Bromsgrove and Redditch Welcome Refugees
Description of the role
Are you interested in meeting people from a different culture and helping them make sense of life in the UK? Would you like to use or develop your organisational and problem solving skills, whilst gaining in resilience and empathy?
As a Befriender, you will be a friendly listening ear and a first point of contact for the people you support. You will also offer social support and help them make sense of the new cultural context they are in and understand British customs.
You will not be expected to do all of the following. You will usually be part of a team supporting an individual or a family unit so tasks will be shared.
You may be called upon to:
- Offer basic emotional support
- Source furniture and furnishings
- Explore and show public transport options
- Flag up or show local facilities (e.g. parks, leisure centres)
- Help to register with local services, including banks, GPs and NHS dentists
- Explain how services work, in particular the NHS
- Take to appointments
- Act as an intermediary to overcome some of the initial language barriers
- Explain and action correspondence (e.g. hospital appointment letters, letters from utility companies)
- Sign post to services (e.g. Youth clubs, Parent support groups, Wellbeing support)
- Explore and help enrol on English language courses, and other educational courses
- Help with filling forms (e.g. school admissions, benefits)
- Accompany on social outings organised by BRWR
This is a hugely rewarding role: you learn a lot about another culture and you get to experience how things work in your own country through a lens you may not have used before. Most importantly, meeting and befriending people from a different culture is interesting and fun!
We would love to welcome onboard enthusiastic, friendly, open minded, resourceful and reliable people. All ages and backgrounds can make a valuable contribution to our organisation. This opportunity could provide a springboard for someone training in Social care or Education to develop their skills.
Practical Considerations
This role often involves working in people’s homes, which may present accessibility issues. Expenses are paid for mileage and administration expenses incurred as part of the role.
Any specific requirements
- Requires References
- Requires Criminal Record Check (DBS)
- You must live or work locally
- You must be 18 or over to apply
Where is the opportunity based?
The opportunity is across Bromsgrove and Redditch areas.
When is the opportunity available?
This opportunity has very flexible hours
About the organisation
Bromsgrove and Redditch Welcome Refugees (BRWR) is a group of volunteers set up in 2015, to support local refugees who arrived under the government’s Syrian Vulnerable Persons’ Relocation Scheme. Since then, we’ve expanded our work to support new arrivals from other countries including Afghanistan and Ukraine.
We are guided by our refugee friends regarding the specific type of support they need, and we aim to provide a dedicated volunteer to provide that support.
The help we offer varies from financial loans to practical support such as local knowledge, lifts, DIY and form-filling for jobs or benefits.
Other important facilities are weekly support group meetings in Bromsgrove and Redditch which, as well as providing regular help and assistance, allow refugees and volunteers to develop personal friendships.
Bromsgrove and Redditch Network 