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What kinds of things will I do?
What training and support will I get?
Where does it take place?
Who will support me?
I'm a refugee or asylum seeker - can I volunteer?
How much time will I need to give?
How do I apply?
What kinds of things will I do?
It depends on the volunteer role you undertake. Below is a brief description of the work of each project:
Move On Support Volunteer
To provide support to people who have recently gained refugee status to take steps to address their housing, training, employment, and financial needs.
Refugee Awareness Project – volunteer speaker
To promote understanding between refugees and host communities by giving talking with community groups. The presentations raise awareness of issues faced by refugees and asylum seekers and encourage those groups to take practical steps to support and welcome refugees and asylum seekers.
Refugee Awareness Project - Volunteer Project Assistants
To help with the smooth running and development of the Refugee Awareness Project by giving assistance in areas such as research, promotion or administration.
Asylum Advice Screening Assistant
To assist the caseworker on screening duty, to ensure we are able to provide a helpful and proper service for clients seeking information and advice from Refugee Action.
Refugee Community Newsletter Worker
To produce Refugee Action’s quarterly Bristol area newsletter for refugee
community organisations, Here to Stay. The newsletter covers news, updates,
funding, networks, individual group
stories, training and other issues.
What training and support will I get?
All volunteers receive a full induction and training for the role they undertake. We also have a volunteer event every 6 months when we provide training and information updates. Depending on your role you will be invited to attend a volunteer meeting with other volunteers undertaking similar roles. Expenses such at travel costs to and from the place you volunteer and lunch costs are paid for by Refugee Action. We can support you undertaking the Certificate in Community Volunteering, a nationally recognised course, and provide references.
We believe we provide an interesting and supportive setting where you will meet new people, and gain new skills and knowledge.
Where does it take place?
The Refugee Action office is in the Old Market area in the city centre. Depending on the role you undertake you may be based at the office, or you may also undertake your role in the community, or by attending meetings at other organisations.
Who will support me?
You will have a supervisor who will meet with you regularly to provide support, feedback on your volunteering and discuss training needs and personal development.
I’m a refugee or asylum seeker – can I volunteer?
Yes, refugees and asylum seekers can
volunteer, and are able to claim
expenses with out affecting your
immigration status.
Refugee Action in Bristol tries to ensure that 50 per cent of volunteers are from a refugee or asylum seeking background. We value the experience refugees and asylum
seekers bring to the organisation and hope by volunteering asylum seekers and refugees will gain skills and knowledge.
How much time will I need to give?
It depends on the project, but the following is an indication of the minimum we ask for:
Refugee Awareness Project 5 hours per 2 weeks, for 6 months*
Move-on Project 5 hours per week, for 6 months*
Asylum Advice Half a day a week, for 3 months
*We normally look for an initial commitment of 6 month for two reasons:
-
To enable you to take advantage of the full training programme, and have an opportunity to develop skills and knowledge
-
To enable us to plan the work to be undertaken by volunteers in the different projects.
How do I apply?
We ask people to complete an application form and attend an interview. We are happy to give people support to fill in the application form.
We have a list of people who are interested in volunteering with Refugee Action, and contact people on the list when a position becomes available.
Please let us know if you would like your details added to the list.
If you would like further information please contact one of the following people:
Katie Hope, Volunteer Manager 0117 9415968
Katieh@refugee-action.org.uk
Claire Stern, Refugee Awareness Project Worker 0117 9415973
Claires@refugee-action.org.uk
Linda Joynes, Volunteer Coordinator Move-on Project 0117 9415960
Lindaj@refugee-action.org.uk