1 Employment specialists volunteer roles

Europia’s Roma Community Helpline

Europia is recruiting four volunteers to deliver an out-of-hours helpline, supporting Roma and Romanian-speaking communities.

As a Community Support and Helpline Volunteer with Europia, you will be part of a new pilot project offering confidential, culturally sensitive and multilingual support to Roma and Romanian-speaking communities across Greater Manchester.

Language barriers, unfamiliarity with services and previous experiences of discrimination can make it difficult for people to find support or feel confident asking for help. The helpline will provide a welcoming space where callers can discuss their concerns, receive practical information and connect with appropriate services.

We are looking for four compassionate and reliable volunteers who speak Romanian and/or Romanes/Romani, alongside English, to join our team.

The role will be delivered remotely. Volunteers must also be able to attend and complete training in person at Europia’s office before taking calls.

About the Opportunity

The Roma Community Helpline aims to make support more accessible to people who may face language, cultural or practical barriers when approaching services, with an initial focus on supporting Roma women.

Volunteers will respond to calls about issues such as housing, benefits, healthcare, employment, family needs and accessing legal or other specialist services.

Your role will involve listening carefully, helping callers identify their main needs and providing information, signposting or referrals within your training. You will use Europia’s resource pack, which brings together local services, Greater Manchester-wide support and relevant national organisations.

The helpline will operate during scheduled evening sessions, helping people access support outside normal office hours.

Four volunteers will share shifts through an agreed rota, with two volunteers taking calls during each session and named supervision and safeguarding support available.

What You Could Be Helping With

Depending on the caller’s needs and your training, responsibilities may include:

Helpline support

• Responding to calls remotely through Europia’s designated internet-based phone system during scheduled shifts.

• Welcoming callers and creating a respectful, non-judgemental space.

• Listening actively and empathetically, including when callers discuss sensitive or difficult circumstances.

• Helping callers explain their concerns and identify what support would be most useful.

• Providing clear information and signposting using Europia’s approved resources.

• Recording relevant call information securely using Europia’s approved digital forms and case-recording tools.

Referrals and follow-up

• Identifying suitable services for the caller’s main concern.

• Explaining how to contact services and what the next steps may involve.

• Supporting referrals and agreed follow-up where appropriate.

• Checking that callers understand the information and actions discussed.

• Raising urgent issues or safeguarding concerns with the designated on-call contact.

• Seeking guidance when a question or situation falls outside your training.

Language and accessibility

• Supporting callers in Romanian or Romanes/Romani, according to your language skills.

• Using clear, culturally sensitive communication to help build trust.

• Checking the caller’s preferred language and communication needs.

• Working with staff and approved interpreters or translators when required.

Collaboration and learning

• Completing mandatory training before taking calls.

• Taking part in session briefings, debriefs, case reviews and supervision.

• Working closely with other volunteers and Europia staff.

• Reporting outdated information, unsuccessful referral routes or gaps in the resource pack.

• Sharing feedback to help improve the pilot and the experience of callers.

You will work within the responsibilities covered in your training, with staff support available when you need guidance.

Who Are We Looking For?

We are looking for people who are approachable, dependable and interested in helping Roma and Romanian-speaking communities access support.

Essential requirements

• Fluent English and the ability to communicate confidently in Romanian and/or Romanes/Romani.

• A compassionate and empathetic approach, with strong active listening skills.

• Confidence speaking over the phone and discussing potentially sensitive topics.

• Patience and respect for people with different backgrounds, circumstances and experiences.

• Basic IT skills, including using online forms, digital records and calling software.

• Respect for confidentiality and willingness to follow safeguarding and data protection procedures.

• Reliability and availability for agreed Thursday evening shifts.

• Willingness to attend training, supervision and team discussions.

• Ability to attend and complete initial training in person at Europia’s office.

• Access to a quiet, private space and a reliable internet connection for remote volunteering.

Equipment and software arrangements will be discussed during recruitment and preparation.

Helpful experience and knowledge

The following would be useful but are not essential:

• Previous experience supporting Roma communities.

• Experience in community support, volunteering, customer service or a helpline.

• Understanding of the barriers people may face when accessing services.

• Familiarity with support services in Greater Manchester.

• Experience communicating across languages and cultures.

• Additional relevant language skills, including Slovak or Czech.

Previous helpline experience is not required. We welcome applications from people with relevant community knowledge and lived experience, as well as those looking to develop their skills.

What You Can Gain

This opportunity can help you develop experience in:

• Telephone support, active listening and empathetic communication.

• Providing practical information, signposting and supporting referrals.

• Communicating sensitively across languages and cultures.

• Understanding housing, benefits, health, employment and specialist support routes.

• Recognising when an urgent concern needs staff support.

• Safeguarding awareness, confidentiality and data protection.

• Using digital case-recording tools and remote helpline software.

• Teamwork, practical problem-solving and reflective practice.

You will receive training and ongoing support while contributing to a service designed to empower Roma and Romanian-speaking communities.

A reference can be provided following successful completion of the volunteering role.

Location

Helpline delivery: Remote

You will take calls from home using Europia’s designated phone system and agreed digital tools.

You will need a quiet, private space where conversations cannot be overheard and caller information can be handled confidentially. Workspace, connectivity, equipment and software arrangements will be discussed before you begin.

Initial training: In person at Europia’s office

You must be able to attend and complete office-based training before joining the call-taking rota. Training dates, timings and practical information will be confirmed with volunteers.

Volunteer Commitment

Helpline sessions are scheduled for:

The second and fourth Thursdays of each month, 5–7pm UK time. This is subject to change and will be confirmed with volunteers. 

Each helpline shift lasts two hours. Volunteers will share sessions through a rotating rota, supporting fair participation and manageable workloads.

You should be available for these session times, with your individual shifts agreed in advance.

Additional time will be needed for:

• Initial office-based induction and training.

• Practice calls and preparation.

• Session briefings and debriefs.

• Monthly case reviews and supervision every two months.

• Occasional refresher training or team discussions.

This is an ongoing volunteering opportunity. Your availability and expected commitment will be discussed during recruitment.

Support

Volunteers will receive induction and training before taking calls, followed by ongoing supervision and opportunities to discuss their development.

Training will cover:

• The purpose of the pilot and the communities it supports.

• Active listening and responding to difficult conversations.

• Confidentiality, data protection and secure record-keeping.

• Safeguarding and raising concerns.

• Using the phone system, digital forms and resource pack.

• Providing information, signposting and supporting referrals.

• Maintaining appropriate boundaries and knowing when to involve staff.

• Remote working arrangements and looking after your wellbeing.

You will have opportunities to practise through fictional call scenarios before handling live calls.

Named supervision and safeguarding support will be available during sessions. Briefings, debriefs, case reviews and supervision will provide space to ask questions, discuss concerns and learn from experience.

Why Volunteer?

This is an opportunity to help people feel heard, understand their options and access services that may otherwise feel difficult to approach.

By contributing your language skills, time and understanding, you can help reduce communication barriers and build trust between communities and support services.

You will join a supportive team committed to community wellbeing and help shape a new pilot through your feedback and experience. You will also contribute to a practical resource pack that can continue supporting Europia’s volunteers and communities beyond the project.

If you are a good listener, speak one of the required languages and would like to help people access support, we would love to hear from you.

Opportunity type: Community Support and Helpline Volunteer
Number of opportunities: Four
Delivery: Remote, with initial training at Europia’s office
Essential languages: English and Romanian and/or Romanes/Romani
Previous helpline experience required: No
Initial training attendance: Essential