VOLUNTEER ROLE: Learning Assistant – Working English Digital

Working English Digital is a new project providing pre-employment support to refugees, asylum seekers and other vulnerable migrants, through a combination of employability and ‘working English’ group sessions, and 1:1 mentoring.

We are looking for volunteers to help with the facilitation and delivery of online group sessions, alongside the Project Coordinator.

What are the main duties?

Deliver and teach planned activities in online group sessions (with support from lead teacher)
Help students practise and improve their English in online group sessions
From time to time, work with Entry 1 to Entry 2 level learners on a 1-2-1 basis, to help them improve their English before they join the main programme
Assist learners to complete Outcome Stars to measure their progress
Use an online system to update learners’ progress and session attendance
Contribute to volunteer debriefs for 10-15 minutes after each class
Attend group supervision sessions with other volunteers, facilitated by the Project Coordinator

What is the time commitment?

30 minutes interview call and chat about the project
Role-specific training on facilitating group work and online safety for existing Refugee Action volunteers
Induction, general training and role-specific training for new volunteers
2.5 or 5 hours a week for session delivery and debriefs, depending on your availability
Ongoing training opportunities to meet your support and development needs
Refugee Action volunteers commit to the service for at least six months

Where would I be based?

This is a remote volunteering opportunity – you would be volunteering from home or any other place you would like

What support and benefits can I expect to get?

Training (plus induction for new volunteers)
1:1 supervision, including debriefs after sessions
Ongoing support and wellbeing checks from Project Coordinator
Group supervision sessions with other volunteers every ten weeks
Reasonable expenses for travel costs when face-to-face
Access to development opportunities such as extra training and workshops, to improve communication, facilitation, teaching and digital skills, and increase cultural awareness and knowledge of our specific context and the charity sector as a whole
Opportunity to gain a variety of skills and experience, meet new people and make a lasting impact on clients’ lives

What skills are we looking for?

Ability to deliver and facilitate employability and English language activities for learners
English Language teaching experience would be beneficial
Ability to work with people from a range of ages, backgrounds and cultures. Experience of this would be an advantage
Ability to complete tasks using own initiative
Ability to record information accurately (paper files or database)
Ability to volunteer within confidentiality and safeguarding guidelines
Ability to provide support to people who might be emotionally vulnerable
Ability to communicate in an accurate and clear manner, with a good standard of English
Knowledge of another language such as Arabic, Farsi or Kurdish is helpful but not essential
Punctuality and reliability
Willingness to develop new knowledge and skills

Those with lived experience as a refugee, asylum seeker or migrant are encouraged to apply. We ask for 2 references from all our volunteers. This role also requires a DBS (criminal record) check at basic level.

We welcome applications from people with lived experience as a refugee, asylum seeker or migrant. We are committed to making every reasonable adjustment to the workplace or working arrangements to accommodate people with disabilities or specific learning difficulties.

HOW TO APPLY (deadline: 4 March 2022)

Please complete the volunteer information form below.

Title

First Name *

Last Name *

Address Line 1 *

Address line 2

Post code *

Email *

Phone *

What is the best way to contact you? *

Your gender

Why are you interested in volunteering for Refugee Action? *

Tell us about you *

Please briefly tell us about experience you have had (work/study/volunteering etc.)

Your ESOL and mentoring experience *

Do you have any ESOL teaching experience, Mentoring experience, or any other types of teaching experience. If so, please expand on this.

When are you available? *

Please tell us which days you are available for volunteering.

Are you able to commit to a minimum of six months volunteering? *

Please say how this would fit with your other commitments and plans.

Do you speak any other languages? *

How would you describe your level of proficiency in IT? *

Any other message

Single Checkbox Field *

I agree that Refugee Action can securely store and process my personal data in order to contact me while I am applying to become a volunteer. I agree to Refugee Action deleting this information after one year if I have not gone on to become a volunteer.