Volunteering
Volunteers are central to enabling MRSN to undertake all aspects of its work. There are a range of different projects that you can be involved in. Some of the roles need a regular commitment each week, whereas others are more occasional. You will need to be available weekdays during the day for all areas of volunteer work. We particularly welcome refugees and asylum seekers who wish to volunteer at MRSN. All volunteers receive induction training and ongoing support with further training opportunities offered as needed for different roles.
Volunteer roles at MRSN
The work of all our projects is supported by volunteers:
Advice Centre
MRSN's advice service offers advice on welfare benefits and tax credits, debt, housing, asylum support and access to health services to refugees and asylum seekers in Manchester. It runs drop-in advice sessions and appointments. Volunteers support the advice service through reception work and interpreting for clients who don't speak English. They can also provide basic information, and make telephone calls on behalf of clients. Volunteers may also undertake an advocacy role for clients, accompanying them to appointments and interpreting if necessary.
Volunteers can also train to give advice: we can arrange training in advice skills, welfare rights, health, asylum support, and other issues. Volunteers need to be available for at least nine months to make this worth while.
You will need to be available for a minimum of 6 months for reception and interpreting roles and at least 9 months to train to give advice (½ – 1 day a week minimum). Good spoken English is needed for all roles. Good written English is needed for advice and form filling. Volunteers who speak Somali, Arabic or other refugee languages are particularly needed.
Community Development
One of MRSN's core roles is supporting Refugee Community Organisations (RCOs) to become strong and independent. MRSN has a membership of 21 RCOs and is in contact with around 40 in Greater Manchester. MRSN is currently seeking to develop the role of volunteers in this area of work, for which there is a great demand. Volunteers might support new RCOs with the tasks involved in setting up a new organisation or in developing projects and activities. Or they could assist in providing information through MRSN's bi-monthly newsletter for RCOs or its Directory of RCOs.
You will need to be available for a minimum of 5 hours a week for at least 6 months. This role will need good spoken and written English.
Refugee and Migrant Forum Manchester
The Forum aims to enable refugees and asylum seekers to express the needs and aspirations of their communities and to play a part in influencing policy in the city of Manchester and across the UK. The Forum works to improve the treatment of people going through the asylum system and campaigns on a range of issues affecting refugees and asylum seekers. For instance it is currently supporting the Refugee Council and TUC with a national campaign for the right to work for asylum seekers. Volunteers can support the Forum Worker with administration, research and with organising and running events.
You will need to be committed to working to improve the rights of asylum seekers and refugees, speak and write good English, have good IT skills and be available for 7 hours a week for at least 6 months, including some evenings.
MRSN admin and finance support
The role of volunteers in the different projects can involve admin support to the project and to MRSN as an organisation, including reception and answering the phone. In addition, volunteers with finance or IT skills are particularly useful.Volunteers are an important part of our organisation.
Current vacancies
At present we only have limited vacancies for volunteers for the following specific roles. You would need to be available for at least 6 months:
1- Somali and Farsi speaking advice reception and interpreting volunteers – to undertake reception duties and/or interpreting support for the MRSN advice service.Skills/experience needed:- Good spoken English and Somali or Farsi
- Good communication and interpersonal skills and confidence to deal with the public
- Basic admin skills and ability to undertake simple tasks on behalf of clients
- Good interpersonal and communication skills in person and on the phone
- Good spoken and written English
- Good IT skills
- Admin experience and understanding of admin systems
- Good IT skills, particularly website design/maintenance and sound knowledge of Excel
- Good written English
- Ability to understand and communicate MRSN's work and liaise effectively with Project staff to achieve this.
- Good planning and organisation skills and ability to work on own intitiative
- Good spoken and written English
- Ability to liaise effectively with refugee organisations and service providers
- Good IT skills and preferably experience in producing documents and using desktop publishing and database packages.
- Energy, enthusiasm, creativity, organisational skills
- Previous experience of fundraising would be a bonus
How to apply to be a volunteer
If you are interested in one of our current vacancies please download the Volunteer Application Form and either email it to info@mrsn.org.uk or post it to MRSN. If you are interested in volunteering with one of the MRSN Projects if we have vacancies in the future, you are welcome to complete and return an application form which we can keep on our waiting list. Thank you for your interest in volunteering at MRSN.
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