Asylum service manager volunteer roles

About CARAS:

Community Action for Refugees and Asylum Seekers (CARAS) is a charity that supports refugees and people seeking asylum who live in south London. We offer a range of individual and group support to improve the holistic wellbeing of people who have a background of forced migration, providing them with tools to build lives filled with value, meaning and purpose in the UK. Our activities for young people currently include: ESOL classes (English for Speakers of Other Languages), study group, youth club, swimming lessons and football.

About Youth Club:

Youth Club is a place for young people aged 14-19 to come and play games, learn new skills, make and strengthen friendships and build a sense of belonging. Regular activities include classic youth club games such as table tennis, pool, foosball, board and card games. We also work in partnership with a range of organisations to run a rich programme of workshops within our youth club. Some of these have included creative visual arts, drama, music and workshops on rights and entitlements of young asylum seekers. We also cook a hot meal from time to time and offer a range of snacks each week. Our casework team are also on-site to support young people with a range of advice and signposting needs, usually by-appointment.

Youth club takes place at Furzedown Youth Centre. Welham Rd, London SW16 6TJ

About the role:

As a Youth Club volunteer, you would be helping young people to feel welcome, join in with activities and be a great role model.

Youth Club takes place every Wednesday at 6.00-8.30pm. We ask for a commitment of at least 2 sessions per month for a minimum of 6 months.

Tasks and responsibilities:

· To attend and contribute to volunteer de-briefs which occur 15 minutes after each session.

· To act as a positive role model and set standards of behaviour when volunteering with young people.

· To encourage and inspire young people to reach their full potential.

· To assist young people to both recognise and celebrate their achievements.

· To challenge young peoples’ negative attitudes and behaviour in an appropriate manner.

· To adhere to CARAS Child Protection procedures, Confidentiality policy, Health & Safety policy, Equal Opportunities policy and all other policies as relevant.

Requirements:

To be 18 years or older;

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

· To be reliable and punctual;

· Excellent communication skills, especially with people with varying levels of English;

· The ability to volunteer on Wednesday evenings for a minimum of six months;

· Current resident of the UK;

· Able to provide five years’ worth of addresses, and willing to undergo a DBS check;

· Able to attend compulsory volunteer induction training (online) general and safeguarding prior to the start of role

Volunteer induction training currently takes place online once a month on Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday evenings from 6pm - 8pm. we offer the same trainings on Tuesday and Wednesday daytimes online between 12noon - 2pm once every 3 months.

Your availability to attend 1 general and 1 safeguarding online training session at these times within 3 months of your application would be a prerequisite of being accepted as a volunteer at CARAS.

Desirable:

· Knowledge of community languages, such as (including Arabic, Tigrinya, Amharic, Pashto, Dari, Farsi, Kurdish, Somali and Spanish).

Through volunteering with us you will:

· Meet new members of your local community;

· Learn about different cultures;

· 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;

Who is Quaker Social Action?

QSA works with people on low incomes to seek solutions to the issues affecting their lives.

The services that QSA deliver are varied but all are about building respectful and dignified relationships with people who need support in some way. We address issues around food insecurity especially for asylum seekers, the dearth of support on the streets for people who are homeless, and the financial struggles many people experience when arranging a funeral. As well as these direct services we convene an advocacy group of hundreds of grassroots charities tackling child poverty in London. 

Some of our services operate in person, in London, some are national and delivered online or through a telephone helpline. Across all services, we seek to share our learning with others, through advocacy, campaigning or training; or by having a voice with policymakers and in the media on issues where we have credibility.

QSA was founded in 1867 by Quakers troubled by the social injustices of the time and keen to tackle them. This sense of taking practical action to address societal challenges has stayed with us over our 150-year history, and our organisational values are aligned with Quaker values of equality, truth and peace.

QSA is the largest independent Quaker charity and Quakers across the UK support our work –approximately 20% of our £1million+ income comes from Quaker sources. We are proud of our Quaker heritage and our place within the Quaker community, while also clear that our services, jobs and trustee roles are open to all.

“The advice and support was beyond beneficial. As a family we were just above the threshold for getting any financial support and at a very difficult time already, money worries was the last thing we needed.”

- Down to Earth funeral costs helpline caller.

What are we looking for?

The Charity Commission defines trustees as "the people who lead the charity and decide how it is run".

Therefore, we need new trustees who are:

1. Passionate about the aims of QSA and excited to contribute to our work

2. Empathic and understanding of the issues affecting people living in poverty, and keen to learn more

3. Wanting to make a positive contribution to our commitment to increasing inclusion, including giving voice to those with relevant lived experience

4. Willing to take on this responsibility and committed to learning more about charity governance

5. Able to commit the time needed to be a trustee and to take this responsibility seriously, for an initial term of three years.

While previous trustee experience is not necessary, we need trustees who have the confidence to actively contribute to the work of our charity from their appointment date, and who have capacity to engage with the governance task. The trustee task is more than attending meetings: we estimate it represents 1-2 days per month in total, accounting for board preparation, engaging with emails, and taking up opportunities to see the work and meet QSA staff.

Some of our trustees are Quakers but most are not, and we warmly welcome applications from people of all faiths or none. We are looking for trustees who will be in sympathy with Quaker values of peace, equality, integrity and simplicity.

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How do I contribute as a trustee?

Trustees meet four times a year. Usually, two of these meetings are in person in London, on an afternoon; the other two are online and in the evening.

Each trustee is expected to join one committee: finance & fundraising, governance & nominations or people & wellbeing. These meet quarterly, online, and are arranged to meet the needs of their members.

There are also formal and informal opportunities to meet with fellow trustees and with the QSA staff team, including online meetings, away days and special events. We encourage trustees to take advantage of as many of these opportunities as possible.

As well as this, trustees contribute by playing an active part in the life of the charity and by being responsive, supportive and committed to the fulfilment of QSA’s charitable purposes.

Trustees as a whole are responsible for:

· Setting the strategic direction of QSA

· The financial oversight of QSA

· Ensuring we comply with relevant legislation

· Supporting the paid staff of the charity to deliver our mission.

Being a trustee for a charity as diverse and energetic as QSA offers an exciting opportunity for people who are passionate about tackling poverty.

“I feel the service from these marvellous book fans and their very committed, caring staff are an essential…I use them twice a week every week. Please may they continue.”

- Visitor to Turn a Corner library van for people experiencing homelessness.

Equity, Diversity and Inclusion at QSA

QSA has been working hard on equity, diversity and inclusion and see it as a golden thread which runs through our organisation. We are still learning and we invite new trustees to join us on that learning journey.

Inclusion is important to us – the arrival of new trustees brings fresh perspectives and we are excited that our culture will expand and be enhanced by new people joining the board.

We are particularly keen on recruiting trustees who are closer to our cause. By this we mean people who have current or previous experience of living on a low income. We're aware that poverty disproportionately affects people with disabilities and also people who are black and others from global majority communities. Therefore, we'd particularly like to encourage you to apply if you're from one of these groups.

We are committed to addressing any barriers to inclusion, so do speak to us if there are changes we might need to make to enable you to participate.

Discussion and challenge are at the heart of good governance, so we need people who are different from each other to make that happen. We know this requires full engagement from all our trustees and commitment from us to make it work.

What support will I get?

We know that new trustees will need to get to grips with the role, and we offer support:

• New trustees receive an induction where they meet key staff and other trustees, and learn how our trustees work together.

• We have a buddying system in place for new trustees, providing support and reassurance from a more experienced trustee, especially for the first few months.

• New trustees receive all the information needed about QSA: governing documents, organisational chart, plans and recent trustee papers.

• We support trustees' learning and development and encourage our trustees to take opportunities to broaden their knowledge and skills.

• We do not want cost to be a barrier for trustees. Expenses are covered to ensure trustees can fulfil their obligations, such as travel, accommodation, and childcare.

We need empathetic and motivated people, who are committed to welcoming people seeking safety, to join our Sussex volunteer team. 

What you will receive: 

• Comprehensive training to equip you in your role; including safeguarding training, Induction Training, Activities and Distribution Training and Boundaries and Resilience Training. 

• Support from a wonderful team

• Opportunity to develop skills, including casework, networking, and interpersonal skills

• Greater understanding of the UK asylum system

As a volunteer, there is a range of activities you can choose to get involved in. Some activities include:

• Drop-ins - a weekly social space to share a hot drink, play games and sport, help with requests and signposting to support, and help people learn and practice English.

• Distributions - provide essential items like clothing, shoes, toiletries. 

• Trips - organise trips to places such as the park or museum.

• Events - mark specific days or holidays to get people together and celebrate. 

Care4Calais strongly encourages people with experience of the asylum system to apply, and recognises the specific value that lived experience brings to an organisation.

About Care4Calais 

Care4Calais is a volunteer-led charity delivering essential aid and support to people seeking asylum living in the UK and Northern France. We provide direct aid and advocate for a fair asylum system, including safe routes to claim asylum.

The UK Direct Aid team delivers essential support through practical services; such as running distributions, delivering English classes and casework-style support through drop-ins. The UK Direct Aid team also provides services to promote wellbeing such as trips and sports activities.

You can find out more about Care4Calais on our website or Instagram 

We are looking for our next Chair of Trustees – someone who will work closely with our Executive Team and Board to guide the organisation through what is both a challenging and genuinely exciting time. The funding environment is tough. The political context is difficult. And yet the need for what we do has never been greater.

This is an unpaid voluntary role. Reasonable out-of-pocket expenses will be reimbursed in accordance with our Volunteer Expenses Policy.

The successful candidate will lead a vibrant, well-established, national charity as it navigates the next chapter of its story.

Main tasks

• Developing and setting our future strategy, alongside the Executive Team and other Trustees
• Helping shape and deliver our future, identifying opportunities in an evolving landscape
• Leading the Board of Trustees, including regular 1:1s and providing space for reflection
• Acting as a 'critical friend' to our Executive Team, as well as formal line management to the CEO (and COO in their absence)
• Acting as an ambassador for the charity – raising awareness of what we do and engaging potential supporters and other key stakeholders
• Responsibility, along with the other trustees, for the governance of the charity
• Contributing to the ongoing strategy of the charity, in line with our charitable objectives
• Participating in board meetings and sub-committees in an inclusive and thoughtful way

Please download our Chair Application Pack for more information.

We are looking for an Events Assistant who can help us organise monthly community dinners featuring three course meals from around the globe to enable the charity to engage with and attract donors. We require help with running the dinner on the day with tasks including welcoming the guests, serving food and drinks, take payments, setting up and clearing, etc.

You will be working as part of a team to plan and organise other events and fundraisers throughout the year, for example refugee week. You will also be assisting with applying for funds for events including securing raffle prizes, donations of ingredients, material needed, musicians and entertainment, etc.

This role will also include working closely with our marketing team, providing details of upcoming events for promotion; taking pictures and quotes at the event.

Main duties will include:

• Prior experience of events planning and organisation
• A passion and keenness to engage in community-based work to support refugees and serve the local community
• Good organisation skills including: effective time management, punctuality and delegation of tasks.
• A flexible and proactive attitude to working
• Good responsiveness to emails/ text/ whatsapp
• Practical skills to help prepare and set-up the café for events
• Able to work well in a team and communicate effectively with the rest of the staff and visitors of the cafe
• A willingness to learn new skills

Desirable:

• Prior experience working with refugees, people seeking asylum or other vulnerable groups
• Prior experience of involvement in charity fundraising events

Spectra is a Community Interest Company (CIC), working to improve the choices, health and well-being of structurally excluded communities across London; particularly in relation to their sexual health, emotional resilience and well-being, and to combat isolation and minimise risk.

Under the steer of its Chief Executive and Board of Directors, Spectra’s outstanding staff team provide supportive, knowledgeable, non-judgemental services, which are all peer-led, meaning they are delivered by people with lived experience. Spectra strives to proactively identify the needs of all its service users and support them appropriately and effectively.

We are now seeking a suitably experienced and committed individual to join our Board as a Director of the CIC, and are particularly looking for someone with financial management and budgetary experience, particularly from a voluntary or statutory sector background.

If you feel passionately about addressing health inequalities and have an ethos aligned to our mission to support and empower people, we would love to hear from you.

You will provide strategic direction for the organisation on financial management, including helping to shape and support our ongoing financial strategy. You will support Spectra’s delivery of statutory and grant-funded services; help us in advancing our vision and provide constructive scrutiny and oversight of the Chief Executive and the work of Spectra’s staff.

Spectra is based in Vauxhall, South London. It is expected that you will attend five meetings (currently online on a Monday evening) and one SMT/Board Away Day each year (currently in person). In addition, it is envisaged that you will contribute your expertise outside Board meetings on occasion, e.g., to review service or planning reports, to participate in a focus group, etc.

Here at One YMCA we wouldn’t be able to do the work that we do without the amazing volunteer staff that help run the day-to-day operations of the hostels and supported living facilities. These vital roles are open to all YMCA residents, and we are currently looking for volunteers to help out with our accommodation.

What do we do?

We run hostels across the Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire areas with over 400 rooms. In addition to this, we run programmes for those needing supported housing including asylum seekers.

Helping to run an activity that enables our Residents to flourish in body, mind and spirit. Responsibilities would include:

• Helping to plan and advertise the group in conjunction with the Activity Leader
• Proactively engaging with Residents and staff to encourage participation in the activity
• Helping the Activity Leader to organise and run the activity
• Be a non-judgemental, approachable presence to enable the most vulnerable Residents to take part
• Maintaining records of participation
• Signposting residents to other groups & support available
• Attend regular volunteer team meetings
We can discuss together the nature of the activity, taking into account your skills & passion as well as the current needs within the scheme.

Training/Support:
• A full induction to the service and specific site will be provided
• A menu of optional training will be made available
• Online training: Safeguarding (adults & young people), Fire
Awareness, Manual Handling
• Ongoing support and regular 1:1 meetings with your line-manager
• Team meetings and social events
• Mileage and expenses may be payable

• You will undergo a DBS check as the role involves adults at risk (we will apply for and fund this)
• Two references may be undertaken prior to start

We also have opportunities to support residents in other way and can be flexible with roles!

Spectra is a Community Interest Company (CIC), working to improve the choices, health and well-being of structurally excluded communities across London, particularly in their sexual health, emotional resilience and wellbeing, and to combat isolation and minimise risk.

Under the guidance of its Chief Executive and Board of Directors, Spectra’s outstanding staff team provides supportive, knowledgeable, and non-judgmental services, all of which are peer-led, meaning people with lived and learned experience deliver them. Spectra strives to proactively identify the needs of all its service users and support them appropriately and effectively.

We are now seeking a suitably experienced and committed individual to join our Board as a Director of the CIC. You will join a Board of six other Directors.

If you are passionate about addressing health inequalities and share our mission to support and empower people, we would love to hear from you.

You will provide strategic direction for the organisation around Communications, marketing and PR. You will support our plans to increase our reach and brand, further our communications work and strategy, including social media marketing and campaigning, and enhance our PR opportunities. You will support Spectra’s delivery of statutory and grant-funded services; help us in advancing our vision and provide constructive scrutiny and oversight of the Chief Executive and the work of Spectra’s staff.

Spectra is based in Vauxhall, South London. It is expected that you will attend five meetings (in the evening, currently online on a Monday evening) and two SMT/Board Away Days each year (currently in person). In addition, it is envisaged that you will contribute your expertise outside of Board meetings on occasion, e.g. to review service or planning reports, to input into a focus group, etc.

Summary of role

We are looking for teachers with a recognised ESOL qualification to support clients on a 1:1 basis with speaking, reading and writing English for an hour or so each week.

How does this role make a difference?

This support provided by volunteers to our clients really helps them progress with their English. Often clients do not have opportunities to learn English outside of the classroom or interact with a British-born person, so this opportunity is invaluable to them. Improving our clients English also enables individuals to access our other services such as, the employment team and digital inclusion, which will in turn, improve their employment prospects and assist in integration in their local community.

Who will you be helping?

Our clients are refugees, migrants and asylum seekers who are unable to afford or access English classes at colleges. We have many clients at the Centre who need one-to-one support with their English, mostly around listening and speaking, fluency and confidence building. We can also offer additional sessions to clients who are accessing external ESOL classes who feel they need additional 1:1 support.

What will you be doing?

We would like you to meet a client for 1 – 2 hours each week, this can be at the Centre or in a public place such as a café or library or where possible on-line. You will provide them with individual support with their English.  

Your responsibilities:

• Be able to commit at least one hour a week to your client for up to six months.
• Create an agreed Individual Learning Plan.
• Meet with your client at an agreed time and place.
• Be able to encourage and motivate your client.
• Be able to plan an hour’s English session based on the client’s ability and need.
• Send a short progress report to the Learning & Employment Manager after every meeting with your client.
• Participate in the Centre induction and safeguarding training.
• Attend quarterly group meetings, at the Centre, with other English Learning Volunteers at an agreed time.

What are we looking for?

• You have a recognised ESOL qualification e.g. CELTA or a Trinity or Cambridge Certificate
• You have excellent listening and clear communication skills.
• You are able to encourage and motivate a person.
• You are friendly, patient and reliable.
• You will have the ability to get on with people from a wide range of backgrounds

We cover travel expenses.

This is an excellent opportunity for someone with experience in business development, corporate partnerships, account management, sales, CSR, philanthropy, or fundraising to use their skills to make a tangible difference in the lives of refugees.
You will play a key role in helping Plateful Café develop relationships with local and national businesses, generating support through corporate donations, sponsorship, employee volunteering, catering contracts, and long-term strategic partnerships.

Key Responsibilities
Corporate Engagement

• Identify and research prospective corporate partners aligned with Plateful Café's mission.
• Develop and maintain a pipeline of potential supporters and business contacts.
• Introduce Plateful Café to local businesses, corporate foundations, and employers.
• Arrange introductory meetings and networking opportunities.
• Support the development of corporate partnership proposals and presentations.

Income Generation

• Help secure financial donations, sponsorships, and in-kind support.
• Identify opportunities for corporate grant funding and charitable giving programmes.
• Promote employee fundraising opportunities and workplace giving schemes.
• Explore sponsorship opportunities for training programmes, events, and community activities.

Catering and Enterprise Development

• Promote Plateful Café's corporate catering services to local businesses.
• Identify opportunities for meetings, events, lunches, conferences, and hospitality catering.
• Support the development of long-term catering relationships and repeat customers.
• Help position Plateful Café as a preferred socially responsible catering supplier.

Employee Volunteering and Skills Sharing

• Develop opportunities for corporate volunteering.
• Encourage businesses to provide mentoring, employability support, and workplace visits for our trainees.
• Build relationships that create pathways into employment for refugees completing our training programmes.

Strategic Support

• Provide advice on corporate engagement and relationship management.
• Help strengthen our corporate partnership strategy.
• Support impact reporting and stewardship of existing partners where required.

We Are Looking For Someone Who Has
Essential

• Experience working in a corporate environment, business development, account management, sales, marketing, CSR, partnerships, fundraising, or a related field.
• Excellent networking and relationship-building skills.
• Confidence engaging with senior stakeholders and business leaders.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work independently and proactively.
• Commitment to diversity, inclusion, and supporting refugees.

Desirable

• Experience within the charity or not-for-profit sector.
• Knowledge of corporate social responsibility (CSR), ESG, or social value initiatives.
• Experience securing sponsorships, partnerships, or fundraising income.
• Existing business networks in London.
• Experience developing corporate volunteering programmes.

What You Will Gain

• The opportunity to make a meaningful impact on the lives of refugees and people seeking asylum.
• Experience supporting a growing and ambitious social enterprise charity.
• The chance to shape and influence our corporate partnerships strategy.
• Opportunities to meet business leaders, charity professionals, and community partners.
• A reference and recognition for your contribution.
• The satisfaction of helping create employment opportunities and brighter futures for people rebuilding their lives in the UK.

Our Values
At Plateful Café, we believe that everyone deserves the opportunity to contribute, belong, and thrive. We celebrate diversity, value lived experience, and use food to bring communities together.
We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and particularly encourage applications from individuals with experience of migration, displacement, or supporting diverse communities.