Involving refugees & asylum seekers volunteers
Refugees and asylum seekers can make great volunteers. They can be highly motivated to learn skills and to gain experience that can help them get work in this country. But volunteering is not just of benefit to the individual; by involving refugees and asylum seekers you can really help your organisation.
Refugees and asylum seekers can
- Bring unique skills and experience – some are highly skilled professionals.
- Help you to engage with the refugee communities.
- Increase the diversity of your organisation.
- Enhance your awareness of other cultures.
Is it more work?
There is huge diversity amongst refugees and asylum seekers. Some speak fluent English and can be trained up quickly to do the role you need them for, whereas others may not have worked in their home country, will only have basic English and may take longer to train and need more support.
Through our ‘New Beginnings’ refugee and asylum seeker project we can advise and support you to involve refugee and asylum seeker volunteers. We are experienced at helping organisations identify the skills needed for different roles, so that volunteers you take on are well matched. For further information please contact Paul Harvey. Also see Frequently asked questions when involving refugees & asylum seekers.
Click on Resources for useful documents on involving refugees and asylum seeker volunteers, including guidance on good practice, legal issues, CRB checks, and a range of translated resources.