Refugees & asylum seekers volunteering – experiences & outcomes atNorthern Refugee Centre

Juan Varela

Volunteer Befriending Scheme Worker

Northern Refugee Centre

Independent charity Set up in 1983 Currently 14 paid staff Over 300 volunteers since 2001 Geographical range:

South Yorkshire direct services Yorkshire / (UK) strategic / policy role

Current main areas of work

Advice

Community development

Volunteering

Employment research project

Awareness-raising

Volunteer roles since 2001

Advice / Meet & Greet Befriending

Conversation Clubs Reception / general assistant

IT4Communities

Total: over 300 volunteers

Volunteering evaluation 2001-2003

Advice-5.4%

Befriending-30.4%

Meet & greet interpreting-14.3%Volunteering at the NRC-23.2%

General Assistant-1.8%

Conversation club-25.0%

Volunteering evaluation 2001-2003

Gender of volunteers

Male-51.8%

Female-48.2%

Age range of volunteers

Under 25-27.3%

25 to 50-50.9%

Over 50-21.8%

Volunteering evaluation 2001-2003

Country of origin

UK (48.2)

Angola (3.6)Yemen (3.6)Albania (1.8)

USA (1.8)Brazil (1.8)

Afghanistan (5.4)

South Africa (1.8)

Iran (12.5)

Ukraine (1.8)

Algeria (1.8)

Congo (1.8)

Iraq (3.6)

Hungary (1.8)

Nigeria (3.6)Chad (1.8)

Somalia (3.6)

Volunteering evaluation 2001-2003Volunteers employment status

05

101520253035404550556065707580859095

100

05

101520253035404550556065707580859095

100

Full employ Part employ Full student Retired unemployed Unknown

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Start of volunteeri Status Feb 11th '03

Volunteering evaluation 2001-2003

Immigration status of volunteers

Asylum-26.8%

Refugee-14.3%Neither-58.9%

2001-3 conclusions

Asylum seeker volunteers c.25% Refugee volunteers c.15%

Some reasons for high figure: Quick induction Lots of company Single office; captive audience Barriers to refugees volunteering

elsewhere or accessing information

Total 40%

Volunteering 2004-5

Asylum seeker volunteers c.5% Refugee volunteers c.5%

Some reasons for low figure

Total 10%

Volunteering 2004-5

Some reasons for low figure: Funding specifically for befriending scheme Mental health focus One-to-one activity Slow induction and matching Criminal record checks Already volunteering in refugee community Volunteer Centre Sheffield refugee project

Refugee & asylum seeker involvement: benefits for organisation

Broad range of backgrounds & experience Empathy with, & knowledge of, user group Education level higher than native

population’s Increases cultural awareness among staff Word of mouth publicity for organisation Skills & training enhanced service

delivery

Refugees & asylum seeker involvement: benefits for them

Not allowed to work, but can volunteer Improves English Reduces isolation, improves integration References, accreditation & skills jobs

/ education Opportunity to “give something back”

Good practice Extra support for volunteer if necessary Awareness-raising among organisations Good practice guides, e.g. “A-Z of

Volunteering and Asylum” Translated information, e.g. Voluntary

Action Sheffield website Networking and joint working Refugee community development work

Case study 1 Northern Refugee Centre work:

1 refugee community development worker, helping a few targeted groups and an awareness-raising group

1 Refugee Communities Forum Support Worker “Rights & entitlements” training course

(funding from Challenge Fund; delivered by Advice Service Manager)

Befriending scheme for refugees suffering from depression, anxiety, isolation etc.

Case study 2

Conversation Club Sheffield Run by volunteers Improving spoken English in

welcoming environment Social activities High profile!

Case study 3 Volunteer Centre Sheffield

Refugee & Asylum Seeker ProjectAims:

Give in-depth support to refugees and asylum seekers who want to volunteer and have been matched to a volunteer placement.

Increase the number of suitable volunteering opportunities.

Promote good practice in volunteering with refugees and asylum seekers.

Case study 3 (Volunteer Centre Sheffield)…

How people heard about the project

21%

15%

15%14%

5%

5%

5%

3%

2%1%2%

4%

4%

1% 1%1%1%

Drop-in

Friend / Relative

Tennancy Support Worker

Outreach

Passing By

RNAP

Careers Service

VC Staff

Health Professional/Clinic

ESOL Class

Other

Refugee Council

CAB Advice Centre

Social Worker

Newspaper/ Radio

Do-It Website

Case study 3 (Volunteer Centre Sheffield)…

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5

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15

20

25

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Volunteers Nationality

Volunteers

Case study 3 (Volunteer Centre Sheffield)…

Primary Reason to Volunteer

37%

20%

13%

9%

4%

4%

3%

2%2%

2% 2%1%1%

Gain skills and experience to gain paid work

Help others

Constructive use of time

Improve English

Don't want to forget skills/ studies

Give something back to the community

To get out of the house

Not allowed to work

Relieve depression/Mental health

Meet new people

Unhappy on benefits without doing anything

Interest in a specific area

Re-train in previous profession

Contact details

Tel. Sheffield +44 114 2412782

juan.varela@nrcentre.org.uk

www.nrcentre.org.uk