refugee action

Bristol > Volunteering

Volunteering

Everything you wanted to know about volunteering with Refugee Action in Bristol.

What kind of things can I do?

Below is a brief description of each role:

Advocacy volunteer
Provide 8-10 weeks? support to people who have recently gained refugee status to help address their housing, training, employment, and financial needs.

Volunteer Mentor
Mentor people who have recently gained refugee status or vulnerable migrants for up to a year. This role can be undertaken out of office hours.

Awareness trainer
In pairs, give interactive myth-busting talks about refugee issues to public
sector staff in and around Bristol.

Advice service assistant
Support caseworkers in completing forms with clients, accompanying clients to appointments & administrative support to caseworkers.

Screening assistant
Assist caseworker on screening duty by welcoming clients, organising information, making files and other basic administrative tasks.

Administration volunteer
Provide administration support to the various projects or direct to the team administrator.

Organisational development volunteer
Work with our Organisational Development Officer to support refugee community organisations develop. Administrative and research work involved.

I'm a refugee or asylum seeker — can I volunteer?

Yes, we strongly encourage refugees and asylum seekers to volunteer.  You can claim expenses with out affecting your immigration status.

Refugee Action in Bristol tries to ensure that 50% 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.

What training and support do you provide?
  • A full induction and training for your role.
  • A supervisor who will meet with you regularly to provide support, feedback on your volunteering and discuss your training needs and personal development.
  • We have volunteer events every 3 months when we provide training and information updates.
  • Depending on your role you will be invited to attend a volunteer meeting with other volunteers in similar roles.
  • Expenses such as travel costs to and from the place you volunteer and lunch costs are paid for by Refugee Action.
  • We can support you to do the Certificate in Community Volunteering with Bristol City College.  This is a nationally recognised course.
  • We provide references for jobs or courses.
  • We provide an interesting and supportive setting where you will meet new people, and gain new skills and knowledge.
Where will I volunteer?

The Refugee Action office is in the Old Market area in the city centre. Depending on your role you may be based at the office, or you may do your role in the community, or by attending meetings at other organisations.

How much time will I need to give?

It depends on the project:

  • Advocacy volunteer: 1 day per week for 6 months
  • Mentoring volunteer: 4 hours a month for 6 months
  • Awareness trainer: 5 hours every 2 weeks for 6 months
  • Advice Assistant: 2 half days or one day per week for 6 months
  • Screening assistant, administration, & Organisational Development:  A minimum of half a day a week for 3 months

* Clients are offered up to a year's mentoring, so we need volunteers for this long.

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:

Linda Joynes
Volunteer Coordinator, advocacy volunteers
T: 0117 941 5982
E: lindaj@refugee-action.org.uk

Liz Roberts, MiF project worker
T: 0117 941 5970
E: Lizr@refugee-action.org.uk

Katie Hope,
Deputy Manager (Development)
T: 0117 941 5968
E: Katieh@refugee-action.org.uk

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