Befriender for Young Refugees & Asylum Seekers
SKILLS
FULL DESCRIPTION
Befriender for Young Refugees & Asylum Seekers
Befriend a young refugee aged 17-24 who is living alone in North London. This can involve going on outings, support with education and work, or just being a friend. Befrienders meet once a fortnight. Training and ongoing support is provided.
What difference you will make
[Employer hidden — view at passion-project.co.uk] is welcoming new volunteer befrienders for our JUMP project, which pairs unaccompanied young asylum seekers and refugees with a trained adult volunteer befriender. At its heart, JUMP is about building sincere and supportive friendships. You'll meet fortnightly with a refugee or asylum-seeking young person for a year, and potentially beyond. Our volunteers provide informal support and friendship - and the impact is long-lasting and varied, depending on both people's interests.
What additional skills or experience you should have
- Able to establish good relationships with young people.
- Able to use a non-judgemental, non-directive approach to working with young people.
- Empathy, sensitivity and patience
- Strong communication and listening skills.
- Reliable in making and keeping commitments, including arrangements to meet up.
- Aware of the needs of young people.
- Sympathy for the difficulties that asylum seeking/refugee children and young people face.
- Willing to enhance own awareness of the issues facing asylum-seeking and refugee children/young people through training.
- Aware of safeguarding and child protection issues, and: Willing to enhance this through JUMP training. Willing to follow JCORE’s safeguarding policy and procedures.
- Willing to ask for help when uncertain when befriending and to discuss the experience of befriending through regular updates and supervision.
What training we will provide for you
Safeguarding Knowledge of the Asylum System
What you will get out of volunteering for us
Each volunteer befriender receives ongoing support from the JUMP project lead. If you are successful in becoming a volunteer befriender you will also become a member of the JUMP community. The JUMP community is made up of current volunteer befrienders and young people who meet every 3 months to take part in a wide range of activities. To ensure our volunteer team is as diverse as possible, JUMP covers expenses relating to volunteering.
Not sure which role suits you or need a little friendly help? Please contact Angie at [contact hidden] for London or Rebecca at [contact hidden] for Manchester.