they need to get out of their own countries. They face persecution, family members being murdered, civil war, cultural genocide and torture.

"They all have individual stories and normally they just need to get out of their own countries and they don't know where they are going.

"Their only choice is to find a country where they can get transport to or where they can end up living because they can source a visa application."

The social worker completed her studies at Charles Sturt University Port Macquarie campus and says she has kept a pulse on vulnerable people around the world.

She said her studies had help focus more attention on the plight of the detainees.

And after following a protest in Canberra on social media, Ms Horton left a comment saying that the Manus Island and Nauru refugees had support from many people.

"Then someone posted 'thank you' in the comments section and that ended up being one of the refugees who was on Manus Island.

"When you meet one Manus Island refugee you get to meet the lot. At that time - 2016 - there was some 900 people detained there.

"It made me quite sad to find the truth of the mistreatment that these people were experiencing. However I also discovered their rich culture, the language and their family connections and it was quite amazing.

"Despite the mistreatment, they still wanted to communicate with Australians. They feel a real affinity with us," she said.

Ms Horton eventually travelled to Manus Island where she "got a much better understanding of the conditions and the situation".

"I spoke with local residents and politicians," she said.

"The conditions aren't good (for the refugees). they are malnourished and would have to stand for hours just to get untreated water.

"I also found out that refugees are called by their boat number and not their names. Every injury was treated with Panadol and water.

"The adverse weather conditions meant that their bodies are basically falling apart while some are suffering health issues not normally associated with their age group or culture."

Ms Horton says the refugees are, essentially, in limbo including a Pakistani called Shan.

He is currently seeking medical assistance in Preston (Victoria) where he is in mandatory detention 23 hours a day, Ms Horton said.

Ms Horton said Shan's aim was simply to support his community from the Taliban through education and non-violent actions.

"He lived in a volatile area that was prone to attack by the Taliban. Shan's neighbours were killed, his uncle and cousins were murdered.

"After ending up on Manus Island he was eventually shifted to Australia for medical treatment.

"The Australian government forced him to Papua New Guinea to process his asylum claim and has never been able to resettle him after seven years and he is detained until he finds a country like Canada to accept him

"And there is no court that can release Shan. Minister Peter Dutton is the only person who can release him.

"So we are his lifeline and hope; in some ways we are holding their hope in our hands," she said.

Three years ago Ms Horton linked up with Stephen Watt, a fellow Canadian who is heading a sponsorship group for refugees.

So far four refugees have been settled as part of the program.

The sponsorship group acts like a "safety net" when refugees arrive, helping with accommodation, banking while providing emotional and networking support.

Ms Horton is currently fundraising $12,000 to help resettle Shan to Canada.

"I felt compelled to help Shan who just has no hope of resettlement other than in Canada," she said.

"We know this program works - there's already six refugees resettled in Toronto - and we know the Australian government is wanting more refugees to be resettled offshore."

Ms Horton said there are 65 detainees in the Mantra Hotel, 120 in Kangaroo Point Central Hotel and 15 in Mercure Darwin as well as 35 in detention centres in Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth, Brisbane Sydney in the same circumstances.

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