Refugees volunteer volunteer roles

Our Second Home (OSH) is the UK’s youth movement of people with refugee backgrounds. We have welcomed over 600 young people from 50 countries to our activities in London, Essex and Bristol.

Mission

For young people with refugee experience to build community, become leaders and flourish into adulthood in the place they call home. Through transformative activities, our members take control of their lives and create meaningful change for themselves and their wider community.

About This Role

OSH is at a pivotal point in its development.

Over the past few years, OSH has grown from a small, founder-led organisation into a national movement with increasing reach, complexity, and ambition. Our income has risen from £250,000 to £500,000, our staff and volunteer base is expanding, and our programmes are reaching more young people than ever before.

OSH now needs confident, experienced, and future-focused governance that can support scaling while protecting the culture, values, and relational way of working that make the organisation distinctive.

Your role will involve 4 main areas:

1. Board Leadership and Governance
2. Strategy and Organisational Leadership
3. CEO Support, Appraisal, and Accountability
4. External Representation and Engagement

More information is in the recruitment pack attached.

About You

Essential

• Significant experience in organisational and strategic leadership, ideally including guiding a charity or mission-driven organisation from small to medium scale
• A proactive and forward-thinking mindset, demonstrating the ability to anticipate potential issues and risks while identifying opportunities.
• Strong understanding of good governance, with the confidence to lead a board and hold senior executives to account
• Experience of or exposure to fundraising, financial sustainability, and organisational development
• The ability to balance support and challenge, particularly in a Chair - CEO relationship
• Commitment to OSH’s mission and values, including a genuine willingness to engage with and be guided by those with lived experience of the asylum system
• Highly organised and dynamic, with the ability to prioritise the effective use of Board time, facilitate the timely and focused distribution of information, and ensure appropriate follow-up to Board decisions.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, with the emotional intelligence to lead inclusively, collaboratively, and sensitively

Desirable

• Lived experience of asylum or forced migration
• Previous experience as a Chair or Vice-Chair of a charity or similar organisation
• Experience working with youth-led or lived-experience-led organisations
• Familiarity with safeguarding in youth or community settings

About Hope for the Young

We are a community of mentors, staff, young people, and volunteers who are passionate about welcoming young refugees to the UK and ensuring they are given every opportunity they need to settle into their communities, access education, and reach their full potential. Our mission is to remove the obstacles to young refugees and asylum-seekers’ education and well-being through mentoring, advocacy, and financial support.

We are looking for a passionate and creative Social Media Volunteer to help grow our online presence and amplify the voices of the young people we support.

As part of this role, you will:

• Create and schedule engaging social media content

• Draft compelling captions and stories

• Design graphics and visual content on Canva

• Share impact stories and highlight the achievements of young people

• Help grow engagement and reach across our social platforms

Requirements for the Role:

• Strong written English skills

• Ability to create engaging and creative content

• Good understanding of tone, messaging, and audience engagement

• Excellent attention to detail

• Able to commit to 7 hours per week (however this could be negotiated). 

What you will get in return:

• Gain hands-on experience in social media and communications

• Develop content creation and storytelling skills

• Contribute to meaningful work supporting young people seeking safety in the UK

• Receive a reference upon successful completion of the role

• Flexible volunteering hours

• Travel expenses covered 

Devon & Cornwall Refugee Support provides a walk-in centre in Plymouth offering needs-led, practical assistance to asylum seekers.

Our vision is to have a fair, humane and safe asylum experience for all. We are seeking a dynamic and committed Chair to lead our Board of Trustees and work in partnership with our Chief Executive to guide Devon and Cornwall Refugee Support through its next phase of development.

What will you be doing?

The Chair will provide inclusive leadership, ensure robust governance, and act as a passionate ambassador for our cause. You will be instrumental in shaping our strategy to meet the growing needs of asylum seekers in a challenging political landscape.

Location: Board meetings are held 8 times per year in Plymouth, with options for remote attendance. Some additional events and meetings may require travel.

Time Commitment: Approximately 3-4 days per month, including board meetings, preparation, and external representation. This is a voluntary, unremunerated role.

What are we looking for?

We are looking for a candidate who can demonstrate the following: 

• A commitment to the rights, dignity, and welfare of asylum seekers, refugees and migrants in need.
• Significant experience within the charity sector, ideally in both operations and governance.
• An understanding of the duties and responsibilities of a trustee and Chair under UK charity law.
• Excellent leadership skills with the ability to chair meetings effectively and foster a collaborative board culture.
• Proven ability to think strategically and contribute to organisational development.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to act as an ambassador for the organisation.
• A commitment to Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI). 

DCRS is committed to promoting diversity and inclusion. We welcome applications from all sections of the community and from individuals of all backgrounds and experiences.

Please request a copy of the candidate pack for further information.

What difference will you make?

As Chair you will have the opportunity to make a significant impact on the lives of asylum seekers and refugees. 

You'll have the chance to develop and utilize your skills in a meaningful context, work with a dedicated team and access networking opportunities within the charity sector. 

Before you apply

The TrusteeWorks Team at Reach Volunteering are supporting Devon & Cornwall Refugee Support with their Trustee recruitment. Applications should be made via TrusteeWorks in the first instance.

If you want to have an informal conversation with DCRS directly to understand the organisation better we are happy to help arrange this for you.

If you wish to apply please provide an updated CV and request a copy of the application form.

We are seeking a skilled individual to undertake casework in the Community and Integration team. The Community and Integration team supports our clients, through their recovery and journey at the Helen Bamber Foundation, to lead independent lives. We do this by assisting and supporting clients to access education, training, volunteering opportunities and internal and external integration focussed activities. We also run a programme of creative arts and skills-based classes including; English, yoga, textiles, and digital skills. 

This volunteer will also attend and support our Community Group for HBF clients which takes place fortnightly on Thursdays. It is run from the on-site community space at our Old Street offices. At each session we have a main activity which could be arts & crafts, dance, music, or information sessions around healthcare and how to access education. We play games at the start and end of every session, and we always share a delicious and nutritious lunch.

If you have good communication skills, experience in casework or another 1-to-1 support role, excellent admin skills, and are keen to get experience in a Human Rights charity, we encourage you to apply! 

Main tasks and activities 

As a Community and Integration Casework volunteer you will:

• Regularly work on a one to one basis with our clients, remotely via telephone appointment, to support them to access and engage with integration activities and opportunities; i.e. support a client to enrol in college, sign up to an employment scheme, or find and access a local sports/activity group etc. 

• Contact clients to invite them to HBF’s group activities and work closely with the Community and Integration team to ensure the needs of any new joiners are met 

• Liaise with the external organisations in the community, as well as local colleges 

• Support our clients to identify and work towards their goals and help to foster their integration into their local community 

• Use and build on HBF’s directory of education/employment/skills providers and grant funders database

• Make individual grant applications for clients in need of financial support to assist with their education needs or other integration activities 

• Attend and support our Community Group, which takes place fortnightly on Thursdays

• Maintain accurate and timely client records and follow-up work 

• Other administrative duties as required 

Skills and experience needed 

• Proven experience in a 1:1 support role

• Knowledge of the rights and entitlements of asylum seekers and refugees, specifically surrounding education and employment 

• Knowledge of the challenges facing vulnerable clients including asylum seekers, refugees and survivors of torture, trafficking, and a demonstrable empathy for this client group 

• Excellent written and spoken English 

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills 

• Ability to manage own time and workload, and to prioritise a range of competing demands and maintain accurate records 

• Awareness of confidentiality and data protection 

• Good IT skills including the use of databases, email, word processing 

• Flexibility and willingness to undertake other duties as required 

• Understanding of, and commitment to, the objectives of the Helen Bamber Foundation 

Desirable 

• Experience of supporting individuals to make applications into employment or education 

• Experience of researching different grant programmes and applying for educational and/or other grants on behalf of clients 

• Knowledge of employment rights and pathways to employment for refugees and asylum seekers 

• Fluent in a language other than English 

What you will get out of the role: 

• Experience of working with a multi-disciplinary team in a Human Rights charity

• Experience of providing direct casework support to HBF clients 

• Experience of communicating with and building working relations with external organisations and services

• Experience of writing grant applications 

• Stronger administrative skills 

• Ability to process and record data and prioritise and categorise it 

• An ability to multi-task between competing priorities 

We are looking for two new volunteer yoga teachers to join our small team of teachers delivering weekly yoga sessions to our clients. This role involves taking over two regular classes on a Wednesday and joining a rota with one or two other teachers, therefore leading the sessions on 1 out of every 2 or 3 weeks.

Yoga at the Foundation is offered as a gentle, supportive practice to help clients reconnect with their bodies, build regulation, and experience moments of calm and empowerment.

Session Details

Day: Wednesdays

Time: 10.30am – 1.00pm

Classes:

Two 1-hour classes with a 30-minute break in between (1 women-only class, 1 mixed-gender class)

Location: A beautiful, calm studio space within the Helen Bamber Foundation offices near Old Street

Commitment: Weekly rota (shared with 1–2 other teachers, so leading 1 in every 2 or 3 weeks). After an initial trial period, we are asking for a minimum 1-year commitment.

Skills and Experience

We welcome teachers from all yoga traditions and lineages, provided your approach is inclusive, sensitive, and adaptable.

Needed:

• Minimum 2 years’ yoga teaching experience OR a relevant professional background working with refugees, survivors of trauma, or similar client groups
• Ability to teach in a calm, accessible, non-directive way
• Reliability, flexibility and commitment to the rota
• Warm, compassionate, and grounded presence

Desired:

• Experience working with refugees, asylum seekers, or survivors of trauma (useful but not mandatory)
• Trauma-informed training (highly desirable)
• Interest in or willingness to learn trauma-sensitive yoga approaches

What you will get out of the role:

• The opportunity to be part of a deeply meaningful programme supporting survivors of torture and human rights abuses
• Teaching in a welcoming, supportive environment
• Expenses paid
• Support from staff and fellow teachers
• A chance to develop experience in trauma-informed, community-based yoga teaching

Chair of Trustees - Voluntary Role

Aid Box Community (ABC)

We are looking to appoint someone with leadership qualities and high motivation, initially 
to join us as a trustee in June and then to take on the position of Chair in November. In 
close co-operation with our dedicated team of trustees and inspirational director, you will 
be guiding our charity through the next phase of our journey. This is a very exciting 
opportunity to play an important role in the development of Aid Box’s strategy over the 
next 5 years and to oversee the deepening of our charity’s impact on our community, 
made possible by our recent move into our new home. 

About Aid Box Community

We are a charity based in Bristol and for nearly nine years have been providing vital support, supplies and sanctuary to men women and children seeking asylum in this city. You are welcome to come and have a look at the work we do by visiting, by prior arrangement, our Welcome Hub and Free Shop. 

What are our trustees responsible for?

We are all jointly responsible for:

• The overall management of our charity.
• Setting and monitoring Aid Box’s strategic direction and ensuring it is financially sound.
• Ensuring the charity carries out the purposes set out in our constitution for the benefit of our community and in line with the Charity Commission’s guidance.

Main duties and responsibilities as a Chair:

• leading our charity’s strategic direction in close collaboration with the board and our director.
• Chairing quarterly trustee meetings as well as our HR sub committee meetings.
• Representing trustees in contacts with other charities and organisations.

This role is for you if:

• You have leadership experience (formal or informal), either within or outside the charity sector.
• You have specialist skills that may benefit Aid Box Community. Motivated by ABC’s vision, mission and values, in particular upholding the basic human rights of refugees and asylum seekers.
• Teamwork and communication skills with ability to listen and build a consensus.
• Living in or near Bristol . You would like to join a fantastic community of staff, volunteers and service user

This role is for you if:Our Commitment to You:

We will provide practical support, principally through our deputy chair, along with a full induction programme including the legal framework and other key areas such as safeguarding. During your time with Aid Box, you will be able to join training workshops relevant to your role as a trustee, along with the opportunity to be involved in a range of charity activities.

See our website for more information about our charity (where you can also find our Impact Report 24/25): Our Financial Statements for year ended 31 March 2025 filed with the Charity Commission: 

Want to know more?

If you would also like to have an initial informal chat, please email our Chair, Richard Annandale or Susan Qazi the Charity Administrator.

Safeguarding Statement

ABC is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of its service users and vulnerable adults and expects all staff, trustees and volunteers to share this commitment.

ABC operates Safeguarding Policies for the purpose of protecting Young People and Vulnerable Adults. All staff and trustee members are required to undergo Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service DBS checks.

Statement on Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

ABC aims to be an anti-discriminatory organisation committed to the promotion of quality and diversity and, in line with the Equality Act 2010. We particularly welcome applications from under-represented groups and those with lived experience.

This role would be in the SHPS Refugee Integration and Housing Team in Brent. The volunteer would support Refugee Housing Coaches to ensure clients are achieving their integration goals by meeting with them in person at the Crisis Skylight Brent (CSB) to review their Integration Support Plan (developed with their Coach), and connecting them with relevant community organizations and opportunities. 

What will I be doing?

After clients are supported by Coaches to secure move-on accommodation from the asylum hotels in Wembley, they will be supported by the SHPS Refugee Service for an additional 8 months to sustain their accommodation and focus on their integration goals. The volunteer would help clients to achieve their goals by developing a comprehensive understanding of local services and opportunities i.e finding local ESOL classes, employment support, befriending opportunities, health and leisure activities and much more. The role will involve both mapping local integration opportunities and working 1:1 with clients at CSB to develop their integration plan and signpost/refer accordingly. The volunteer will then liaise with Coaches to update on the integration work completed with clients, and to share key learnings re local services/opportunities. 

Who are we looking for?

 To be successful in this role we are looking for someone who:

• Is empathetic and compassionate to the needs of those experiencing homelessness
• Is able to communicate well with individuals from a wide range of backgrounds including those who have a range of needs (for example mental health and substance misuse) and who may have English as a second language 
• Is a good listener and patient 
• Has an awareness of their local community
• Has a good level of IT literacy as you will need to update member records and support members with understanding websites, email Lead Workers and carry out research
• Can manage difficult conversations, respond in a safe and appropriate way and take the right actions
• Understands the importance of keeping an individual’s personal information secure and private and working within the boundaries of the role to keep everyone safe 
• Is passionate about standing with Crisis and our members to end homelessness

What do I need to do this role?

As part of your recruitment, you will need to provide details for one referee, and we will complete an enhanced disclosure check. Your referee will need to be a professional or academic reference (this could include a referee from a volunteering role). 

This role will be based at Crisis Skylight Brent : 1-2 Bank Buildings, High Street, Harlesden, London, NW10 4LT

Any reasonable expenses incurred in relation to the role will be reimbursed.

We hope this will be a fulfilling opportunity to work with our refugee clients to support their integration ambitions.   

The ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) Service

Our ESOL provision is part of the Centre’s Employment and Learning Service, which also includes digital inclusion and employment support.

We have qualified volunteer ESOL teachers providing 1:1 support to clients who want to improve their English.  We also have a couple of volunteers running small conversation classes at the Centre, within our Family Services.

We are expanding our ESOL offer to include learning opportunities offsite in a group setting to adults and young people in temporary accommodation, mainly asylum-seeking families.

What will you be doing?

• Conversational English with a small group
• Find out from your students what areas they want to cover and what skills they want to develop
• Encourage a positive atmosphere where students feel they can make mistakes
• The aim of the groups is to help our clients to become more independent and to pursue their social and professional goals. 
• Be aware of the variety of levels within the class, providing support for weaker students and challenge for stronger ones
• Give students encouragement and constructive feedback
• To liaise with the manager of Family Services and communicate any issues that arise with the class 

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 or interact with an English speaking person, so this opportunity is invaluable to them. Improving our clients English also enables individuals to access our other services such as welfare rights and Immigration advice services, 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 support with their English.

What are we looking for?

• Experience in teaching English as a second language to adults in a group setting and to mixed abilities and a range of languages.
• A recognised ESOL/EFL teaching qualification such as CELTA.
• Good communication and organisational skills.
• An awareness of some of the issues that affect refugees, asylum seekers and migrants.
• A commitment to upholding the Centre’s values of valuing each person, welcoming, encouraging potential, working together, reflecting and improving.

Time Commitment:

The class will run in term times, on Wednesdays from 25th February 2026, from 10.30am – 12/12.30pm. We ask for a commitment to run this 90 – 120-minute class for at least two terms ideally.

How will you be supported?

• You will be supported by the Manager of Family Services and the wider team
• You will receive a Centre induction.
• You will have access to e-learning modules on a range of topics.
• You will be reimbursed for reasonable and agreed ‘out of pocket’ expenses such as travel.
• You will be invited to social and other events

"The Cardinal Hume Centre is a wonderful charity that has so much to offer. As a volunteer here you are made to feel valued and appreciated, and with everything being so well organised, your skills and time are made the most of." Centre Volunteer

We are looking to recruit people for our Youth Programme, for a minimum commitment of 10 weeks. The Youth Programme works with young refugees and asylum seekers in the Epirus region of Northern Greece, providing them with a sense of community and experiences that they wouldn’t otherwise receive!

There are some specific applicant requirements, however the most important is to have a strong desire to work with young refugees and have the commitment to improve the situation for them here in Greece. Second Tree works in a transparent way in a challenging and changeable situation on the field; therefore, an ability to learn quickly and be open to feedback is vital.

Your role would include:

We are looking to recruit people that are open to filling one (or more) of the following roles within our Youth Programme. Whilst these should guide applications, the roles often overlap and are interchangeable. Imagination and flexibility is encouraged when applying: let us know your suggestions on how we can use your skills!

The roles range across:

• Children’s English Teacher: responsible for the planning and delivery of the programme’s English classes. Classes focus on low level English learning and must be fun and engaging. TEFL/equivalent experience is preferable, but not essential.

• Excursion Lead: responsible for the planning and leading of weekend excursions, a highlight of the programme for participants! Excursions require an organised, methodical planner who is engaging and confident leading groups of children.

• Workshop Lead: responsible for facilitating workshops that can be either thematic, reinforcing the vocabulary learned in English class to make it more practical and interactive, or focused on social and emotional learning, helping students develop their self-awareness through creative and mindful activities, or touch upon any scientific/mathematical knowledge the teacher might bring. 

No matter the role(s) filled, team members are expected to help plan, prepare and participate in various community engagement activities such as: picnics, community excursions, sporting events, etc.

You should be able to:

• Be consistent with your application of behaviour management techniques

• Be honest and transparent; be able to give and receive feedback in the most straightforward way

• Manage a wide range of tasks and intense workload effectively and efficiently 

• Communicate in English, both written and orally

• Deliver programme activities and carry out administrative and logistical tasks

• Plan and deliver effective and dynamic educational activities

• Care for people: the interests of the people we work with should always be your first concern

The ideal candidate will have:

• Experience with young children and teenagers in educational and leisure activities

• Experience working as a Scout leader or a leadership role in other such youth activities

• Experience working in the refugee context

What do we offer?

• A nurturing and collaborative working environment. We work hard to help our team members grow, investing in personal and professional development.

• Accommodation in a shared house

• Transportation to/from work

• After completion of a three-month trial, if you commit long-term, a small monthly expenses refund

In certain periods of the year, demand is extremely high, and the shared houses might be full. If you have the means to pay for your own accommodation, please let us know. We would still be happy to host you if space is available. However, in a situation where the shared houses are full, this would allow us to offer an opportunity to someone that cannot afford to pay rent.

Have experience leading a team of this type?

Consider applying to become a Youth Programme Coordinator. Whether your experience lies in the humanitarian sector or elsewhere, we are looking for people with expertise that can drive us forward as an organisation. 

Looking for an internship?

If, because of your degree or for any other reason, you would like to have your period at Second Tree credited as an internship, just apply to the vacancy that you’re interested in and mention this. We have agreements with several universities across Europe, and in many other cases, these agreements can be developed on an ad hoc basis.

Volunteers support every aspect of our work, including but not exclusively: governance, administration, fundraising, marketing, and project delivery. We recognize that without our teams of volunteers we would not be able to support our service users in the way we do. In your role as Volunteer Co-ordinator you will be the 'champion' and first point of contact for volunteers within the organisation, ensuring all volunteers are encouraged and celebrated. You will be responsible for helping to maintain and improve volunteer recruitment and retention and for recruiting, inducting and supporting volunteers to deliver a range of appropriate services for clients, in line with Plateful Cafe's Business Plan. The key features of the role will be: 

1. Recruiting and selecting potential volunteers, acting as an ambassador for Plateful Café

2. Inducting volunteers into suitable roles based on their interests, experience and expectations and the charity's needs

3. Providing an initial point of contact with the charity and ensuring volunteers maintain a positive and confident approach

4. Supporting the volunteer team to ensure the provision of relevant experience, training and development opportunities as well as supervision and support

5. Maintaining an up-to-date database in order to monitor volunteer progress and to record and celebrate their contributions

6 Contributing to newsletter and reports in order to maintain and develop the profile of Plateful Café

7. Good understanding of safeguarding to keep both employees and volunteers safe and protected. 

8. Good management skills and the ability to organise on behalf of others.

9. Help new volunteers when they are stuck with certain tasks

10. You will need to effectively strategise a plan for other volunteers, make volunteer rotas and stay on top of volunteering admin and prioritise important tasks.

Requirements, we are looking for someone who;

· Is committed to the aims and objectives of the Plateful Café

· Has experience of working with volunteers, preferably in a charity 

· Has an understanding of the needs of refugees and how to involve them in the or-ganisation

Desirable, but not essential:

· Has experience of team working

· Is a good communicator, preferably a speaker of a community language 

· Has good interpersonal skills

We are looking to recruit a Youth Programme Coordinator, for a minimum commitment of 6 months, to manage our Youth Programme. The Youth Programme works with young refugees and asylum seekers in the Epirus region of Northern Greece, providing them with a sense of community and experiences that they wouldn’t otherwise receive!

In this role,  you would be coordinating the daily planning and delivery of activities for young refugees in the sites in which we're operating in the Epirus region of Northern Greece.

The programme usually consists of English classes, thematic and social and emotional learning workshops and excursions. The programme engages children between the ages of 8 and 16.

For this role, you would initially work as a Youth Programme team member so that you could develop an understanding of the programme, the people involved, and the organisation as a whole.

Your role would include:

• Coordinating, delegating, and managing a team of 2-5 team members in the daily operations of the Youth Programme

• Directly supervising and supporting team members, providing feedback to ensure the quality of the programme remains high

• Delivering effective inductions to transfer key skills/knowledge to team members

• Developing the current programme in coordination with the Education Manager and Youth Programme team members

• Assessing the impact and effectiveness of the programme in line with its objectives

• Planning and delivering effective and dynamic educational and outdoor activities, within a theme-based curriculum

• Training new team members in appropriate behavioural management techniques

• Capturing data and compiling evaluation reports on the programme

You should be able to:

• Prioritise and delegate tasks effectively

• Manage a wide range of tasks and intense workload effectively and efficiently 

• Manage individuals effectively to create a positive team environment in which shared problem solving is encouraged

• Oversee the delivery of programme activities and the completion of vital administrative and logistical tasks

• Be honest and transparent; be able to give and receive feedback in the most straightforward way

• Communicate in English, both written and orally

• Learn quickly, managing a wide-ranging and intense workload

• Understand what is required to work and effectively communicate in complex and volatile contexts

• Care for people: the interests of the people we work with should always be your first concern

The ideal candidate will have:

• Experience working with children specifically in the refugee context

• Experience in leadership roles and have knowledge in how to effectively manage a team

• Knowledge of pedagogical tools and programmes suitable to children in the refugee context 

What do we offer?

• A nurturing and collaborative working environment. We work hard to help our team members grow; investing in personal and professional development.

• Accommodation in a shared house

• Transportation to/from work

• After completion of a three-month trial, if you commit long-term, a small monthly expenses refund

In certain periods of the year, demand is extremely high, and the shared houses might be full. If you have the means to pay for your own accommodation, please let us know. We would still be happy to host you if space is available. However, in a situation where the shared houses are full, this would allow us to offer an opportunity to someone that cannot afford to pay rent.

Looking for an internship?

If, because of your degree or for any other reason, you would like to have your period at Second Tree credited as an internship, just apply to the vacancy that you’re interested in and mention this. We have agreements with several universities across Europe, and in many other cases, these agreements can be developed on an ad hoc basis.

Our busy Homework Club is part of our delivery of child and family support services, in order that low income and vulnerable families have improved access to services, employment opportunities and life chances.

Do you have some teaching or coaching exeperince either as a parent, classroom assistant or teacher? On Fridays afternoons from 3.30-5.30pm the Centre provides an after-school Homework club during term time. Children from three local primary schools, and a few from Year 7 attend the club.  Many come from families where English is a second language.

Volunteers sit on a table with 1 or 2 children and provide help with their homework, maths and English work mostly, and some reading.  Volunteers commit to one session a week on Friday (3.30 – 5.30pm). 

Our Mission

Each Person Matters: The Cardinal Hume Centre enables families, children and young people to overcome poverty and avoid homelessness.

What are we looking for?

• Ideally you have some experience in teaching, either professionally, voluntary or at home with your own children. 
• You are friendly, patient and can have rapport with children easily.
• Able to help with maths and English at primary school level. 

What is the time commitment?

• Ideally at least one academic term
• Fridays, 3.30 – 5.30pm at The Cardinal Hume Centre and we are trialing an outreach sessions at a local Library & Hotel on otger weekdays

How will you be supported?

• You will be supported by the Family Services staff team. 
• You will have access to wide range of e-learning topics.  Child safeguarding and fire safety awareness is mandatory for all new volunteers.
• You will be reimbursed for travel expenses.

As part of the Government led Gommunities for Afghans programme, we are looking to recruit individuals or groups (UK BASED ONLY) to make up a team of 6 volunteers to support an Afghan family - you could be friends, neighbours, colleagues, faith groups, veterans, or community organisations are welcome.

We are currently focussed on supporting families across Wales, West Midlands and Scotland but be keen to support elsewhere geographically where possible.  With this in mind, you may live in these areas, but we are also delighted to bring volunteers together remotely to support a family. 

You will be at the heart of this programme. It is a rewarding opportunity to make a real difference!

The Communities for Afghans programme is a community-led Government initiative supporting families as they rebuild their lives in the UK. It is a Government-approved scheme that enables local people to welcome Afghan refugee famiklies into their community. Volunteers will be supported by us to find housing for a family, provide practical and emotional support enabling them to settle into daily life and feel a genuine sense of belonging in the community.

How community sponsorship work

1. Form a Sponsor Group Create a team of six or more volunteers — friends, neighbours, colleagues, faith groups, veterans, or community organisations.
2. Training & Ongoing Support Our partners provide full training, so your group feels confident and well prepared. This simple, practical training is offered before you begin and continues throughout the sponsorship journey.
3. Identify Suitable Housing With our guidance, your group helps find long-term accommodation. We then match an Afghan family of the appropriate size and ensure the property is suitable and affordable. Government funding is available for rent deposits and related costs.
4. Welcome & Support the Family Volunteers help the family register with schools, healthcare, benefits, and local services, while introducing them to the community and supporting them as they adjust to life in the UK.
5. Be the Local Point of Contact You act as the family’s trusted guide, helping them navigate the area, understand local systems, and access opportunities that only residents truly know.
6. Commit for Three Years Sponsor groups support the family for three years, providing consistency as they grow in independence, confidence, and resilience.

Why Your Support Matters

Volunteering through Community Sponsorship is a powerful act of solidarity. You are not only helping one family — you are strengthening your entire community.

Your support helps families: 

• Rebuild their lives in safety and dignity
• Access education, healthcare, and employment
• Learn English and integrate into the community
• Become confident and independent

And your community benefits:

• Stronger local connections
• Celebrated diversity
• Practical meaningful humanitarian action

Are you the new Chair-designate for Reading Community Learning Centre?

Do you have enthusiasm, skills and time to cooperatively govern and lead our charity that supports women learners?

You could be the Chair-designate of Reading Community Learning Centre, a charity serving the needs of local refugee, asylum-seeking and migrant women. We stand proudly for equality and women’s rights, and are looking for a woman Chair-designate to take on the role of leading our Board, supported by our outgoing Chair for a handover period of up to 6 months.

About us:

Set up in 2007, we are a Charitable Company that helps often-marginalised women to achieve their individual potential, through helping them improve their English, building confidence, making friends, volunteering locally, gaining qualifications or securing a job.

In 2025 we supported over 595 women from 41 different countries of origin, through our charitable spending of £244k.

About the role:

We’re looking for a woman to volunteer to lead our Board of Trustees, to work with other trustees and our CEO to shape our future supporting and empowering women. Women from global-majority/minority-ethnic communities are especially encouraged to apply.

If you can think and lead strategically, help us plan long-term, you have the primary skills needed by our Chair. Support from our employees is always available, as they will be dealing with the day-to-day running of the organisation.

Experience of committee or similar work, an understanding of cooperative leadership and a strong focus to shape the forward-looking Board, are what we are looking for. You don’t necessarily need prior experience of charity trusteeship, as induction will be provided, plus specialist guidance as a new trustee, including access to external training.

This is a high-profile appointment, with strong commitment to the future of Reading Community Learning Centre an essential quality, and having a good understanding of the value for the women we help. Trustees make the top-level decisions for our charity: our Board includes women with understanding, skills and experience of our support, and we require new trustees to have empathy with our cause. 

We are a charity not a business, but we apply business principles to governing our organisation. We encourage women from all backgrounds to apply, particularly Black, Asian and global-majority women, and those who have previous experience of engaging and working collaboratively with our beneficiaries.

The Board meets online every six weeks, and we ask you for up to sixteen hours per month; this includes all meetings, correspondence, communication, etc. Our Chair does need to be able to visit the Centre regularly, so should have access to Reading.

How to apply:

This high-profile appointment is being managed for us by inVOLve Community Services, a charity-support organisation, who offer an informal no-obligation discussion by video. A detailed Role Description and Skills Specification can be made available to you by request before that discussion.

Trustee appointments are subject to satisfactory references to satisfactory completion of an Enhanced DBS check.

Your CV and supporting statement will be read by our current Chair and trustees; an informal discussion followed by a more-formal interview can be offered as soon as mutually convenient.

I need to know more:

Contact Mike Allen via Apply Now, below, for more information and arrange to have a no-obligation initial informal discussion (Teams or Zoom), explanation about this important role and any assistance or advice you may need to apply.