Refugee volunteer roles in Sutton, greater london

Volunteer with Refugee Young People - Help with Homework and Activities

Location: Battersea, London

Programme: Future Foundations - Katherine Low Settlement

Join our Future Foundations programme and support young people from refugee and newly arrived backgrounds to thrive in school and beyond. Each club blends focused homework support with fun, creative activities that help build confidence, friendships and a sense of belonging. You'll be part of something that gives young people a brighter start in life, and you'll still get school holidays off.

Every hour you spend helps a young person feel more confident, more connected and more empowered to succeed.

Choose a club that works for you

Junior Homework Club (Ages 7-11) - Thursdays, 4:00 to 7:00pm
Support primary-aged children with reading, homework and structured play.

Senior Homework Club (Ages 11-14) - Wednesdays, 4:30 to 7:30pm
Help senior school aged students with schoolwork, confidence and communication, then join in with group games and creative activities.

Youth Homework Club (Ages 14-20) - Mondays, 4:00 to 7:00pm
Help older, newly arrived students with schoolwork, confidence and communication, then join in with group games and creative activities.

What you'll do

- Support young people with homework, reading and school projects
- Build confidence through games, conversation and encouragement
- Help run arts, crafts, sports or group activities
- Work alongside experienced youth workers and other brilliant volunteers

What you'll get

- Full training and ongoing support
- The chance to make a real difference in a young person's life
- A friendly community of staff and volunteers
- Great experience for anyone interested in education, youth work or community support

"Volunteering at Future Foundations has been such a rewarding experience. Seeing the young people improve in their reading and confidence week by week is incredible. One student told me they felt 'smarter' after we worked on homework together. That was a real highlight for me." - Future Foundations Volunteer

What we're looking for

- Kind, patient and enthusiastic people
- Good listeners who enjoy spending time with children or teens
- No experience needed, just a willingness to help and learn
- Volunteers from all backgrounds are welcome

We ask for a commitment of one afternoon per week, for at least six months (term time only).

Future Foundations is part of Katherine Low Settlement, a community charity in Battersea. We work with young people from refugee and newly arrived backgrounds through mentoring, homework clubs and educational support.

Ready to make a difference?

- Apply on Charity Jobs
- Apply on our website: search Katherine Low Settlement
 

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 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.

Youth club takes place at Tooting Hub- Beechcroft Road, Tooting, SW17 7B

About the Role:

CARAS is looking for volunteer Football Assistants to support our Football sessions on Mondays, 5.30-7pm in Balham.

Football coaching sessions are led by Fulham FC Kicks programme weekly, supported by CARAS volunteers to offer welcome to young people.

Volunteer tasks and responsibilities

· Welcoming young people to the session;

· Helping young people to register for sessions;

· Join in and be role model for young refugees and asylum seekers;

· Assisting participants to recognise and celebrate their achievements;

· Following FULHAM FC safeguarding policy and CARAS’ confidentiality, safeguarding, health & safety, equal opportunities, data management, online communications and all other policies as relevant.

Requirements:

Essential

· 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 Monday evenings for a minimum of four months;

· Currently resident in the UK;

- A love of football, and wanting to encourage others to play.

· Able to provide five years’ worth of addresses, and willing to undergo an enhanced DBS check (residency is not necessary if you are a Caras community member who is more recently arrived in the UK);

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

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;

- Be able to obtain a reference from us relating to your placement after 3 months’ regular volunteering

· Work as part of a friendly, welcoming team;

· Develop your skills and competencies;

· Be able to access relevant training;

Connect: North Korea works with North Korean escapees to recover, rebuild, and succeed. We were established in 2018 to address the complex challenges North Koreans face in building new lives after escaping the North Korean regime and reaching safety.

We are seeking a Legal Trustee to join our Board of Trustees at an exciting stage of growth. As we scale our programmes and deepen our impact in the UK and internationally, we are looking for an individual with strong legal expertise to support our governance, regulatory compliance, and strategic development.

If you have a legal background, this is an excellent opportunity to play a highly rewarding role in supporting our mission. The successful candidate will help ensure robust governance, provide legal insight on risk and compliance, and support the organisation to grow sustainably. Individuals are sought who have a strong empathy with our work and vision and share our values and commitment to social and racial justice. 

CNK’s small Board of Trustees is committed, friendly and comprises trustees from a broad range of professional and personal backgrounds at different points in their careers. If you are invested in CNK’s mission and from a legal background but have questions about the role or are unsure if your experience matches the criteria below, please do get in touch for an informal conversation.

ROLE DESCRIPTION

POSITION: Legal Trustee

LOCATION: Remote / 78 Coombe Road, New Malden, KT3 4QS

We usually hold board meetings online, but this is open to change.

COMMITMENT: 2 – 3 hours per month. We hold one annual away day we’d expect the board to attend.

Our Board meets every quarter for 2 hours. There is expected support between meetings. Our terms are capped at 3 years with potential for renewal for one additional term.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Contribute to good governance and strategic decision-making, ensuring the Board fulfils its responsibilities in line with our constitution, governance framework, and applicable legislation.

• Provide legal insight and oversight on regulatory compliance, risk, and organisational development, ensuring alignment with relevant legal frameworks

• Support the Board in maintaining high standards of governance, accountability, and transparency

• Use your networks and influence to promote the charity’s mission, acting as an ambassador to build relationships with donors, partners, and advocates.

• Work collaboratively with fellow trustees and the Chair to maintain a supportive, ambitious, and effective governance environment.

ESSENTIAL SKILLS

• Demonstrable experience in a legal role (e.g. solicitor, barrister, in-house counsel).

• Understanding of legal and regulatory frameworks relevant to charities

• Interpersonal and relationship-building skills and comfortable in an ambassadorial role.

• Demonstrable communication and teamwork skills with proven ability to foster and promote a collaborative team environment.

• Able to make difficult evidence-based decisions, negotiate challenging conversations, and be able to balance competing interests

• Experience working or volunteering in diverse and cross-cultural environments.

DESIRED EXPERIENCE

• Experience of charity law, regulatory compliance, or governance

• Lived experience of migration or of a refugee background is highly desirable.

• Korean speaker

• Be actively engaged in refugee and migrant rights, social change, and/or a related field

OTHER REQUIREMENTS

• Due to the nature of CNK’s work with people in vulnerable circumstances, including at times children, a DBS or criminal record check is required for this role, although a criminal record is not necessarily a barrier to working at CNK. 

• Candidates are required to commit a minimum of 2-3 hours per month to this role for at least one term of three years. 

• Charity trustee positions are unpaid voluntary roles. Any reasonable expenses will be reimbursed inline with CNK’s expenses policy. 

CNK’s values are rooted in inclusivity and equity and we encourage applications from people of all ethnicities, working ages, genders, sex, sexual orientations, faiths (or non), marital status (or non) and pregnancy status. People with refugee or asylum-seeking backgrounds are experts by experience and are particularly encouraged to apply. 

We also respect that people’s identity is not defined by their past experiences and do not expect candidates to describe their lived experience during the interview process unless they wish to. 

HOW TO APPLY

Please send a CV and cover letter for the attention of Emma Shore, Chair of the Board of Trustees. Interviews will take place on a rolling basis. 

Plateful Café works to relieve poverty and isolation amongst refugees, asylum seekers and ethnic minorities in Lewisham. Our commitment is to reach the most vulnerable people in our community and open a pathway to employment for people who have asylum here. Refugees will benefit from workshops, training skills and knowledge relevant for the catering industry. Plateful Cafe are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all volunteers and team members. We are an equal opportunities provider and actively encourage applications from people with a refugee background.

What will the role involve?

• Looking for partnership opportunities with the private sector.
• Assisting with the development and ongoing work of Businesses Fundraising Action Group.
• Assisting in planning fundraising strategies with local businesses.
• Reporting on businesses partnerships and recent developments at Plateful Café.
• Working in partnership with the Plateful Café fundraising team.

Essential:

• Excellent communication skills
• Ability to inspire a group of volunteers to support a cause 
• Strong relationship-building skills

Desirable:

• Previous experience in fundraising and/or marketing
• Experience of working with corporates
• Expertise in new project creation and developing business links

What difference will you make?

• Helping to support a refugee-run cafe
• Connecting local refugees with their passion for cooking
• Helping local refugees find employment and enter the workforce much sooner than they otherwise might

​Our next volunteer induction will be held in September 2026, so please apply before then to be able to join.

Action for Refugees in Lewisham works to relieve poverty and isolation amongst refugees, asylum seekers and other vulnerable migrants in Lewisham. At the Rainbow Club Saturday Supplementary School we aim to help children between the ages of 4 and 11 to improve their literacy, numeracy and social skills in a friendly and supportive environment.  We need your skills and enthusiasm to assist the teacher in the delivery of a literacy and numeracy class and work with other volunteers to develop a programme of recreational activities. The Rainbow Club runs on Saturday mornings during term-time.

Your duties will include:

• Arriving punctually for the 9am briefing by the Rainbow Club Headteacher;
• Working in a team with other volunteers and teachers to deliver literacy, numeracy, arts, sport activities – this includes ensuring children remain engaged throughout the lesson and carry out set tasks as instructed by the teacher;
• Working one-to-one with specific children if and when required;
• Filing classroom work and homework in children’s individual files and keeping all materials and resources tidy and properly stored;
• Liaising with parents as and when required for example distributing leaflets and news about future meetings and events and also assisting with parents' day;
• Following the teacher’s policies on discipline and classroom management;
• Supervising the children during break times;
• Supporting the children during class trips;
• Ensuring classrooms are clean and tidy at the end of each day – this may include being part of a regular team rota;
• Providing feedback and comments to the Rainbow Club Headteacher when required.

We are looking for a Volunteer Market Stall Trader, to help sell produce made by our refugee chefs to customers at local markets. This role involves setting up and taking down the market stall, engaging with potential customers, explaining our products, addressing inquiries, and actively promoting sales. You will gain valuable experience in sales and customer service.

What will you be doing?

• Market Stall Setup and Take Down: Assist in the set up and take down of the market stall, including arranging products, setting up signage, and ensuring the stall is presentable.
• Product Promotion/Sales Encouragement: Engage with potential customers, explaining our products, the refugees who made them and our story, answering questions and providing recommendations as needed.
• Sales Transactions: Handle sales transactions efficiently and accurately including Zettle for cards and also cash.

Desirables:

• Ability to perform tasks that may involve heavy lifting and physical labour, such as setting up and taking down the market stall
• Strong customer service skills with a friendly and approachable demeanour
• Ability to work independently, as well as part of a team
• Willingness to learn about our charity and products and effectively communicate this to customers
• Basic numeracy skills required for processing sales transactions and handling money

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world's worst humanitarian crises, helping to restore health, safety, education, economic wellbeing, and power to people devastated by conflict and disaster. Founded in 1933 at the call of Albert Einstein, the IRC is one of the world's largest international humanitarian non-governmental organisations, at work in more than 40 countries across Africa, Asia, the Middle East, the Americas and Europe, helping people to survive, reclaim control of their future and strengthen their communities. A force for humanity, IRC employees deliver lasting impact by restoring safety, dignity and hope to millions.

IRC UK is part of the IRC global network, which has its global headquarters in New York. Our team in the UK works to deliver funding, policy and practice change, and programming. We are dedicated to supporting people across the arc of crisis – from conflict to refuge to resettlement – and since 2021, IRC UK has also provided integration services directly to refugees in the UK. We aim to centre the voice of our clients in all our work, including by working with a Community Advisory Board of 12 refugees and asylum seekers in the UK to ensure their experience and expertise shapes our UK programmes.

IRC UK’s Board of Trustees

Our Board of Trustees are responsible for overall good governance of IRC UK and supporting us to deliver against our strategic plan in areas such as programmes, fundraising, policy and advocacy, communications, people and culture, finance and operations. As of May 2026, we have 11 Trustees with a broad range of experience and expertise across areas relevant to IRC UK’s work, ensuring as a collective they can perform their strategic, supervisory and governance duties well.

The roles

In 2025, we saw a dramatic collapse in international aid and a retreat from global cooperation, despite unprecedented levels of humanitarian need. This trend is continuing at pace in 2026 with rapidly escalating global conflict amplified by climate change and entrenched poverty. In the UK, we are working to protect the rights of refugees in an increasingly challenging media and political environment.

In this context, we are seeking two new Trustees to lend skills and expertise in areas which we have identified as critical to strengthening the Board’s capability for the years ahead. These will replace Trustees nearing the ends of their terms. The successful candidate(s) will have:

Essential experience:

· Senior leadership experience within a complex international and matrix-structured organisation (charity, NGO, public, private);

· Strong leadership skills, and the ability to support and challenge executive leadership (including the ability to think critically and ask the right questions);

· Strong cross-cultural awareness and a commitment to role-modelling and advancing diversity, equality and inclusion;

· High standards of integrity and accountability;

· Ability to understand and interpret complex information pertaining to IRC UK’s financial position, risk and performance;

· Ability to work collaboratively with others; and

· An interest and willingness to devote the necessary time and effort to successfully deliver this role.

Desirable experience:

· Experience in or understanding of the international development or UK charity sector;

· Experience operating at Board or equivalent strategic level;

· Strong networks and willingness to make connections which advance IRC UK’s charitable purpose, particularly in high-value fundraising.

We are particularly interested to hear from candidates who can demonstrate any of the following: 

• Strategic understanding of refugee issues in the UK, including asylum, resettlement and integration, to support IRC UK in deepening the impact and reach of its programmes and advocacy. 

• Digital expertise and networks, including an understanding of the rapidly evolving technology landscape and networks across technology, social media and digital marketing. 

• Philanthropy and partnerships experience, including strong connections across UK foundations, trusts and the wider philanthropic sector.

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;

About Us

Cities for Children believes that all children deserve the “Right to Childhood” – the right to learn and play in safety. Guided by our mantra that “happy memories build resilience,” we weave together three core strands of work—the Right to Read, the Right to Play, and the Right to Feel Safe—to reinforce learning and wellbeing for vulnerable children. Our mission is to provide safe, nurturing social and material environments important for the development and individual well-being of children in and around cities, including street-connected children, working children, and those from refugee, displaced or migrant communities.

Role Overview

Cities for Children is looking for compassionate and enthusiastic volunteers to support our work bringing playful learning to refugee children in transitional housing in West London. These sessions are designed to help children build confidence, resilience, and English language skills, while fostering a sense of belonging and joy in their new environment. 

This is your opportunity to step into a role where your kindness creates real change. You will be a crucial part of a child’s journey towards settling in the UK, gaining valuable, hands-on experience with an international NGO dedicated to child wellbeing and humanitarian response. 

Commitment

• Day/Time: 2 days a week

• Dates: 13 July - 1 September

• Location: West London (Exact locations shared upon successful application)

Key Responsibilities

• Support lead facilitator in delivering playful, interactive learning activities (such as arts, storytelling, and games) and help with setup and pack-up.

• Build rapport with the children to encourage active participation and maintain a safe, welcoming, and positive environment.

• Support data collection, documentation and evaluation activities. 

Ideal Candidate Profile

We are looking for someone who: 

• Has an academic background in social sciences or education (preferred). 

• Is able to engage children, particularly those from vulnerable backgrounds. Experience with refugee or asylum-seeking children is a bonus but not required. 

• Is patient, empathetic, and culturally sensitive, with an understanding of the challenges refugee children face as they adapt to a new country. 

• Communicates effectively and works collaboratively with the main facilitator and other team members. 

• Is enthusiastic and reliable, committed to attending sessions every Thursday. 

• Has an enhanced DBS check.

Support Provided

• A structured session plan will be created by the main facilitator for you to follow. 

• Guidance and training on working with vulnerable children will be provided. 

• Reasonable travel expenses covered. 

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, so early application is strongly encouraged.

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

Screen Share is the leading refugee digital inclusion charity in the UK. Our mission is to ensure every refugee in the UK has a connected device and the skills to use it to achieve their goals. 

We currently support 2000 clients a year with devices, internet connectivity and digital skills training and volunteering opportunities. 

The organisation is entering a key period of growth. Having professionalised successfully in 2025, we are launching an ambitious 5-year strategy to significantly scale our programmes across the UK. 

This represents a critical moment in our journey as a young organisation. As we deepen our impact and pursue financial sustainability, we are looking to onboard 3 new trustees to add significant governance experience in key areas. 

Trustee: Charity Trading and Commercialisation 

Our fundraising strategy prioritises corporate and trading income. That strategy is complemented by our trading income strategy, which seeks to invest in traded services which support our mission, including digital inclusion services, IT Repair, IT Leasing and IT Asset Disposal. We have good experience in these areas and are looking for a trustee to oversee and significantly contribute to decision-making regarding when and how to enter these markets. The postholder will ideally be a current or former leader of a social enterprise or charity that trades, who can provide the board with the expertise it needs to make informed decisions. This trustee will bring relevant insight on sustainable income diversification and fundraising strategy. 

Trustee: Digital Governance 

We handle sensitive client data, and act as a processor for sanitising donated devices. This creates significant cybersecurity, data protection responsibilities. We have a cybersecurity strategy, dedicated staff time and also receive pro-bono support to discharge those responsibilities effectively, but we need a trustee with expertise to provide genuine oversight in this area and represent the position at board level. Strong candidates will bring expertise in data governance, cybersecurity policy or digital risk management. We would particularly welcome candidates who bring expertise in digital inclusion alongside this. 

Trustee: Safeguarding 

As we scale up across the UK, we are making the intentional decision to deepen our relationship with our clients. We work with some of the most vulnerable people in the UK, so our board needs to be confident that we are providing proper oversight of how we keep them safe in the context of support. We are looking for a trustee with governance-level safeguarding experience who understands safeguarding frameworks and legislation, can scrutinise our policies and procedures, and hold our staff team to account in this area. This trustee will lead our Safeguarding sub-committee. 

Key details 

Roles available: Three trustee positions: Charity Trading and Commercialisation; Digital Governance; Safeguarding
Commitment: Approx 32 hours per year (see breakdown below)

Term: three years, renewable 

Location: Online, with 1-2 in-person meetings in London per year

Remuneration: Voluntary, unpaid. Reasonable expenses reimbursed 

Time commitment 

Board meetings - 10-12 meetings per year, 1hr meetings 

Paper reading & preparation - 6 hours per year 

Sub-committee attendance - 4 hours per year 

Ad-hoc governance and decision-making - 4 hours per year 

Specialist contribution (emails, 1:1s with relevant staff) - 4 hours per year 

External representation - 2 hours per year 

Induction - 2 hours in the first year 

Total: ~32 hours per year

Please see the attached recruitment pack for a full sense of the opportunity. If you have any questions at all, please reach out to our CEO Moses Seitler who would be happy to discuss.

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.

Are you looking for a meaningful volunteering opportunity where you can make a real difference? We are currently recruiting new Volunteer Mentors to join our growing, diverse network of dedicated volunteers.

At Hope for the Young, our mission to support young refugees and asylum seekers in London as they overcome the many challenges of starting a new life in the UK. From navigating education systems to building confidence and social connections, our Volunteer Mentors play a crucial role in helping young people achieve their goals and fulfil their potential.

What You’ll Do as a Mentor

• Meet with a young person (mentee) once a week for 1–3 hours, usually in a local café, library, or community space in London

• Set education and personal development goals and offer guidance, support and motivation towards these

• Commit to mentoring for a minimum of six months

Who We’re Looking For

We welcome applications from people of different ages, cultural backgrounds, and professional experiences. You don’t need prior mentoring experience - just empathy, patience, and a genuine desire to support a young person.

We’re especially keen to build a diverse pool of mentors to reflect the backgrounds and experiences of the young people we support. We particularly welcome and encourage applications from those with lived experience of forced migration, as well those with ethnically diverse backgrounds. 

What We Provide

When you volunteer with us, you’ll receive:

• A comprehensive induction and training to prepare you for the role

• Ongoing 1:1 support from a dedicated Mentoring Coordinator

• Reimbursed expenses for all meetings and activities with your mentee

• Invitations to regular social events for mentors and mentees

• The opportunity to join a passionate community committed to making a positive impact

Why Volunteer With Us?

As a mentor, you will have the opportunity to make a tangiable difference in a young person's life, and you will also be able to:

• Develop your coaching, communication, and interpersonal skills

• Gain a deeper understanding of the refugee and asylum seeker experience

• Join a supportive and inspiring community of volunteers

If you’re passionate about supporting young people and want to help someone build a brighter future, we’d love to hear from you!

Our Second Home is a youth movement that empowers migrants and refugees to flourish in the place that they call home. Our overnight activity camp for young people aged 14-18 is a chance for young people to come together and have five days of fun and excitement, supported by a dynamic and dedicated team of leaders and staff.

An OSH Leader is a supportive adult, a role model, and someone young people can feel safe being themselves around. It’s about creating a warm, fun, and consistent presence during residentials — helping young people with refugee and migrant backgrounds feel welcomed, included, and at home.

Youth Leaders for this project will be responsible for facilitating the camp, and will be directly in contact with, and responsible for, the participants. During the camp they will be ‘on duty’ full-time, meaning that they will spend the whole time with the participants, including at meals.

THIS ROLE IS ONLY FOR PEOPLE LIVING IN THE UK. We will arrange Zoom interviews with applicants separately.

Responsibilities:

• Interacting and forming a bond with the participants
• Creating and running fun and engaging activities for the participants
• Looking after the participants’ welfare, and ensuring that they feel cared for and secure
• Managing the participants’ behaviour and setting clear boundaries

Expectations and requirements:

• All applicants must be interviewed and be willing to provide references on request.
• Youth Leaders must set a positive example of behaviour and involvement for all participants, and adhere to the volunteer guidelines.
• Youth Leaders may be required to prepare activities for participants at the camp. If asked, this must be completed in plenty of time to allow any materials or equipment to be sourced.
• Applicants should be aged 20 or above.
• Applicants must be eligible for DBS clearance (no criminal record that prevents applicants from working with children)
• Youth Leaders must raise any safeguarding concerns swiftly and follow safeguarding procedures
• Youth Leaders must follow all Our Second Home policies and procedures of (which will be explained at the Camp training days).
• Anyone attending an OSH residential must test negative for COVID-19 prior to attending the programme, regardless of whether they have received a vaccine or not.

Essential skills:

• Flexibility, adaptability and ability to improvise
• Ability to build connection quickly with peers and young people
• Ability to work in a team and communicate effectively
• High level of organisation
• High levels of empathy and patience
• Awareness and sensitivity that some participants might be suffering from trauma

Additional desired skills:

• Experience working with and/or caring for young people aged 14-18
• Experience working with refugees and/or asylum seekers
• Experience working with young people with special educational needs and/or disabilities
• Language skills: Arabic, Dari, Pashto, Tigrinya, Somali
• First Aid training
• Creative or artistic abilities
• Sports leadership
• Ability to prepare fun and engaging activities for young people

We particularly encourage applications from those who have lived experience of being a refugee.

Please ensure you are available to come to all the following events - specific dates can be found on the application form:

• Training
• Pre-Residential Prep Day (on site)
• Residential, in full
• Feedback & thank you afternoon

QUOTES:

• “Having the professional [welfare] support made me feel very support and more comfortable with the work” – BT
• “The atmosphere of fun, respect, care, and community is what made the young people so comfortable and connected” – BT
• “The leaders were all awesome – it was incredible to work in a team so full of hard working, intelligent, experienced people” – BT
• “Seeing the kids bursting out of their shells and that being the norm rather than just exceptions was just incredible.” – CA
• “It honestly surpassed anything I could have hoped for” – LK

Structure:

Youth Leaders will be supported by the Welfare Support Lead(s), who will be their main contact in the build to and throughout the camp. The Welfare Support Lead(s) will run team meetings at the end of each day and be on hand to advise and manage the Youth Leaders.