Job Description
Refugee Support Caseworker Volunteer
Location: Manchester
Commitment: We are currently looking for volunteers on Tuesday's, Thursday's and Friday's
Please note for this role you will need to undertake a DBS check.
About the role
The casework volunteer will work one-to-one with vulnerable asylum seekers and refugees to help them access suitable support services. We provide casework advice to refugees and asylum seekers on how to find their family members, family reunion, basic support and entitlements, healthcare, travel advice, legal advice, education, support for women, support for Young refugees, reducing social isolation, increasing wellbeing and destitution. We use a person-centred approach meaning we keep the service users' needs at the heart of our casework. We aim to build resilience by enabling through casework RAS to recover from personal crisis. BRC is a certain sign of hope to refugees and asylum seekers in crisis, & we work alongside many other statutory and charitable organisations to meet their needs.
About the Team
We use kindness to help those in crisis.
Every year thousands of refugees, asylum seekers and migrants arrive in the UK with little support, money, or opportunities. Sometimes these people don't even have the means to find and contact their loved ones back home. It's our job to do what we can to help.
We're a diverse, busy team dotted all over the country who share the common goal of doing what we can to make refugee lives that little bit brighter. From providing emotional support to reuniting families, we're committed to helping as many people as we can in as many ways as we can. Seeing the look on someone's face when they are put back in contact with a partner, parent, or child, that they thought they'd never see again is simply priceless.
About the person
You need to have good interpersonal, diplomacy, communication and teamwork skills although full training will be given for any technical requirements. Also someone who is:
- Must have reasonable levels of written and spoken English
- Understanding of face-to-face client work and/or casework, demonstrating excellent communication and proven listening skills
- A good communicator and empathetic about the situation and needs of refugees
- Aware of conflict and migration issues and sensitive to cultural issues, including those relating to gender
- Personally resilient as you may need to deal with difficult or challenging situations
- Able to speak good English; plus knowledge of a foreign language would be useful (particularly one used in the current local refugee population)
- Able to use emotional support skills in a calm and responsible manner
- Able to keep the beneficiary at the heart of what you do, supporting the Red Cross to understand service user needs and the difference our role makes
- Willing to adhere to BRC Casework Good Practice Standards
- Able to work alone with minimum supervision as well as part of a team
- This role requires a criminal record check to the appropriate level
- Able to commit time and assist us (predominantly) between 9 -5, Monday to Friday.
- Understanding of GDPR regulations or willingness to learn.
Tasks included in this Role:
- Providing one to one support to beneficiaries
- Undertaking sensitive and comprehensive interviews with service users to assess their needs
- Agreeing a plan of action with the beneficiary
- Support the beneficiary to access other services, for example from the NHS, legal representatives and Social Services
- Offering onward referral to relevant bodies as appropriate
- Maintaining effective client records using our data capture system including communicating effectively with the Home Office case owner
- Identify and respond appropriately to safeguarding and protection issues with vulnerable clients, including children and vulnerable adults
- Working effectively with interpreters
What We Offer
- Access to relevant in-house training and development opportunities, including British Red Cross intranet site, e-learning facility and 'Fuse' (our online platform where you can access a range of engaging bite sized pieces of learning to support your personal development.
- A full induction, support and supervision throughout your volunteering period
- Valuable exposure to the work of the Red Cross in the UK and around the world
Young People and This Role
We value the energy and enthusiasm that young people bring to this role. To volunteer for this role you must be aged 18+. However (subject to a risk assessment, safeguarding requirements and parental consent) those aged 15-17 can be involved in a variety of activities such as promoting the service, supporting service volunteers and undertaking training.
Here's a little bit more about us...
The British Red Cross help anyone, anywhere in the UK; get the support they need if crisis strikes.
From hiring a wheelchair or dealing with loneliness, to adjusting to life in a new country - we're there when you need us. Our goal is to connect human kindness with human crisis.
We're part of the global Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, and we believe in the power of kindness.
Connecting human kindness with human crisis