Job Description
British Red Cross volunteers help thousands of refugees, asylum seekers and vulnerable migrants every year enabling people to draw upon their own strengths to withstand crisis and rebuild their lives. Our Young Refugee Casework Volunteers work with vulnerable young refugees who are children and young people aged 15 - 25 seeking safety in the UK. As a Young Refugee Caseworker Volunteer you will work one to one with vulnerable children and young people who need support to help ensure a child or young person’s voice is heard, helping them to understand what they are entitled to and developing their skills to cope with their situation and find a way forward. ## **We would like you to:** - Volunteer 1 day per week (daytime hours, flexible, Mon-Fri) - Be able to volunteer for a minimum of 12 months ## **This role might be for you if:** - You have experience working with vulnerable clients - You have an understanding of supporting young people in a casework capacity - You have experience of working with young people with complex needs - You have an understanding of issues relating to young refugees and asylum seekers - You're able to work as part of a team within what can sometimes be a high-pressure environment - You have excellent communication skills, preferably with experience in active listening or supporting others ## **We would be particularly interested to hear from you if you have experience of being a refugee or asylum seeker.** ## We take an individual approach to ensuring your safety. We may ask you to complete a simple risk assessment. We will also have a conversation with you to discuss any adjustments you may need. ## Please contact [email protected] if you have any questions about the role.
Why we want you: We are looking for empathetic and professional casework volunteers to help vulnerable children and young people access the vital services and opportunities they need. You will enjoy being part of a supportive team, working to a high level of accuracy and attention to detail and dealing with complex and personal information. Due to the intensity and complexity of parts of our services, it is essential that our casework volunteers work to the highest standards so that we can provide a safe, high quality and effective service
Tasks: Giving one to one support to young refugees and accompanying them to appointments
Leading sensitive and comprehensive conversations to assess people’s needs
Agreeing a plan of action to help people access their rights and entitlements
Use your Red Cross training to give emotional support to children and young people
Maintaining client databases
Referring people to other support services e.g. mental health and loneliness support
Working effectively with interpreters and the project team, as well as people from the Home Office and other charities
Identifying and responding to appropriately to safeguarding and protection issues
Skills: A strong communicator and empathetic about the situation and needs of young people and young refugees
Able to volunteer in a multicultural environment
Emotionally resilient as you may need to deal with challenging or difficult situations
Previous experience of face to face client work or casework would be helpful
Speak English; knowledge of another 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