Advocacy Caseworker Volunteer Roles

Adult Casework Volunteer - Role description 

Role: Adult Casework Volunteer 

Team: Casework 

Supervised by: Adult caseworker 

Location: Tooting office on a Thursday afternoon (2-5.30pm)

Time commitment: 3.5 hours a week, we ask that volunteers commit for a minimum of 6 months 

About CARAS :  

Community Action for Refugees and Asylum Seekers (CARAS) is a registered charity that has been supporting refugees and asylum-seekers since 2002 empowering them to integrate and engage in the local community.

Arriving as an asylum seeker/refugee can be a disempowering experience. Difficulties with language, accessing services and overcoming prejudice are ever-present. As an organisation we are committed to work alongside refugees to overcome those challenges, and to help them build their lives. 

We offer group support and targeted support work. We offer a range of activities including: ESOL classes; social and recreational activities such as youth club, drama, trips and family activities; educational support for young people; and casework and advocacy support.

Our values are at the centre of all our work

• Kindness: CARAS will nurture all who are part of our community, helping everyone to develop their skills, talents, and interests

• Justice: CARAS will strive for social justice following a rights-based approach in all our work and challenging instances when rights are not upheld in wider society

• Empowerment: CARAS works alongside people, recognising and respecting their skills and strengths and striving together for better outcomes

• ‘With’ not ‘for’: CARAS will put the voices, opinions, experiences and needs of its beneficiaries at the heart of all that we do 

About CARAS casework:

CARAS works with adults and young people of a refugee and asylum seeker background to find solutions to their problems. There are two separate sub-teams within the Casework team; young people and adults. We support adults to navigate the asylum system, understand their options, access benefits, connect with services and realise their goals. We are a non-specialist casework and advocacy service, so we work in close partnership with other local organisations to whom we refer people with more complex issues.

Using the empowerment model, our casework service embodies CARAS’ values of ‘with not for’, always striving to ensure people are armed with the information and resources they need to make decisions and take action for themselves.

About the Role:

We are currently recruiting for 2 volunteers to join our Adult Casework team. 

The purpose of the Adult Casework volunteer role is to support adults with a refugee or asylum seeking background to understand their rights, access information and services, and ultimately, take control of their own lives. You will work with individuals to address problems they may face relating to, among other issues, asylum support, accessing healthcare and education, access to legal advice and finding activities and opportunities.

You will start from an understanding that individuals are always best placed to solve their own problems, and often need nothing more than to talk out a problem and find the solution themselves. When helpful, you will provide information to clarify and support to take action. 

The Adult Casework team hold a support session at our office in Tooting on Thursday afternoons from 2-5.30pm.  Volunteer caseworkers have 1:1 appointments, either in person or by phone, with CARAS members.  These can be related to a range of topics.  Currently our biggest areas of work are around housing for people seeking asylum, access to college, nursery/school places for children, referrals to mental health providers, searches and signposting to activities, finding solicitors and supporting people to apply for bus passes and ID cards.  Volunteers also support with administrative tasks such as updating our databases, collating resources and creating information guides. 

Adult Casework Volunteer Tasks and Responsibilities:  

• Working in an empowering way with individuals and promoting their independence through goal-setting.  

• Supporting people to develop their knowledge of rights and entitlements.   

• Assisting with filling out forms 

• Signposting and referring onto other services and organisations.  

• Gathering information from experts and disseminating information to people in an accessible manner.  

• Engaging in collaborative internet and phone research on services, organisations and grants.  

• Flagging safeguarding concerns and other issues where further support is required.  

• Keeping accurate casenotes 

• Supporting to maintain our signposting database 

• Researching and collating resources 

• Working collaboratively as a team and assisting to shape the Adult Casework project.  

• Adhering to CARAS Confidentiality policy, Health & Safety policy, Equal Opportunities policy and all other policies as relevant.  

Requirements:

Essential

• Experience of doing 1:1 advice work/casework.

• Excellent communication skills, especially with people with varying levels of English.   

• Confidence in using IT (Microsft office, outlook, zoom, Google search, online forms)  

• To be non-judgemental and able to engage with people from diverse backgrounds; 

• A commitment to confidentiality and data protection 

• Thorough with good attention to detail 

• Reliable 

• A high level of spoken and written English 

• Ability to gather information from people in a sensitive way  

• A calm, friendly, kind and patient approach 

• Enjoyment in speaking to new people 

• A commitment to working in an empowering way 

• Able to maintain boundaries 

• Able to work autonomously 

• Currently resident in the UK 

Desirable 

• Working knowledge or experience of relevant law and policy around asylum support, the asylum process, rights and entitlements for people seeking asylum 

• Experience of working with interpreters 

• Direct experience of the UK immigration system.  

• Past experience of working with people seeking asylum 

• Proficiency in one or more of the following languages: Albanian, Amharic, Arabic, Bengali, Dari, Farsi, Kurdish, Oromo, Pashto, Russian, Spanish, Somali, Tigrinya, Urdu or Vietnamese.  

We will prioritise applicants with lived experience of the asylum process 

Benefits to Volunteering:

• Learn about issues relating to refugees and people seeking asylum; 

• Work as part of a friendly, welcoming team; 

• Develop your skills and competencies; 

•  Be able to access relevant training, including safeguarding training. 

• Obtain a reference from us relating to your volunteering 

All volunteers must complete a basic DBS check for volunteers working with adults and attend training with us before starting.  You will also receive training and support relevant to your specific role. 

To Apply:

To apply for this opportunity, download and complete the CARAS volunteer application form, using this volunteer role description to inform your answers.

 Applicants will have an informal meeting with the Adult caseworker, and one with community members, to assess compatibility to the role. These meetings will be on a rolling basis so apply ASAP. 

Successful applicants will undergo training and induction with our team. 

Last year 786,574 people were offered information and support from Victim Support. As a Service Delivery Volunteer you will provide specialist support services for people affected by crime.

Why volunteer with us?

• Make a difference - you will volunteer directly with victims and/or alongside staff.
• Gain skills and experience - you will receive training on how to provide practical and emotional support.
• Join our community - you will be part of a large community of over 1,500 volunteers and staff.
• Beyond your role – attend one or our many events/webinars and join one of our six Equality, Diversity & Inclusion networks.

Volunteering with Victim Support in North Wales

As a Volunteer in North Wales your role will include:

• Supporting victims of all crime types and traumatic events
• Learning how to effectively support victims following the Victim Support Service Model
• Attending networking events and agricultural shows across North Wales
• Attending volunteer team meetings and the chance to work from the office from time to time.

What do we ask of you?

In order to join us as a Service Delivery Volunteer, you must:

• Be 18 years of age or over.
• Be able to volunteer for at least 3 hours per week, for at least 12 months.
• Undertake training over a 10-week period – this includes five virtual training days as well as completing a workbook and online learning modules.
• Undertake a DBS check & be part of the DBS update service.
• Be able to provide two satisfactory references.
• Have an active email address that you are comfortable using in order to engage with VS communications.

Expenses

• All Victim Support volunteers are entitled to out-of-pocket expenses incurred whilst volunteering, including travel and lunch.

Diversity Matters

• VS strives to represent the diverse communities we serve and are passionate about creating an environment where all staff and volunteers feel respected and heard. Being a diverse organisation with an inclusive culture is integral to us being able to meet our aim of ensuring that anyone who is a victim of crime gets the support they need.
• VS is also a Disability Confident Employer and we provide a Guaranteed Interview Scheme for candidates that are disabled and meet all essential criteria for a role.
• We are happy to make reasonable adjustments to support you through the application process.

*Please note, this role is only available to applicants located in North Wales. If you are located elsewhere please have a look at our website for opportunities near you.

Are you interested in volunteering in a role supported, supervise, and guided by experienced Integration Casework Coordinators to assist in providing telephone and/or face to face advice about welfare and housing rights to refugee clients, including assistance with filling forms, liaising with government agencies and council offices, drafting letters, among other assistance to newly granted refugees?

Would a varied role where you could help clients by researching housing options and updating client information on our casework database (and much more) enhance your skills and experiences to achieve your goals whilst making a difference?  Would you like to be a part of a busy team, working with experience Integration Casework Coordinators to provide much needed advice and support to their caseload of clients? Do you live within Greater London and are able to commute to our head office in Stratford, London and can commit to at least 1 day (09:45 – 17:00) or two half days (09:45 – 13:00 or 14:00 – 17:00) volunteering per week on consistent days ideally for a minimum of 6 months in this role?

If yes, then this could be the perfect voluntary role for you within the Refugee Council.

You will be a part of our friendly and supportive Integration Advice team and will receive regular support and supervision from an Integration Casework Coordinator. As part of a comprehensive induction process, you will receive training on working with refugees and people seeking asylum, including an introduction to the asylum process and the legal framework, rights and entitlements, and on how to support people practically whilst volunteering as a Refugee Integration Advice Volunteer. Our bespoke training sessions have been developed and will be facilitate by our team of experienced Integration Casework Coordinators at the Refugee Council head office in Stratford, London, E15 1NS.

The training dates will be:

• Thursday 22nd August, from 10:00 – 17:00, Volunteer induction and Working with Clients part 1
• Wednesday 28th August, from 10:00 – 17:00, Our Private Rented Scheme project and Working with Clients part 2
• Wednesday 4th September, from 10:00 – 17:00, Database Training and IT Systems Training
• Thursday 3rd October, from 14:00 – 17:00, Homelessness Law

You will also receive support and information throughout your role and will have access to organisational training sessions that are accessible to staff and volunteers. We will also reimburse you with lunch and travel expenses, in line with our volunteer expenses policy. Please note that as this volunteering role will be based in the Refugee Council head office in Stratford, London, you must be commute to our postcode E15 1NS.

If this sounds like a great opportunity for you, the team and I would love to hear from you. Please email me your completed application form by 23:59 pm on Sunday 28th July 2024.

Please note, due to GDPR all volunteers must be located within the UK whilst volunteering and any offers of a place will be subject to character references and a basic level DBS check.

We are looking for a group of volunteers for this role and will be holding MS Teams interviews from Wednesday 31st July – Thursday 15th August. This would be a great opportunity for us to virtually meet you and find out more about you and for you to ask as many questions as you have – the more the merrier :)