‘Welcome to Swansea’ mentoring scheme...seekers when they first arrive in Swansea via a...

‘WELCOME TO

SWANSEA’

MENTORING

SCHEME

VOLUNTEER HANDBOOK Useful information for you before you volunteer with us.

Welcome to Swansea: http://swansea.cityofsanctuary.org/welcome-to-swansea-mentoring-project

Mentor handbook 2015 (7).

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Contact: [email protected] 07496172896

Cities of Sanctuary, SCVS, 7 Walter Road, Swansea, SA1 5NF

Contents Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 3

Purpose of scheme and how it works ............................................................................................... 3

Who you are volunteering for ............................................................................................................. 3

Volunteer recruitment .......................................................................................................................... 4

Before you begin volunteering ........................................................................................................... 4

Induction and training ...................................................................................................................... 4

Preparing for the role ....................................................................................................................... 5

The first session ............................................................................................................................... 5

Developing a person-centred plan ..................................................................................................... 5

Planning ongoing visits ........................................................................................................................ 6

Ideas for activities................................................................................................................................. 6

Supervision and ongoing support ...................................................................................................... 7

Paperwork ............................................................................................................................................. 7

Rights and responsibilities .................................................................................................................. 8

What you can expect from us ......................................................................................................... 8

What we expect from you ............................................................................................................... 8

Expenses ............................................................................................................................................... 8

Travel ................................................................................................................................................. 8

Child care .......................................................................................................................................... 9

Food and resources ......................................................................................................................... 9

Gifts .................................................................................................................................................... 9

Donations .......................................................................................................................................... 9

Dealing with difficult situations ......................................................................................................... 10

Reporting problems ........................................................................................................................ 10

Urgent problems ............................................................................................................................. 10

Less urgent problems .................................................................................................................... 10

People’s personal cases/ asylum applications .......................................................................... 10

Protection of vulnerable persons ................................................................................................. 10

Keeping boundaries ....................................................................................................................... 11

Things a mentor should not be doing ...................................................................................... 11

Communications ................................................................................................................................. 11

http://swansea.cityofsanctuary.org/welcome-to-swansea-mentoring-project



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Health and safety ............................................................................................................................... 12

Insurance ......................................................................................................................................... 12

Driving .............................................................................................................................................. 12

Risk assessments .......................................................................................................................... 12

Lone working ................................................................................................................................... 12

Confidentiality ................................................................................................................................. 12

Representing the organisation ......................................................................................................... 13

Language ......................................................................................................................................... 13

Dress ................................................................................................................................................ 13

Actions ............................................................................................................................................. 13

Time commitments ............................................................................................................................. 13

Information storage and monitoring ................................................................................................. 14

Concerns and compliments .............................................................................................................. 14

Raising a concern about us .......................................................................................................... 14

If we have concerns about you .................................................................................................... 14

Ending your volunteering placement ............................................................................................... 14

Finishing early ................................................................................................................................. 14

Volunteering again ......................................................................................................................... 15

Appendix a: volunteering process: .................................................................................................. 16

Appendix B: Useful questions and resources ................................................................................ 17

Questions ........................................................................................................................................ 17

Resources ....................................................................................................................................... 17

Appendix C: supervision form .......................................................................................................... 18

Appendix D: emergency contact and support services ........................................................................ 19

Swansea office numbers: .................................................................................................................. 19

Cardiff office numbers: ..................................................................................................................... 19

Concerns about people’s safety: ....................................................................................................... 19

Support with asylum/ benefits/ housing related concerns .............................................................. 19

Food banks and material goods: ....................................................................................................... 20

Legal support..................................................................................................................................... 20

Health and wellbeing needs:............................................................................................................. 21




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Introduction We hope that your journey of volunteering as a mentor on the “Welcome to Swansea”

scheme will be an enriching experience. In order to ensure that this process runs as

smoothly as possible we ask all volunteers to read this handbook. You can also find more

general information on our website.

Purpose of scheme and how it works The purpose of the scheme is to promote integration between asylum seekers or refugees

and the local Swansea community. It aims to increase knowledge of the Swansea area and

encourage participation in day to day activities by:

Welcoming: ensuring that newly arrived asylum seekers (participants) are greeted

and welcomed by a friendly face.

Building confidence: supporting participants to feel more confident in

understanding systems

Sharing knowledge: Supporting participants to build up a knowledge-base of where

useful services and groups are located and what they offer.

Empowering: the project aims to be a project that empowers people to do things for

themselves, rather than doing things for them.

Volunteer mentors meet with participants for 2-8 visits and support them to develop their

own personal plan regarding their goals and aspirations within their new community. The

mentor’s role is to support participants to begin on this journey.

The role is not about telling people what to do or doing things for people. The role is to

encourage participants to develop knowledge, skills and confidence which will enable them

to do things independently in the future. This will work by continually progressing towards

achieving agreed goals.

Mentors also play an important role in measuring the achievements of the project by carrying

out essential paperwork and taking part in evaluations.

Who you are volunteering for Swansea City of Sanctuary is a part of a national movement that works to welcome and

support refugees and asylum seekers and to celebrate the contribution that people seeking

sanctuary make in Swansea and across the UK. Swansea City of Sanctuary was established

in 2010, it was the first city of sanctuary in Wales, and is a part of a network that includes

almost 40 cities, boroughs and valleys in the UK. We are delighted that you have agreed to

volunteer with us; a key motto of the City of Sanctuary movement is that we are ‘what our

supporters do’ and welcome your voluntary support!

The Wales Cities of Sanctuary Project is managed by Displaced People in Action.

The project employs three staff members in Swansea:

Coordinator– Richenda Leonard ([email protected]) 07496 172895


mailto:[email protected]



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Richenda coordiantes the work in Swansea working closely with Hannah and Eleri. She is

working on raising the profile of the City of Sanctuary movement through working with high

profile organisations, strategic work planning, as well as working with the receiving

community to strengthen the vision of welcome for sanctuary seekers in Swansea.

Development Worker – Eleri Williams ([email protected]) 07496 172898

Eleri is working closely with pledged supporters to implement practical actions to support

and involve people seeking sanctuary, sitting on the Swansea City of Sanctuary Working

Groups and creating Refugee Speakers Teams.

Integration Officer– Hannah Chapman ([email protected]) 07496 172896

Hannah is the Swansea Integration Officer coordinating a project to welcome asylum

seekers when they first arrive in Swansea via a mentoring scheme.

Hannah is also involved in developing resources for asylum seekers and supporting

sanctuary seekers to find volunteering and other meaningful opportunities.

Volunteer recruitment A Swansea City of Sanctuary Volunteer is someone who chooses freely to commit their time and energy to support our objectives without material gain. We aim to support volunteers throughout their volunteering experience. For a visual diagram

of the volunteering process please see appendix A.

Application form

All potential volunteers will be asked to complete an application form.

Checks

We ask all volunteers to provide us with a letter of reference or the details of a person who

can act as a referee. We also use the training session as an opportunity to ensure that both

you, and we, feel the role is suitable for you.

If this is likely to prove as a barrier to you becoming a mentor then please do let us know so

we can look at other options together.

We do not carry out Disclosure and Barring Service checks on volunteers as we have been

advised by their advisory representatives in Wales that these checks are unnecessary for

the role and to carry them out would be a breach of confidentiality. As volunteers are not

DBS checked it does mean that they need to act within the remits of the project in order to

be protected.

Before you begin volunteering

Induction and training Introductory training is an essential part of your volunteering experience and nobody is

allowed to mentor before they have attended. As well as learning about the organisation,






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your own role description and how you will monitor your own progress, it is also a chance to

meet other volunteers.

Sessions are run regularly and if no sessions are available then a one to one appointment

will be offered instead.

Preparing for the role Often we are given very short notice that a referral has been made. Once we receive a

referral the Integration officer will contact the participant and volunteers to arrange a suitable

match.

Volunteers can help themselves to prepare for the role by taking part in other volunteering

roles within Swansea (such as attending community drop-ins) and reading/ researching (see

useful information section)

The first session Where possible the first session takes place with a member of staff. This will be either in the

office, in the participant’s home or in a public place.

Following the session, the staff member will get in contact with the volunteer to share any

useful ideas for activity.

Developing a person-centred plan Many sanctuary seekers have been asked to tell their ‘story’ many times and the purpose of

this project is to support participants to find a way to look forward and find solutions to their

current situation.

We make a loose plan with people so that mentors have an idea of areas that are important

for the participant. We can also use the plan to measure how successful we have been in

meeting the needs and wants of the participant.

The plan will include:

Identifying the participant’s best hopes

Identifying where they are at now

Some ideas on how they feel these hopes can be realised

The creation of the plan should be led by the participant, with volunteers and staff offering

ideas only where appropriate. It is a plan about their personal hopes and aspirations and

therefore they are the best person to decide what should go into it.

We aim to keep the plan focused on a persons’ own solutions and aspirations. We also aim

to keep it flexible. This is because sometimes when people set very specific goals, it can

lead to feelings of disappointment or failure if these are not achieved. Rather than giving

very specific tasks/ aims, the plan aims to focus a person’s thoughts broadly on where they

wish to be. In this way it is a guide to ensure the mentor is working in the right areas. It is not

a strict work plan for the mentor.




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Planning ongoing visits The theme of the following visits (usually between 2 and 8) will be guided by the plan.

However, it is common for plans to change and adjust. This is absolutely fine - we just ask

mentors to keep a track of activity so we can check we are still meeting the participant’s

wishes.

The emphasis of the scheme is on people doing things for themselves so mentors may wish

to take a ‘graded’ approach. Please see an example of a graded approach below:

1. Session 1: Travel with participant to a drop-in and introduce them to people.

2. Session 2: Participant travels to drop-in independently and volunteer meets them off

the bus and attends with them. Volunteer calls them afterwards to check they got

home ok.

3. Session 3: participant and volunteer meet at drop-in and volunteer stays in

background/ is there for support if needed.

4. Session 4: participant attends drop-in independently. Volunteer phones afterwards to

see how it went.

Although we ask volunteers not to ‘do for’ people, sometimes it can be difficult to do this. If

you are unsure you should ask yourself ‘if I do this on this occasion, will my mentee be able

to do it more independently next time?’

Ideas for activities The list below gives an example of some ‘typical’ volunteer activities. It is, however, in no

way exhaustive and we encourage people to be creative in thinking of new ideas!

Orientation

An initial visit to the project office to meet staff

A walking tour of the city centre

Practicing bus routes

Understanding what signs and symbols in public places mean.

Health and social care

Registering with statutory services

Showing where free health services are i.e. Walk-in physiotherapy/ podiatry clinics

and the Health Access Team.

Showing where to get help in an emergency i.e. 999, or emotional support i.e.

Samaritans, Child line.

Shopping

Finding out where shops are in their local community and visiting them

Learning how to use British money.

Showing affordable places to shop i.e. charity shops, pound shops

Showing online sites such as Freecycle

Leisure




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Accessing the library

Finding out about cheap or free leisure activities

Attending drop-ins and support groups together

Sharing outdoor spaces i.e. the beach, outdoor gyms

Finding out about upcoming community events.

Learning and volunteering opportunities

Finding out about opportunities to learn English and making appointments

Finding out about free courses and training opportunities and making appointments.

Finding out about volunteering opportunities and making appointments.

Sharing cultures

Sharing British/ Welsh cultural ‘norms’

As you can see sometimes many of these areas can be covered in one session.

Supervision and ongoing support All Welcome to Swansea volunteers are offered support and supervision from a staff

member or trained volunteer. To reflect on their practice, mentors may wish to use the

supervision form (appendix C) as a tool.

We also hold regular ‘group supervision’ sessions for mentors to get to know each other and

share ideas.

We also have a confidential online forum specifically for this project at

http://swanseasanctuary.freeforums.net and a mentor calendar at

https://teamup.com/ks5c2b37ae73f6fe7e . We would encourage volunteers to share useful

information such as groups, classes and activities on this site so that other mentors can use

this information.

Paperwork An important part of the project lies in measuring how successful it is. This means that we

can identify areas for development and carry on doing the things we do well. For this reason,

we ask all volunteers to complete or view some paperwork during their mentoring placement.

This might include:

Risk assessments: there is a copy of the risk assessment for the scheme on the

website.

Action plan paperwork/ records: each volunteer will work to an action plan specific

to their participant. We ask that volunteers fill out the paperwork after every visit.

Project activity diary sheets and outcome measures: These forms are used on

every session to record what you have done together and to measure progress.

Evaluation: we ask that all volunteers give us feedback following their experience.

This can be on a paper form or online. It is space to offer anonymous suggestions.


http://swanseasanctuary.freeforums.net/

https://teamup.com/ks5c2b37ae73f6fe7e



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Rights and responsibilities

What you can expect from us Access to a volunteering opportunity that meets your professional development

requirements as best as is possible.

To be treated with respect and to have your details treated with confidentiality in line

with our confidentiality policy.

To be provided with suitable training, induction, supervision and evaluation

opportunities.

To be listened to and taken seriously if you come to us with problems or concerns.

To be reimbursed reasonable volunteering-related expenses.

To receive a certificate for your involvement. This will be issued in accordance with

the criteria outlined in your role description.

To be consulted on the running and direction of the organisation and invited to

consultation events and meetings.

To be given the opportunity to evaluate your personal progress

To be made aware if we feel you are unsuitable for the role and to be given support

to access other opportunities.

What we expect from you To be familiar and act within our procedures, policies and guidelines

To act in a way that does not bring the reputation of the organisation into disrepute

unnecessarily.

To attend introductory training and subsequent supervision sessions as requested.

To complete any paperwork and evaluations asked of you- this is vital to our funding

and development as an organisation.

To treat the people, you encounter through Cities of Sanctuary with respect and

dignity and to act as an ambassador for the organisation.

To report to us any concerns you have about anybody you encounter through Cities

of Sanctuary in line with our protection of vulnerable adults and child protection

policies.

To submit expenses in line with our expenses procedure and policies (see general

volunteer handbook).

To act on any feedback given.

Expenses

Travel Public transport travel expenses will be reimbursed upon the receipt of original or photo of (not photocopied) tickets along with the accompanying completed claim form up to the value of £11. DPIA discourages the use of taxis or private vehicle. If a volunteer is unable to use either the bus or the train, then they should get in touch with the designated member of staff before incurring any potential travel costs.




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If you feel you need to use your car for the role then please speak to a member of staff.

Child care Childcare can be provided but, as we have a limited amount of funding to be able to cover this cost, any childcare arrangements must be pre-approved by the designated member of staff before any provisions are arranged. Any childcare providers must be on the CSSIW approved register. DPIA will not pay for the services of non-registered or unapproved providers. It is the responsibility of the childcare provider (not DPIA) for the welfare and safety of the children whilst within the premises of the child care centre. The CSSIW registered childcare provider should invoice DPIA directly. DPIA will then pay any invoices by cheque payment after receipt of such invoices. This arrangement must be made clear to the provider prior to booking in order to prevent any financial issues arising. Volunteering should never cost the volunteer anything. DPIA will endeavour to supply or reimburse the cost of any necessary resources, however, any such consequential costs must be pre-approved by the designated staff member.

Food and resources Light refreshments can be reimbursed with the submission of original receipts up to the value of £5 when a volunteer is working over 5 hours in one session. From time to time you may find that you need additional resources or funds to support you in

your role as a volunteer. If this is the case then please let us know before spending money

as it will need to be authorised first. Without prior authorisation we may not be able to

reimburse you.

Gifts We encourage volunteers not to accept gifts regularly from the people they encounter whilst

volunteering. This is because gifts can be interpreted as a contractual agreement by some

people. If volunteers do receive gifts, we ask that they make the organisation aware of the

gift.

We also ask that volunteers do not give gifts to the people they encounter whilst

volunteering. It is acceptable for a gift to be given at the end of a placement as a thank you

or for a special occasion, but volunteers should not regularly give gifts.

Donations Many volunteers find that they end up supporting people to source donations i.e. clothes and

household items. This is not a problem and there are organisations in Swansea with whom

we can put you in contact. Participants receive donations on the grounds that they may not

be perfect, however we do ask that volunteers aim to obtain donations from reliable and safe

sources.

We ask that where possible volunteers avoid giving donations themselves and instead go

through other agencies. This is to protect volunteers as well as participants and to ensure




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that a culture of dependency is not created and that people know the agencies they can turn

to for support in the future should they need it.

Dealing with difficult situations Volunteers will be working on their own initiative much of the time and for this reason may

encounter difficult situations. As an organisation we aim to provide the best support possible

to our volunteers are urge them to approach us at the soonest possible time to make us

aware of difficulties or concerns.

Reporting problems If a volunteer encounters a problem whilst on project, then they can speak to a Cities of

Sanctuary project staff member or a Displaced People in Action member of staff or trustee. If

possible then make a written note of the problem when it happens.

Urgent problems If a volunteer feels that they need help in a situation, then they should call the office and a

project staff member will aim to come out and help.

If you are unable to get hold of office staff, then please use normal emergency contacts

(listed at back of this document)

Less urgent problems Volunteers will also be encouraged to bring any problems to supervision, but if the volunteer

feels that the issue cannot wait until supervision then it should be highlighted immediately.

Volunteers should also refer to the complaints policy/procedure for guidance on how to

proceed (see general volunteering handbook).

If volunteers have any concern about their immediate safety or that of others then they

should notify the emergency services immediately. The incident should then be reported to

Cities of Sanctuary at the earliest possible convenience.

People’s personal cases/ asylum applications The volunteer mentor is not trained in legal issues and should not get involved with a

person’s application for asylum or other issues regarding housing or benefits. If a participant

mentions issues in these areas, then the relevant services should be accessed (see

emergency contacts section). The mentor may choose to support someone to ring a

helpline, attend an appointment, access an advice booklet or navigate the website. However,

they should not get involved in giving advice or filling in forms/ writing letters. If you are

unsure about this area, then please let staff know and we can talk it through.

Protection of vulnerable persons All volunteers with Cities of Sanctuary have a duty to protect the vulnerable people and

children they work with. If any volunteer has concerns about the safety or wellbeing of

anyone who they encounter through their placement they should let Cities of Sanctuary staff

know at the earliest possible time or alert social services (see emergency contacts section).

Volunteers should also make a written note of their concerns and the time and date they

were noted. Volunteers should refer to the child protection and protection of vulnerable




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adult’s policies for further guidance. These issue and procedures will be explored in

introductory training.

Keeping boundaries Many volunteers take part in this scheme because they wish to help. It is often human nature

to wish to help people out. The role of mentor can provide a huge amount of support to

somebody, but only if it is carried out within certain boundaries.

We ask that volunteers treat the relationship as a professional one rather than a friendship

and do not get involved with a person’s life beyond the context of the scheme. This is

because we don’t want to create attachments or dependencies on any individual. The aim of

the scheme is to encourage independence rather than dependence. This is a topic which is

covered more in initial training.

Things a mentor should not be doing There are also certain roles/ activities that are not included in a mentor’s role and should not

be carried out. These include:

Personal care i.e. washing or dressing someone

Giving legal advice

Getting involved in someone’s financial affairs

Being alone with children or a child (anyone under age of 18)

Becoming friends/ attached

Getting involved in case work

Counselling/ therapy

Giving formal advice

Advocacy

Giving lifts -however there is some exception to this and can be discussed with a

staff member

Sharing people’s details with third parties without their consent or staff approval

(except in the case of emergency).

Communications Communication is a key part of the role and mentors will need to make contact with the

participant to arrange project activity. However, mentors also need to be wary of keeping

boundaries and not sharing more personal information than is necessary.

We encourage volunteers to keep their personal information personal. For this reason, we

would encourage you not to share your details with a participant if you do not feel

comfortable doing so.

Volunteers are welcome to share their number with a participant if they feel it will be useful. If

they would prefer not to then the sessions can be arranged through the office.

If a mentor feels that their number is being abused or used inappropriately at any point, then

they should notify a project staff member at the first possible instance.




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Health and safety

Insurance All volunteers are insured under our policy provided that they have acted within our policies

and procedures and filled out/ viewed any necessary paperwork asked of them.

Driving We ask that volunteers use public transport where possible during project activity. However,

if you feel that you need to drive in order to get to your place of volunteering then please let

us know and we can talk you through the procedures and how to claim mileage and ensure

you have the right insurance.

Risk assessments All activities are risk assessed before they commence. It is the responsibility of the volunteer

to ensure they have seen the risk assessment online and taken any actions asked of them. It

is also the responsibility of the volunteer to be familiar with the policies and procedures of

the organisation.

Lone working Mentors on the scheme usually work on a one to one basis with a participant. Usually this is

problem-free. However, we want to ensure that the volunteering experience is as safe as

possible for all those involved.

For this reason, we ask that volunteers try where possible to meet participants in a public

space and try not go to their home or invite them to yours.

We ask that volunteers always carry a mobile phone on them with the details of office staff

saved on it. We also ask that volunteers make project staff aware of when their sessions are

scheduled for.

We ask all mentors to text the project staff before and after each session and if possible

email a summary afterwards.

There are also panic alarms available from the office if you feel you would like to carry one

on you whilst volunteering.

Confidentiality When you volunteer on the project, we respect your personal information and will not share

this with anyone without your consent. We also expect that you respect other people’s

confidentiality.

Throughout the project you may become aware of personal information regarding

participants, for example, contact details and life histories. We ask that, unless you feel that

somebody else needs to know for the purposes of safety/ wellbeing, then you do not share

this information with anyone outside of the scheme.

If you feel that anything is affecting you or you need to talk to somebody about something

you have heard or seen then please contact a member of staff- we will be very happy to

listen to you.




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You will also be asked to carry out paperwork in partnership with a participant. We will give

you a file to store paperwork in so that it can be kept private. We ask that this paperwork is

not shared with anyone outside of the scheme or left visible in public places. At the end of

the project the paperwork will need to be returned to us we can see the information for

monitoring and put it in safe storage.

The forms will also be online so the completed forms can be emailed to us if easier.

Representing the organisation It is our aim to give our client groups the most positive experience possible from their

encounters with Cities of Sanctuary. For this reason we ask that volunteers bear in mind the

following:

Language We ask that all volunteers think carefully about the language they use and avoid swearing or

abusive language. We also ask that volunteers avoid any terminology which may be

discriminatory or demeaning to people.

Dress We ask that volunteers dress respectfully to the situation they are volunteering in and avoid

clothing with offensive language or images on it. In some situations volunteers may be

working with groups where certain types of clothing may affect the volunteering relationship.

Although it is the decision of the volunteer what to wear, they may wish to consider if it will

affect the relationship with the client i.e. low cut tops.

Actions We ask that volunteers treat the people they encounter on the scheme with dignity and

respect and do not make any comments or take any actions which would lead the

organisation unnecessarily into disrepute. Sometimes volunteers may encounter negative

attitudes from members of the public which may, understandably, cause anger. We ask that

volunteer’s act at all times as an ambassador for the organisation and seek support for

themselves if they become upset by anything.

Time commitments The role of mentor requires a level of commitment. If you feel that you are unable to commit

the time needed then please let us know at the earliest possible stage as there may be

different volunteer roles available.

We ask that all volunteers commit to the initial training session (4-5 hours). This only needs

to be done once. We also ask that all volunteers attend supervision and evaluation sessions.

The time involved in project activity will vary on an individual basis. There may be between 2

and 8 sessions, but usually we would expect it to be 3-4 sessions. Sessions may vary in

length from 1-2 hours to 3-4 hours depending on the activity.

Volunteers and participants are encouraged to arrange timings that suit them both so that

the volunteer knows in advance and can make sure the time is free.




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Information storage and monitoring As an organisation we store basic information about volunteers. This is kept in a locked filing

cabinet and on a password protected cloud-drive on our computers.

We also ask for monitoring and evaluation information which is made anonymous and which

we may use to update funding bodies and for publicity.

If you have any concerns about us using your information in this ay then please do let us

know.

Concerns and compliments

Raising a concern about us If you encounter a problem with the scheme then please let us know. You can do this by

contacting a project staff member. If you feel you cannot talk to a project staff member or

they are unavailable then please contact a DPIA staff member. If you feel that you cannot

talk to either of these bodies then please contact a DPIA trustee.

Finally, if you feel that the issue needs to be taken higher then please contact the charity

commission (http://forms.charitycommission.gov.uk/contact-us/general-enquiries/report-a-

concern-about-a-charity/raising-concerns-about-a-charity/) for general purposes or the police

if you believe illegal activity is taking place.

Equally, we welcome compliments so we can continue to build on the things we do well. If

you would like to make a compliment, then please contact a member of project staff.

If we have concerns about you We will aim to always let you know that you are doing well. However, occasionally we may

have concerns about a volunteer’s practice or behaviour. If this happens then we will aim to

talk to you at the earliest stage and in the most proactive way possible. In the majority of

cases, any issues can be solved easily and are sometimes down to misunderstandings.

In the rare event that we believe a volunteer is acting in a way which puts anyone else in

danger or puts the

Ending your volunteering placement Usually volunteers finish their placement on a pre-agreed date. If they wish to extend this

with Welcome to Swansea then this is usually welcome. Once volunteers have finished we

ask that they complete the necessary evaluation paperwork and exit interviews. A certificate

will be sent out on receipt of this information.

Finishing early We ask that volunteers stay on their placement for the pre-agreed period. However, we do

understand that situations arise and that volunteers need occasionally need to leave a

placement prior to the pre-agreed date. In this instance we ask that volunteers notify us by

email, telephone or letter with as much notice as possible and outlining the reasons as much

as they feel able to. We also ask that every attempt is made to complete the necessary

paperwork i.e. learning logs for our monitoring purposes.


http://forms.charitycommission.gov.uk/contact-us/general-enquiries/report-a-concern-about-a-charity/raising-concerns-about-a-charity/

http://forms.charitycommission.gov.uk/contact-us/general-enquiries/report-a-concern-about-a-charity/raising-concerns-about-a-charity/



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We also hold the right to ask a volunteer to leave the scheme early if we feel that their

behaviour or attitude is in any way negatively impacting the role. We use the induction period

as an opportunity to assess skills, behaviours and attitudes. If, at any point, during this

period we feel the role is not suitable for a volunteer then we will let them know and suggest

other suitable volunteering opportunities to them.

Volunteering again Volunteers are welcome to re-apply to volunteer at any point and need not complete the

initial paperwork and training again.




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Appendix a: volunteering process:

Evaluation appointments

Review any further needs for participantReview process/ learning needs for volunteer

Subsequent sessions (2-8) approx)

To be decided according to plan Share useful information on forum

First session (once training and reference complete)

Meet with staff member to estbalish best hopes

complete action plan

Induction process

Introductory training (3-4 hours) carry out reference

Initial contact is made

Volunteer information pack (including application form) is sent to you.

Completed application form returned to us.




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Appendix B: Useful questions and resources

Questions What are your best hopes for our session today/ our work together?

Did we do everything you hoped for in our last session? If not then what can we work

on?

How can we make today’s session most useful for you?

When you’ve faced this kind of issue/ problem in the past, how have you resolved it?

What was the thing you were most pleased you did today?

Resources Reading:

This is where I am (Karen Campbell): a fictional novel based on the relationship

between a volunteer mentor and the refugee mentee. Available in Swansea library.

From There to Here: Short stories about people’s experiences of migrating to

Britain. Available in Cities of Sanctuary office.

The other hand (Chris Cleeve): a fictional novel about a Nigerian asylum seeker.

In the Sea there are Crocodiles (Fabio Geda): The true story of a man’s journey to

Europe.

Information:

Mentor forum: http://swanseasanctuary.freeforums.net . this is a confidential forum

that mentors can register with and where we share useful information as a team.

Mentor calendar: https://teamup.com/ks5c2b37ae73f6fe7e Please check regularly

and add any events you become aware of.

Swansea Bay Asylum seeker support group website: http://www.swansea-

arrivals.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=40&Itemid=68

Unity in diversity’s database of services: An online directory of services that

refugees and asylum seekers may need to access. Volunteers can also contribute or

make amendments by emailing [email protected] Resource available at:

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1RRBpXwMwd2tpaV0s4ZmSIWMwuZvpuK2

zS49wYSjKZcE/pub?start=true&loop=false&delayms=10000&slide=id.p


http://swanseasanctuary.freeforums.net/

https://teamup.com/ks5c2b37ae73f6fe7e

http://www.swansea-arrivals.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=40&Itemid=68

http://www.swansea-arrivals.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=40&Itemid=68


https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1RRBpXwMwd2tpaV0s4ZmSIWMwuZvpuK2zS49wYSjKZcE/pub?start=true&loop=false&delayms=10000&slide=id.p

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1RRBpXwMwd2tpaV0s4ZmSIWMwuZvpuK2zS49wYSjKZcE/pub?start=true&loop=false&delayms=10000&slide=id.p



18



Appendix C: supervision form General overview of what you have been doing and how it has been going:

What have you learned about yourself?

Things you would like to develop?

Positive things to build on

When you are performing ‘at your best’ as a mentor, how will you know? What will you be

doing? Who will notice? What will they notice?

What am I doing already? What do I need to do more of?

Empowering people to do things for themselves

Being led by needs and wishes of participant

Working independently

Being warm, empathetic and non-judgemental

Recognising if someone needs further support

Using project specific systems and paperwork

Developing rapport with the participant

Time management i.e. punctuality

Challenging discrimination tactfully




19



Appendix D: emergency contact and support services Although we try as far as possible to respond immediately to concerns you may encounter, we are

not always available.

This sheet is designed to help you access the right support when you need it in our absence. If you

arrange any support for anyone please do update us via phone or email at the earliest possible time.

As with any situation, unless it is an emergency/ impossible please first check that the person gives

consent for their details to be shared with an outside agency -as respecting the privacy of the people

we work with is crucial.

Please only pass people’s details on to trusted agencies/ organisations.

Swansea office numbers: Hannah (only works 3 days per week) 07496172896

Richenda (works Monday-Friday 09.00-16.30) 07496172895

Eleri (works Monday- Friday 09.00-16.30) 07496172898

Cardiff office numbers: Richard: 02920482478

Laura: 07496172894 (only works 2 days per week)

Concerns about people’s safety: If you have immediate concerns about someone’s wellbeing or safety, or believe a crime has

been committed then contact 999 as you would in any emergency. Or to report a non-urgent

crime dial 101.

If you are worried that a child is being abused/ harmed by someone and you cannot get hold

of DPIA/ CoS staff then contact Swansea safeguarding team on 01792 635700 or 01792

775501.

If you are worried that a vulnerable adult is being abused/ harmed by somebody else and

you cannot get hold of DPIA/ CoS staff then contact Swansea safeguarding team on 01792

636854.

If somebody has a been a victim of hate crime i.e. crime related to ethnicity, disability,

gender etc. and wishes to report to someone who is not the police then contact Victim

Support on 0300 30 31 982 (Freephone)

Support with asylum/ benefits/ housing related concerns Sometimes people may ask for support with regards to their asylum case, the home office, benefits

payments or problems with their allocated housing. We ask volunteers not to get involved

themselves with these issues, but the following agencies may be able to help:

Asylum help: can give advice, information and guidance about queries with the Home Office,

accommodation or benefits payments. They have a helpline in 15 different languages. Call

08088000630 and request your preferred language.




20



Asylum help outreach: The Asylum Help team in Cardiff will come out and visit/ telephone people directly who are having difficulties with money/ benefits, housing or generally with any issues. However usually only if children are involved or somebody is particularly vulnerable i.e. has a disability or health condition (including mental health). Contact Victoria on 01304806675 or 07815694975 or [email protected]

The Ethnic Youth Support Team offer advice appointments for asylum seekers regarding the home office, payments, general difficulties. To arrange an appointment contact 01792 466980 and ask for an appointment with Aliya.

If people wish to report a problem with their housing, then the first step should be to

contact their housing manager (number on notice board in the house). If they feel

uncomfortable doing this, they can contact Asylum Help on the numbers above.

If anyone feels that their home represents an environmental hazard i.e. damp, unsafe areas,

broken fire doors, overcrowding, build-up of rubbish then the Environmental Health

department should be contacted on [email protected] or 0179263500

Food banks and material goods: Where possible we encourage volunteers not to give gifts, food, lifts etc. themselves. This is to

maintain an equal relationship balance and for the safety of all involved. If people have immediate

needs for finances, food or material goods then the following agencies might be able to help.

The Bloom project can sometimes help people to source material items such as clothes, toys

etc. and also sometimes help with food packages.

Food packages available from The Roots Foundation Wales The Hut Llwyn Deri Hal Ravenhill

Road SA5 5AW every Thursday 11-2- just turn up.

There is a list of food banks here http://swansea.foodbank.org.uk/ and also the Mosque on

st. Helen’s road has a foodbank.

There are also a few food packages here in the SCVS office that can be accessed in an

emergency.

If people find themselves in a situation where they may need additional payments from the

Home Office i.e. someone is in hospital and family need to visit or a change of circumstances

such as a health condition, then they can also contact Victoria at Migrant Help on

01304806675 or 07815694975 or [email protected]

Legal support As volunteers we cannot offer guidance to anyone regarding their asylum claim or any legal issues.

This is because we are not trained to do so. The following agencies may be able to help:

Most people should have a solicitor. If they don’t then the first place to try in Swansea is NLS

on 01792 687717 or Ty Arian on 01792 485200

Asylum justice is a free legal service for asylum seekers. It’s run by volunteers so may not be

able to offer immediate support. They are on 02920 499421 or [email protected]



http://swansea.foodbank.org.uk/





21



Health and wellbeing needs: If someone has emergency health needs they should dial 999/ report to the accident and

emergency department at Morriston hospital.

If you are unsure if it’s an emergency, but would like advice then you can call NHS Direct on

0845 46 47 (English and Welsh language only)

If someone has non-urgent health needs they should contact their GP. Please note that all

GP surgeries have a duty to use a translation phone line during an appointment if somebody

needs a translator. It sometimes helps if the reception staff can be alerted to any language

needs when booking the appointment.

If somebody does not have a GP or dentist, then contact the Health Access Team on 01792

517882 to register.

All asylum seekers should receive an HC2 certificate so they can access free transport (bus

fare reimbursement) to outpatient appointments. If they don’t have this, they should

contact Migrant Help on the number above to arrange.

If anybody is having issues or problems with the treatment they are receiving for their

health, then they can have support from an advocate from Swansea Bay Regional Equality

Council 01792 457035 or [email protected] . They have volunteers who speak a

number of languages.

Counselling, therapy and homeopathy are available through the African community Centre

on 01792 470298. People can also request mental health support services through their GP.

If somebody wishes to talk to a trained volunteer who can listen to their problems or

worries, then The Samaritans are available on 116123 (free number) or 01792 655999. Or

you can visit at 17 St John’s Road, Mansleton, SA5 8PR (English language only)



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