Refugee Support - Young Refugee Project Volunteer (Gravesend)

Do you want to make a difference to the lives of refugees, asylum seekers and vulnerable migrants? You could help them to draw on their own strengths to cope with crisis and to rebuild their lives. The British Red Cross is a volunteer led organisation and the UK’s largest independent provider of services and support for refugees and people seeking asylum. Our Young Refugee Project Volunteers work with vulnerable Young Refugees who are children and young people aged 15 - 25 seeking safety in the UK. As a Young Refugee Project Volunteer you will be involved in a range of activities helping children and young people integrating into the UK to navigate their local area, develop skills to cope with their situation and to find a way forward. ## **We would like you to:** - Volunteer on Tuesdays from 16:30 until 19:00 (with some flexibility for earlier starts, late finishes and occasional group trips) - Volunteer for a minimum of 12 months ## The ability to speak one of the following languages would be helpful: Arabic, Pashtu, Farsi, Tigrinya, Sorani, Albanian ## **We’re sorry but due to the nature of this role, we cannot accept applications from 16 and 17 year olds. Please check our website for more opportunities in your area.** ## **We would be particularly interested to hear from you if you are (or have been) an asylum seeker or refugee.** ## Diversity is something we celebrate. We want you to be able to bring your authentic self to the Red Cross and feel that you belong. We want to create an inclusive environment, and promote and spread the power of kindness. As part of creating an inclusive space we have an expenses policy that prioritises volunteers not being out of pocket for expenses linked to your role. If up front costs are difficult, you can speak to your volunteering manager about this to find alternatives. We want volunteering to be accessible to everyone. **Health and Safety Statement** We take an individual approach to ensuring your safety. We may ask you to complete a simple risk assessment and will also have a conversation with you to discuss and identify any adjustments you may need. If you have any questions before applying, please contact us at volunteerrecruitment@redcross.org.uk
Why we want you: We are looking for enthusiastic volunteers who are passionate about working with young people and Young Refugees. You will be caring and supportive, helping to support young people to gain confidence and independence so they can access the services they need. Our Young Refugee Project Volunteers help to make people feel comfortable and engaged with the service we provide. This can be a distressing time and we aim to ease the process of adjusting to life in a new country through resilience and empowerment.

• Tasks: Working with a supportive team to organise group activities to improve life skills and local knowledge
  Accompanying young people to events, places to socialise and on trips
  Supporting young people to find opportunities to nurture their interests and talents
  Providing opportunities for young people to cook healthy meals and socialise together
  Helping to improve language skills through activities and conversation
  Helping with other administrative tasks eg filling in forms, helping with travel expenses

• Skills: Strong communication skills and empathetic about the situation and needs of young people and Young Refugees
  Able to volunteer in a multicultural environment
  Able to use emotional support skills in a calm and responsible manner
  Emotionally resilient as you may need to deal with challenging or difficult situations
  Respectful of confidentiality with a non-judgemental attitude
  Speak English; knowledge of a foreign language would be helpful (particularly one used in the current local refugee population)
  Keep the people we support at the heart of what you do
  Willing to complete a criminal record check

• Benefits: Meet new people and be part of a supportive and inclusive team
  A great opportunity to develop your existing skills and gain new ones
  All training and induction for the role (there is no charge for training)
  Reasonable pre-agreed travel expenses for the role
  An opportunity to be part of the world’s largest humanitarian organisation and the knowledge that you are making a difference to people’s lives
  Opportunities to attend other training and workshops as agreed with your line manager