Refugee Volunteer Roles
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as the applications come in. Don’t miss your opportunity, apply now!
Unfold
Offering one-to-one support from trained and supervised volunteer mentors, our mentees are young people aged 10 – 25, and mothers with children aged 5+, who through mentoring sessions, are left empowered to get to where they want to be, through achieving our aims of boosting Confidence, building lasting Independence and Connecting mentees with 1 or more organisation.
What will I be doing?
- Mentors for Refugees will empower women to overcome challenging circumstances and help them find ways to connect and integrate with their local community.
- Mentors will support women to make social connections with the local community and groups, refer and signpost them to other organisations providing more specialist support if needed.
- Mentors will provide a safe space to discuss the challenges women face. Through encouragement and active listening, mentors will support their mentees’ mental wellbeing.
What impact will this have?
- Mentors will help women break cycles of social isolation, improve family cohesion and wellbeing.
- By being part of the Unfold mentor family you will be helping us to have greater reach in making a positive impact on the lives of many vulnerable women, living in Westminster.
- By becoming a mentor with Unfold you will be supporting one of the most vulnerable groups in our communities. We aim to break the barriers that keep refugee women excluded from mainstream services.
Training
- Mentors are required to complete three stages of training as follows:. 1) Independent online training covering topics around safeguarding, confidentiality, the person-centred approach, the growth mindset and more. 2) Coaching and Mentoring Live online training - delivered by our Programme Officers, givng you an opportunity to immerse yourself in the role of a mentor, by going into greater depth of the independent online modules, giving room for role play and discussion. 3) Specialised training on the Refugee Experience and trauma informed practice. Our training leaves mentors with a real insight in the role of an Unfold mentor, and excited and ready to begin their mentoring journeys.
- Mentors have a designated Programme Officer, offering 1-2-1 support when you need it.
Commitment
- We ask volunteers to commit to delivering mentoring for 1–2-hours a week, over a period of 24 in person sessions. Although occasionally session are held online, through mentee and mentor testimonies we have seen the positive impact holding sessions in person vs online has, and so we would ask any perspective volunteers to be prepared to be available for all in person session should this be the required need of your mentee.
- Attending monthly group online meetings, which is a great opportunity for all the mentors to come together discuss challenges, successes and further develop mentoring skills.
What else do I need to know?
- A DBS check is required
- Due to the nature of our users of this programme, we are only accepting female volunteers for this role.
- In person session will take place near to where your mentee lives, within Westminster and Kensington and Chelsea boroughs.
- We especially welcome mentors over the age of 50, for our Women2Women: Sharing Wisdom, Sharing Lives sub programme. This is a great opportunity if you are looking to bridge a gap in your CV and get back into work. We provide references and development opportunities through training.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as the applications come in. Don’t miss your opportunity, apply now!
Care4Calais is a volunteer run charity delivering essential aid and support to refugees living in France and the UK. We believe in a fair and tolerant British society and advocate for a welcoming and inclusive attitude towards refugees.
In northern France we operate year-round from Calais, providing warm clothing, bedding, food and assistance to refugees who live in appalling and dangerous conditions.
Across the UK we collect and distribute clothes, shoes, mobile phones and other essential items, as well as social support and interaction, including language lessons, sport and music workshops. We also help with vital access to legal, medical and educational services.
Due to rapid growth of our UK operations, we are currently looking for volunteers who will help us drive froward UK operations to achieve maximum impact and effectiveness.
Profile:
Strong interest in refugee and asylum work.
Hands on, operational, dynamic and enthusiastic
Team worker with good communication and people skills
Pragmatic with a strong willingness and drive to find solutions and to get things done
Capacity to inspire and sustain volunteer engagement
Organizational skills
Note: Appropriate training and support will be provided.
As a Regional Lead, you will act as a point of contact between volunteers and the Care4Calais UK Operations team. Working mainly via Facebook/Whatsapp groups, Google Drive, and Zoom, your primary function is to motivate, inspire and support volunteers to take actions. These actions include distributions of essential aid to asylum seekers, joining in and organising social activities, and befriending and supporting asylum seekers to access key services. You will be available to answer questions and provide support to volunteers, and to drive the group forward to achieve maximum impact and effectiveness.
In addition, you will represent Care4Calais in your region and support the team to identify and develop local partnerships. You will acquire an in-depth understanding of Care4Calais policies and procedures and ensure they are adhered to for all local operations. You will also be responsible for keeping the UK operations team informed of activities in your area, as well as feeding back to your group any UK-wide information and updates, promoting strong communication, best practice sharing and rapid action.
Our guidance for groups document sets out the key objectives for UK regional groups, explaining the optimum way we should be working together as an organisation to achieve our goals in an organised and effective manner. This guidance was developed based on the experience of our teams on the ground and reflects current best practice. As a regional lead, you should familiarise yourself with this guidance and look to ensure that your group is operating according to its content.
Tasks:
Set-up:
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Request access to the ‘Care4Calais volunteer chat group’ and your regional group on Facebook.
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Ask admin to add you to the main whatsapp groups – Regional Lead Support group (optional) and the UK Hotels group. The former is for issues specific to regional leads and is for support, and the latter for all UK hotel leads.
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We highly recommend using a separate phone and sim card for Care4Calais; this allows you to switch off when you need to. You may also want to set up a specific Care4Calais Facebook account.
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Events, such as upcoming distributions or drop-ins, to keep everyone in the loop and encourage new volunteers to join in.
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Important updates that may affect the group, such as changes in government legislation, or new services that Care4Calais UK are offering.
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Posts to congratulate everyone on their hard work and keep them motivated!
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You should also keep an eye on the ‘Care4Calais volunteer chat group’. Sometimes people may post requests relevant to your area. We also receive requests from areas that don’t have a dedicated C4C group, but there may be an individual volunteer in that area - you can post in the volunteer group in case they can help.
Emails:
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Emails come through from various sources – via the Annie inbox (monitored by admin), from other charities or from other places.
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Emails are often requests for items for individuals in the area. If your group maintains a spreadsheet of requests, add these requests to the spreadsheet, place a post on Facebook (see above) or get in contact with a volunteer if you know someone in their specific area.
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If you are sent an email from the Annie inbox, don’t reply to the Annie email – reply to the email address that sent the original email to the Annie inbox.
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Keep on top of emails daily if possible.
Meetings:
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Host a meeting with the group
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Make sure this is advertised well in advance to increase the amount of people who attend.
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Write an agenda beforehand to ensure you remember to cover everything in the meeting.
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Ask someone to take minutes and post them on the facebook group after the meeting.
General volunteer support:
Another aspect of the regional lead role is ensuring volunteers feel well supported and can reach out to you if they ever need. If you think a volunteer is struggling or doesn’t feel integrated in the group, reach out to them. You need to be there for volunteers when they have questions and just be a friendly supportive face. If you feel a volunteer is dealing with some very sensitive cases that may call for extra support, RLs can, at their discretion, offer volunteers the opportunity to speak to an MSF counsellor.
Remember that the C4C UK Operations Team and Field Operations Coordinators are always here to help, just pop them a message if you have any questions and feel free to reach out to them for support!
Care4Calais is dedicated to cultivating a diverse and inclusive work environment and
recognises that this is invaluable to our ability to serve the communities we support.
We therefore welcome and encourage applications from diverse backgrounds including
from Black, Asian and Minority-Ethnic communities, people from refugee and migrant
backgrounds, and people with lived experience of the UK immigration system. If you have
any questions about this or need additional support with the application process for any reason, please let us know.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Using Anonymous Recruitment
This organisation is using Anonymous Recruitment to reduce bias in the first stages of the hiring process. Our system keeps your personal information hidden until the recruiter contacts you.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as the applications come in. Don’t miss your opportunity, apply now!
Refugee Café is a small charity seeking to help refugees in Lewisham and surrounding areas enter employment in the hospitality sector. We began in May 2020, where we established ourselves at local markets, food-related initiatives and community projects and events. We recently completed a pilot employment programme in partnership with Lewisham College and the cafe at The Albany Theatre in Deptford.
Upon finishing the programme at Lewisham College, we are looking for a new Chair to lead the organisation’s vision and strategy for the upcoming year. The founding Board of Trustees are retiring their positions, giving way to a new enthusiastic and passionate Board with significant sector experience in either the food or refugee and migration sector.
Refugee Café is seeking to appoint a Chair to lead the Board of Trustees. The Chair will ensure that the charity fulfils its responsibilities for the public benefit, effectively delivers its objectives, and complies with its governing document. This role demands an exceptional individual who can combine strong leadership skills with the ability to oversee strategic direction, articulate our vision and engage people to implement organisational improvement and systemic change. It is an exciting opportunity to shape a young organisation and have a positive impact in our community.
Main Responsibilities
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Lead the charity in strategic development to ensure we create a positive impact with our community and achieve our mission.
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Support the charity to achieve its strategic and operational objectives Facilitate monthly board meetings in stimulating, inclusive and well-rounded discussions and considered decision-making.
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Be a strong spokesperson for the charity both internally and externally
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Liaise closely with the team of trustees and act as the focal point for organisational procedures and areas such as strategy, governance, safeguarding, finance, HR & management of risk.
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Maintain careful oversight of any risk to the reputational standing of the organisation.
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Represent the organisation at appropriate events, meetings or functions.
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Encourage an inclusive and supportive board culture.
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Steering the long-term stability of the charity, through sustainable financial growth, including fundraising and other income generating activities
Qualities of the Role
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Commitment to the organisation, its values, mission, and vision, and an enthusiasm for supporting its beneficiaries.
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Understanding of challenges facing refugees in finding sustainable employment
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Experience of effective chairing and understanding of how to facilitate debate. You will ensure a balance is struck between time-keeping and space for board discussions.
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Experience in strategic roles and the ability to understand strategic issues, without losing sight of a vision of positive change.
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The ability to understand perspectives of others, to act collaboratively and diplomatically, and to secure collective decision-making. Ability to foster and promote a collaborative working environment.
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Effective written and oral communication skills, and be a proactive team player who delivers results.
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Flexibility in your approach, revising remits and objectives when necessary, and being comfortable with a degree of uncertainty.
Please send a one-page CV and accompanying cover letter (no more than 2 additional pages)
At Watford & Three Rivers Refugee Partnership, our objective is to provide practical and emotional support, ultimately helping our clients achieve a sustainable position as full members of our society. Many of our clients are destitute, homeless and have no access to assistance from the government. Our mission is to provide access to advice and essential services until statutory services are in place.
Volunteering at the Drop-In centre provides an opportunity for you to help our refugee clients with any issues they might have. We have sessions running every Tuesday between 11am and 1pm at St Mary’s Church, High Street, Watford. The Drop-In provides an opportunity for refugee clients to come and discuss any issues they have and to be listened to by one of our volunteers. Many of our clients are likely to have lived here for a while but an issue or crisis in their lives means that they need to discuss it and seek some help. They may also be in the process of seeking asylum. We can provide advice and sometimes resolve their issue there and then and at other times we refer them to another agency or invite them to come back once their issue has been looked into.
The Drop-In Centre could not function without our team of committed volunteers, and we are always looking for additional help.
Full training given on starting the role as well as regular training sessions and continual support from more experienced volunteers.
Responsibilities:
· Help with filling in forms and interpreting official documents.
· Liaising with statutory and voluntary agencies.
· Referring clients for follow up action by our Case Review Team and linking them with a befriender.
· Referring clients to our partner solicitor who specialises in immigration law and comes to the Drop-In 4th Tuesday of the month.
· Advice on how to access appropriate housing and free food in the area.
· Access to the charity’s other services, such as free English classes.
Requirements:
· Able to attend at least one Tuesday Drop-In a month.
· Complete training as required and attend bi-monthly volunteer support meetings.
Skills:
· An ability to communicate and empathise with people from a variety of backgrounds and needs.
· Basic IT skills.
· Assist clients in accessing essential services such as legal, housing, financial and food.
· Can work well as part of a team.
· Enthusiasm to help refugee clients.
Desirable experience:
· Previous volunteering experience.
· Previous experience working in a people-facing role.
If you are interested in becoming a Drop-In volunteer please apply via Charity Jobs or contact us and a volunteer coordinator will contact you to discuss this further.
Please send CV to apply.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as the applications come in. Don’t miss your opportunity, apply now!
NNRF is seeking a new Chair to work in partnership with our members and trustee board to lead the organisation into its next phase of development. We are seeking someone with excellent leadership skills and governance experience, who is passionate about the needs of refugees and asylum seekers.
Established in 2000, we are an independent registered charity set up to work with and for refugees and asylum seekers in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire. Our Vision is a society where asylum seekers and refugees are welcomed, receive fair and compassionate treatment and the support to rebuild their lives.
NNRF currently employs 50 staff members and has a Trustee Board of 12 who ensure the charity runs according to its constitution and statutory obligations. Board meetings are held in person, bi-monthly. Most trustees also sit on one or more sub-committees reporting to the Board.
Key Duties and Responsibilities of the Chair of NNRF
The Chair along with the other board members has the primary function of holding the management team to account, ensuring they work effectively to promote the charity’s objectives.
To this end you will provide inclusive leadership, ensuring that each trustee fulfils their duties and responsibilities for the effective governance of the charity. The Chair will also support the Director and ensure that the Board functions as a unit and works closely with the entire workforce, including volunteers, to achieve agreed objectives. You will act as an ambassador and the public face of the charity in partnership with the Director.
Six Board meetings are held per year. The Chair is supported by an active Board and is expected to have regular meetings with the vice chair, the treasurer, and the director. The chair may be called upon to represent the Charity at occasional events with key stakeholders. The Chair sits on the finance and human resource committees which meet monthly, and is supported by the treasurer, vice-chair and secretary to the Board.
Process of selection
All trustees are elected by our membership at the annual general meeting in November. The current board will nominate candidates for election following an interview with the Chair and Vice-chair. The nomination would require the prospective Chair to attend board meetings as a co-opted member prior to the AGM.
If elected as a board member, the new Chair will be mentored by the current Chair in the first few six months of the role. The Board will review the Chair’s appointment after six months.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as the applications come in. Don’t miss your opportunity, apply now!
Role Description
The Volunteer Cook is responsible for preparing and cooking a variety of meals in our kitchen. This includes following recipes, ensuring food safety and hygiene standards are met, and adapting menus to meet dietary requirements as needed. In this role, you’ll work as part of a team to ensure the smooth preparation of lunch for approximately 30-40 visitors at our centre, who have a variety of dietary needs. This role requires a commitment of 3 months.
Lunch preparation starts at 9:45am and lunch is served at 12pm on Mondays and Thursdays.
Person Specification
Essential
- Ability to work efficiently as part of a team.
- Good time management and organisational skills.
- Ability to follow recipes and instructions accurately
- Willingness to adapt to changing menus and kitchen needs
- Familiarity with food hygiene and safety regulations (preferred but training will be provided)
Desirable
- Experience as a cook in a similar environment
- Experience working or volunteering with refugees or asylum seekers
How to apply
If you are interested in applying for this role please email a completed copy of the Volunteer Application Form
Please email a completed copy of the Volunteer Application Form to the email address in the form
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as the applications come in. Don’t miss your opportunity, apply now!
We hold new volunteer inductions throughout the year, so apply ASAP to be in time to join the next one.
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 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 volunteer coordinator and Rainbow Club manager when required.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as the applications come in. Don’t miss your opportunity, apply now!
Role: Referral volunteer (laptops)
Team: Casework
Supervised by: Adult caseworker
Location: Tooting office on a Thursday afternoon (2-5pm) for period of training/induction. Remote or in person once induction is complete.
Time commitment: 3 hours a week, we ask that volunteers commit for a minimum of 6 months
About CARAS :
Community Action for Refugees and Asylum Seekers (CARAS) is a registered charity that has been supporting refugees and asylum-seekers since 2002 empowering them to integrate and engage in the local community.
Arriving as an asylum seeker/refugee can be a disempowering experience. Difficulties with language, accessing services and overcoming prejudice are ever-present. As an organisation we are committed to work alongside refugees to overcome those challenges, and to help them build their lives.
We offer group support and targeted support work. We offer a range of activities including: ESOL classes; social and recreational activities such as youth club, drama, trips and family activities; educational support for young people; and casework and advocacy support.
Our values are at the centre of all our work:
• Kindness: CARAS will nurture all who are part of our community, helping everyone to develop their skills, talents, and interests
• Justice: CARAS will strive for social justice following a rights-based approach in all our work and challenging instances when rights are not upheld in wider society
• Empowerment: CARAS works alongside people, recognising and respecting their skills and strengths and striving together for better outcomes
• ‘With’ not ‘for’: CARAS will put the voices, opinions, experiences and needs of its beneficiaries at the heart of all that we do
About the Role:
CARAS offers advocacy casework integrated into all of its projects, ensuring that people who attend our groups can access support to address issues in a friendly and timely manner. A key part of the casework service is to help connect people to resources and activities that they need.
A key areas of need is digital access, either by smart phone or laptop.
People living in asylum accommodation receive £9/week making saving for items impossible.
Whilst many activities have returned to face-to-face delivery many have stayed online, not having a laptop impedes people’s ability to join English classes and social activities. People attending college face difficulties in completing college work without access to computers in the evenings, access to a laptop means people are able to take greater control over their independent learning. Smart phones make a huge difference in people’s ability to have contact with family and community across the world.
To meet this need we have built a partnership with a grant giving organisation, Acts435, to support people to get personal laptops.
We are able to refer 5 people at a time for grants to buy new laptops/phones. Once the grant money is received we purchase the devices for community members to collect.
We are looking for a volunteer to do these referrals each month and support people to purchase and receive their laptops and phones. This is an extremely rewarding role, interacting with lots of the CARAS community members and making a very tangible positive impact on people’s lives.
Tasks and Responsibilities:
- contacting community members who are on our waiting lists by phone to explain the scheme to them
- complete grant applications with community members
- monitoring the grant platform to see when grants have been made
- purchasing laptops online and liaising with community members to arrange collection
- completing monitoring forms with community members once grants are recieved and uploading to grant platform
- recording all referrals and work done on our case management system (lamplight)
Person specification:
Essential
· Confidence in using IT (online forms, online shopping, google maps, email, DocuSign)
· To be non-judgemental and able to engage with people from diverse backgrounds;
· A commitment to confidentiality and data protection
· Thorough with good attention to detail
· Reliable
· A high level of spoken and written English
· Excellent communication skills, especially with people who are new to English;
· Ability to gather information from people in a sensitive way
· A calm, friendly, kind and patient approach
· Enjoyment in speaking to new people
· A commitment to working in an empowering way
· Able to maintain boundaries
· Able to work autonomously
· Currently resident in the UK
Desirable
· Experience working with refugees and asylum seekers
· Fluent in one or more of: Pashtu, Farsi, Tigrinya, Somali, Arabic or Dari, Russian, Ukrainian, Albanian, Amharic, Kurdish Sorani, Spanish, French
· Experience of working with interpreters
Benefits to Volunteering:
Through volunteering with us you will:
· Learn about issues relating to refugees and people seeking asylum;
· Work as part of a friendly, welcoming team;
· Develop your skills and competencies;
· Be able to access relevant training, including safeguarding training.
All volunteers must complete a DBS check and attend training with us before starting. You will also receive training and support relevant to your specific role.
To Apply:
To Apply To apply for this opportunity, download and complete the CARAS volunteer application form, using this volunteer role description to inform your answers.
Successful applicants will have an informal meeting with the Adult caseworker, and one with community members, to assess compatibility to the role. These meetings will be on a rolling basis so apply ASAP.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as the applications come in. Don’t miss your opportunity, apply now!
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.
Youth club takes place at Tooting Hub- Beechcroft Road, Tooting, SW17 7BU.
About Sports Programme:
We work in partnership with Fulham Kicks to run a football session every Monday. We provide 1:1 sports advice to help build confidence and remove barriers by supporting young people to plan their journeys and accompanying them to join their first sessions. We find new sessions for young people at youth clubs, gyms and other sports providers. We arrange frequent trips to offer new sports to our young people including: boxing, yoga, trampolining and hopefully to go-karting.
We will also deliver a research project to sports providers, local authorities, support networks and other young people. The project will detail: (1) the accessibility barriers to sports faced by young people, (2) methods of best practice on including young refugees and asylum seekers, (3) funding and support options available from local authorities, and (4) what participatory 1:1 support looks like for young people.
About the role:
As a sports program volunteer, you would be helping young people to travel safely around London, to feel welcome in the city, to join in with sports activities where possible and to inspire young people to take part in sports. You will need to go on group trips to external sports providers and to attend our youth club occasionally. We welcome volunteers with any level of sporting ability, the only thing necessary is to be willing to give some sports a go when it is possible. Please note, some sessions you attend will be only for under 18’s, and so you will not always be allowed to take part, and then your role will only be to accompany. We are very happy to be flexible regarding which sessions you attend according to your interests.
We ask for a commitment of at least 1-2 sports sessions or youth club evenings every month. Our youth club runs every Wednesday from 6.00-8.00pm, the external sports trips will usually be weekday evenings. We are able to be flexible according to your schedule.
Tasks and responsibilities:
- To attend and contribute to volunteer de-briefs which occur after each session/trip.
- Providing feedback of your experience to contribute to the research project.
- 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.
- To occasionally research local sports providers to find sessions for our young people.
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;
- To be passionate about sports and helping young people to access sports.
- 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 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 and their ability to access sports in London;
- Work as part of a friendly, welcoming team;
- Develop your skills and competencies;
- Be able to access relevant training;
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as the applications come in. Don’t miss your opportunity, apply now!
About CARAS:
Community Action for Refugees and Asylum Seekers (CARAS) is a charity that supports refugees and asylum-seekers living in south-west London. We work primarily with people who are newly arrived in the UK, most of whom are living in temporary Home Office accommodation. Arriving as a refugee in the UK can be a terrifying and disempowering experience. Difficulties with language barriers, accessing services, financial insecurity and ongoing uncertainty are extremely challenging and disempowering. CARAS is here to work collaboratively with community members to support them to build skills, connect meaningfully with their local community, and to build positive futures in the UK.
CARAS offers a range of individual and group support to improve the holistic wellbeing of people who have a forced displacement background. For adults this currently includes: ESOL, digital skills and employability sessions; social and recreational activities and casework. All programs are interlinked and work hand-in-hand with one another. For example, community members can practice their spoken English in Coffee Afternoon, and casework issues might be picked up and referred into the team during an ESOL class. We design and develop our programs through consultation and ongoing conversations with our community members. We aim to have a strong volunteer presence across all our programs, fostering connections between asylum seekers and other Londoners!
About CARAS’s Adult Programming and Coffee Afternoon:
CARAS has been providing support to adult refugee women since 2005, promoting skills and confidence development that helps women gain more power in their lives. In the aftermath of COVID, we have been able to expand our adult programmes, responding to the shifting demographics of those seeking asylum in the UK. We now run a range of mixed programmes for all genders, as well as some women-only spaces. Our coffee afternoon is a mixed group.
Our coffee afternoon has been running since May 2022 and is one of our most popular groups. It takes place at TARA Theatre in Earlsfield from 1-2.30PM every Friday. Its primary aim is to reduce isolation amongst those we work with by providing a safe, friendly and welcoming space for people to have fun, learn about themselves and each other, and build connections.
In 2023, we have been running creative sessions during Coffee Afternoon, facilitated by freelance creative practitioners in partnership with TARA Theatre. These range from dance to drama, poetry to puppetry. For sessions without a creative practitioner, we sometimes host workshops on important topics such as healthcare rights or have an open and informal space for games and a chat. There is always coffee and a selection of baked goods!
For more information on TARA Theatre, our partner and host, please visit their website.
Tasks and Responsibilities:
- To attend CARAS coffee afternoon’s, every Friday between 1-2.30PM in Earlsfield, South-west London. They take place at TARA Theatre, right opposite Earlsfield Station. Location here- https://maps.app.goo.gl/rXwJiKHRj93YFtLG9 (356 Garratt Ln, London SW18 4ES).
- If there is a week this is not possible, to tell CARAS staff as far in advance as you are able.
- To welcome and connect with community members attending, working to ensure everyone at the group feels included.
- To take part if there is a creative activity happening in that session, and help liaise with CARAS staff and the creative practitioner to ensure the activity runs smoothly.
- To encourage and inspire community members to feel confident and reach their full potential.
- To share conversation, and chat informally with our community members.
- To assist community members to both recognise and celebrate their achievements.
- To challenge negative attitudes and behaviour in an appropriate manor.
- To adhere to CARAS Confidentiality policy, Health & Safety policy, Equal Opportunities policy and all other policies as relevant.
Requirements:
- To have interest in working with refugees and asylum seekers.
- To be non-judgemental, and able and willing to engage with people from diverse cultural backgrounds, and differing levels of English.
- To be reliable and punctual.
- To be a current resident in the UK.
- To provide five years’ worth of addresses and be willing to undergo a UK DBS check.
- To attend CARAS General and Safeguarding Training, and any further training as necessary.
- To be 18 years or older.
Through volunteering with us you will:
- Meet new members of your local community
- Learn about different cultures and life experiences from across the world
- Learn about issues relating to refugee and asylum seekers
- Work as part of a friendly, welcoming team
- Develop your skills and competencies
- Be able to access relevant training, including safeguarding
To Apply:
Please fill in the volunteer application form and email it to us. Successful applicants will have an informal meeting with the Head of Adult Inclusion and Adult Program Coordinator these meetings will be on a rolling basis so apply ASAP!
Details for this role are in the description and not mentioned in the application form but please fill in your details in the Volunteer application form attached and send it back to us
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as the applications come in. Don’t miss your opportunity, apply now!
This is an exciting opportunity to join IRMO (Indoamerican Refugee and Migrant organisation)and be part of the Latin American Youth Forum (LAYF). LAYF is a youth-led group based at IRMO for migrant and refugee young people aged 13-19 where activities are offered in a trilingual space (Spanish, Portuguese and English).
LAYF ensures that everyone can feel safe and supported to overcome barriers and find their
feet in the UK. At LAYF young people can:
➔ Learn English through fun and engaging weekly ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) classes.
➔ Learn new skills and get inspired through weekly educational, art and theme-based workshops.
➔ Get support to access education, volunteer and employment opportunities through a targeted mentoring programme.
➔ Lead the LAYF Youth Steering Group, learn about leadership and inspire other Spanish and Portuguese-speaking young people.
➔ Explore London and its surrounding through cultural trips and residentials.
The LAYF Volunteer Mentor will deliver a programme of 8-12 mentoring sessions focusing on the personal, educational and professional development of each mentee. They must be fluent in Spanish or Portuguese, and English and have availability to support young people on weekdays during out-of-school hours. The sessions can take place at IRMO or remotely as it’s
most convenient for the mentee.
MAIN TASKS
● Plan and deliver a targeted mentoring programme suited to the needs of each mentee.
● Write accurate mentoring notes during/after each session and discuss progress at regular supervision meetings.
● Allocate some time to research on the best way to support the mentee and any resources that might be beneficial for the session and for them to work on.
● Carry out regular monitoring & evaluation tasks.
● Meet regularly with the Youth Worker & Mentor to check on the progress of mentees.
WE ARE LOOKING FOR SOMEONE WHO IS/HAS:
● Fluent in English and Spanish, or English and Portuguese (essential).
● Some experience in mentoring young people in school or out-of-school setting.
● Aware of the issues facing migrants, especially children and young people, in the UK.
● A warm, friendly, patient and empathetic approach towards young people with complex needs.
● Good time management and organisational skills to be able to deliver regular mentoring sessions.
● Ability to set own work priorities, take initiative and work independently with the young people.
● Some knowledge of safeguarding and child protection in the UK.
● Non-judgemental, empathetic and committed to IRMO’s mission and values.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as the applications come in. Don’t miss your opportunity, apply now!
About CARAS:
Community Action for Refugees and Asylum Seekers (CARAS) is a charity that supports refugees and asylum-seekers living in South West London, and helps them to play their full part in the community. Arriving as an asylum seeker in the UK can be a terrifying and disempowering experience. Difficulties with language, accessing services and overcoming prejudice are ever-present. We exist to help people seeking asylum overcome those challenges, and to help them rebuild their lives.
We offer a range of individual and group support to improve the holistic wellbeing of people who have a forced displacement background, providing them the tools they need to build lives filled with value, meaning and purpose in the UK. Our activities for adults include currently include: ESOL classes; sports; women’s creative writing; women’s coffee morning, and casework.
About the CARAS Adult Team:
In the post-pandemic environment, CARAS is responding to the role of digital literacies in our programme delivery to learners of asylum-seeking and refugee background. In contrast to the UK essential Digital skills framework, we have built in language inclusion to create a participatory learning course for Essential Digital Literacies for learners who are new to reading and writing in English. The individuals joining CARAS are highly diverse, with different countries of origin, linguistic and educational backgrounds. We have observed over the last year that many CARAS community members have limited digital skills, particularly in regard to using computers. Community members have highlighted that computers are important for many individuals to achieve their educational and employment goals, whilst increasing confidence and independence. We have co-designed a digital skills program in partnership with CARAS community members to improve computer literacy and skills, focusing on basic computer literacy.
About the Role:
We are seeking two volunteers based in London to teach our lively computer classes in Tooting every Monday 9:00-11:00. Volunteers will lead the sessions with guidance from the CARAS ESOL Teacher and will work closely with our community members to build their skills and confidence using computers. The Digital Literacies course at CARAS is built around Pre-entry to Entry 2 levels in English. Volunteers will be supporting individuals with tasks such as: getting to know how to use a computer, using the internet, setting up an email address, and using Microsoft office. We intend to fold employability sessions, including CV writing and job searching, into these sessions.
Volunteer Tasks and responsibilities:
· Lead on the delivery of sessions with support from CARAS’s Essential Digital Skills Teacher.
· Assist with the logistical set up of the sessions, supporting CARAS staff where needed.
· Work collaboratively as a team and assisting to shape the project.
· Create class registers and records as required.
· To attend and contribute to volunteer pre- and de-briefs at each session.
· To act as a positive role model and set standards of behaviour when volunteering.
· Support people to develop their knowledge and skills and encourage and inspire participants to reach their full potential.
· To assist participants to both, recognise and celebrate their achievements.
· To challenge negative attitudes and behaviour in an appropriate manor.
· Advocate for the rights of asylum seekers, refugees and migrants with not for them.
· Adhering to CARAS Confidentiality policy, Health & Safety policy, Equal Opportunities policy and all other policies as relevant.
Requirements:
· To be non-judgemental, and able and willing to engage with people from diverse cultural backgrounds.
· To be female identifying.
· Have a good understanding of how to use a computer.
· To be reliable and punctual.
· Excellent presentation and communication skills, especially with people with varying levels of English.
· Commitment to support people seeking asylum to take control of their asylum journey.
· Ability to volunteer every Friday for a minimum of three months.
· Current resident in the UK.
· Ability to work in Tooting SW17.
· To provide five years’ worth of addresses and be willing to undergo a DBS check.
· To attend CARAS General and Safeguarding Training sessions.
· To be 18 years or older.
Through volunteering with us you will:
· Meet new members of your local community
· Learn about different cultures
· Learn about issues relating to refugee and asylum seekers
· Work as part of a friendly, welcoming team
· Develop your skills and competencies
· Be able to access relevant training, including safeguarding
To Apply:
To apply for this opportunity, download and complete the CARAS volunteer application form from the CARAS website using this volunteer role description to inform your answers.
Successful applicants will have an informal meeting with a member of the CARAS staff team. These meetings will be on a rolling basis so apply ASAP!
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
The Hummingbird Project is looking for experienced ESOL or English Functional Skills teachers/teaching assistants to join Learning Space.
Are you dedicated, reliable, and have a passion for working with young people to ahieve their full potential? Then we'd love to hear from you!
Deadline: Midnight Sunday 10th March 2024
Interviews: Tuesday 19th March 2024
Start Date: Thursday 18th April 2024 (TBC).
You will need to undergo a DBS check, safeguarding training and an induction before starting.
When: Every Thursday, during term time, 5:30 - 7:30pm. Volunteers must be able to commit to the role for a minimum of 6 months.
Applying: Please read the volunteer information pack below before completing the volunteer application form
Essential Criteria:
- Teaching/teaching assistant experience on ESOL and/or English Functional Skills courses
- Familiarity with ESOL and/or English Functional Skills exams
- Experience of working with people from refugee backgrounds and/or teaching people who's first language is not English
- Excellent and adaptable communication skills
- Be available to volunteer on a Thursday 5:30-7:30pm for a minimum of 6 months (if you are not available during this time we ask that you do not apply for this role)
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Are you passionate about supporting young people to access education? Learning English is a priority for the young people that we work with, but it can be difficult to find out where and when classes are happening. With limited English, the application process can also be very difficult to navigate. We are looking for a committed volunteer to work alongside the Education Lead to support young people to access English/ ESOL classes in and around Brighton. This will involve working directly with young people to help them to fill in application forms as well as keeping up to date about the classes that are happening and communicating with local colleges and training providers.
Time commitment: Every Thursday 1.30pm - 7.30pm (6 hours per week)
Mid April - End of July 2024 (with opportunity to extend)
Location: BMECP centre, 10a Fleet Street, Brighton, BN1 4ZE
Deadline to apply: Midnight Sunday 10th March 2024
Interview: Tuesday 19th March 2024
Start date: Thursday 4th April or Thursday 11th April 2024 (TBC)
Role description:
- Support young people with college applications
- Maintain up to date information about ESOL courses in Brighton and Hove
- Attend Brighton ESOL network meetings (2-3 times a year)
- Meet regularly with the Education Lead
- Keep a diary of college open days and other events
- Attend Learning Space (Thursdays 5:30 - 7:30pm)
Skills/ qualities:
- Excellent communication skills
- Good at building relationships with ‘partner’ organisations
- Collaborative working style
- Dedication and reliability
- Experience of working with young people from refugee/ marginalised backgrounds
- Experience of working with people whose first language is not English
- Good at building relationships with young people
- Experience of teaching ESOL and/or working in further education is desirable
- An understanding of some of the barriers and challenges experienced by young people from refugee backgrounds
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as the applications come in. Don’t miss your opportunity, apply now!
Adult Casework Volunteer - Role description
Role: Adult Casework Volunteer
Team: Casework
Supervised by: Adult caseworker
Location: Tooting office on a Thursday afternoon (2-5.30pm)
Time commitment: 3.5 hours a week, we ask that volunteers commit for a minimum of 6 months
About CARAS :
Community Action for Refugees and Asylum Seekers (CARAS) is a registered charity that has been supporting refugees and asylum-seekers since 2002 empowering them to integrate and engage in the local community.
Arriving as an asylum seeker/refugee can be a disempowering experience. Difficulties with language, accessing services and overcoming prejudice are ever-present. As an organisation we are committed to work alongside refugees to overcome those challenges, and to help them build their lives.
We offer group support and targeted support work. We offer a range of activities including: ESOL classes; social and recreational activities such as youth club, drama, trips and family activities; educational support for young people; and casework and advocacy support.
Our values are at the centre of all our work
• Kindness: CARAS will nurture all who are part of our community, helping everyone to develop their skills, talents, and interests
• Justice: CARAS will strive for social justice following a rights-based approach in all our work and challenging instances when rights are not upheld in wider society
• Empowerment: CARAS works alongside people, recognising and respecting their skills and strengths and striving together for better outcomes
• ‘With’ not ‘for’: CARAS will put the voices, opinions, experiences and needs of its beneficiaries at the heart of all that we do
About CARAS casework:
CARAS works with adults and young people of a refugee and asylum seeker background to find solutions to their problems. There are two separate sub-teams within the Casework team; young people and adults. We support adults to navigate the asylum system, understand their options, access benefits, connect with services and realise their goals. We are a non-specialist casework and advocacy service, so we work in close partnership with other local organisations to whom we refer people with more complex issues.
Using the empowerment model, our casework service embodies CARAS’ values of ‘with not for’, always striving to ensure people are armed with the information and resources they need to make decisions and take action for themselves.
About the Role:
We are currently recruiting for 2 volunteers to join our Adult Casework team.
The purpose of the Adult Casework volunteer role is to support adults with a refugee or asylum seeking background to understand their rights, access information and services, and ultimately, take control of their own lives. You will work with individuals to address problems they may face relating to, among other issues, asylum support, accessing healthcare and education, access to legal advice and finding activities and opportunities.
You will start from an understanding that individuals are always best placed to solve their own problems, and often need nothing more than to talk out a problem and find the solution themselves. When helpful, you will provide information to clarify and support to take action.
The Adult Casework team hold a support session at our office in Tooting on Thursday afternoons from 2-5.30pm. Volunteer caseworkers have 1:1 appointments, either in person or by phone, with CARAS members. These can be related to a range of topics. Currently our biggest areas of work are around housing for people seeking asylum, access to college, nursery/school places for children, referrals to mental health providers, searches and signposting to activities, finding solicitors and supporting people to apply for bus passes and ID cards. Volunteers also support with administrative tasks such as updating our databases, collating resources and creating information guides.
Adult Casework Volunteer Tasks and Responsibilities:
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Working in an empowering way with individuals and promoting their independence through goal-setting.
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Supporting people to develop their knowledge of rights and entitlements.
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Assisting with filling out forms
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Signposting and referring onto other services and organisations.
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Gathering information from experts and disseminating information to people in an accessible manner.
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Engaging in collaborative internet and phone research on services, organisations and grants.
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Flagging safeguarding concerns and other issues where further support is required.
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Keeping accurate casenotes
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Supporting to maintain our signposting database
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Researching and collating resources
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Working collaboratively as a team and assisting to shape the Adult Casework project.
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Adhering to CARAS Confidentiality policy, Health & Safety policy, Equal Opportunities policy and all other policies as relevant.
Requirements:
Essential
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Experience of doing 1:1 advice work/casework.
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Excellent communication skills, especially with people with varying levels of English.
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Confidence in using IT (Microsft office, outlook, zoom, Google search, online forms)
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To be non-judgemental and able to engage with people from diverse backgrounds;
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A commitment to confidentiality and data protection
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Thorough with good attention to detail
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Reliable
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A high level of spoken and written English
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Ability to gather information from people in a sensitive way
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A calm, friendly, kind and patient approach
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Enjoyment in speaking to new people
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A commitment to working in an empowering way
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Able to maintain boundaries
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Able to work autonomously
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Currently resident in the UK
Desirable
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Working knowledge or experience of relevant law and policy around asylum support, the asylum process, rights and entitlements for people seeking asylum
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Experience of working with interpreters
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Direct experience of the UK immigration system.
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Past experience of working with people seeking asylum
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Proficiency in one or more of the following languages: Albanian, Amharic, Arabic, Bengali, Dari, Farsi, Kurdish, Oromo, Pashto, Russian, Spanish, Somali, Tigrinya, Urdu or Vietnamese.
We will prioritise applicants with lived experience of the asylum process
Benefits to Volunteering:
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Learn about issues relating to refugees and people seeking asylum;
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Work as part of a friendly, welcoming team;
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Develop your skills and competencies;
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Be able to access relevant training, including safeguarding training.
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Obtain a reference from us relating to your volunteering
All volunteers must complete a basic DBS check for volunteers working with adults and attend training with us before starting. You will also receive training and support relevant to your specific role.
To Apply:
To apply for this opportunity, download and complete the CARAS volunteer application form, using this volunteer role description to inform your answers.
Applicants will have an informal meeting with the Adult caseworker, and one with community members, to assess compatibility to the role. These meetings will be on a rolling basis so apply ASAP.
Successful applicants will undergo training and induction with our team.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.