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why?
what?
how?
some of your questions answered

 

why?
Work in the community is work experience: Get closer to your community, spend time doing work you find rewarding and improve your future job prospects.

Anyone can give time as a volunteer. It doesn’t matter how old you are, where you live or whether you are an asylum seeker or refugee.

Volunteering allows you to:

• Get involved in your local community in the UK
• Make new friends
• Use and develop your English language skills
• Gain Work experience in the UK
• Get a British reference
• Build your skills and develop new ones
• Enhance your CV - future employers will be impressed that you have shown initiative and commitment.
• Increase your confidence

what?
Volunteers are involved in every aspect of life in the UK. Asylum seekers throughout the country are already giving time in lots of different ways, for example as:

• befrienders
• interpreters
• administrators
• fundraisers
• finance officers
• advisers to asylum seekers and refugees
• retail assistants
• football coaches
• gardeners
• human rights activists

N.B. Remember that you will need a basic command of English before getting involved in most, but not all, activities.

how?
Find the volunteering opportunity that is right for you:

By searching for opportunities on our online database (click here)

Or

By dropping in to the city centre office during office hours to browse the catalogue (see map below)

Or

By making an appointment to meet with an adviser to get some help to find opportunities that would suit you and get any advice you might need.

If you or someone you know needs help with English, please bring along someone that can interpret for you. Alternatively, the Volunteer Centre may be able to access an interpreter.

Some of your questions answered:

Will I get paid?
Volunteering is not paid, but many organisations will offer to reimburse you for out-of-pocket expenses - for example for travel costs.

Am I allowed to volunteer?
Asylum seekers are now free to volunteer as soon as they enter the country, and can claim out-of-pocket expenses incurred during voluntary work.

Will volunteering affect my welfare benefits?
No. As an asylum-seeker your benefits will not be affected by volunteering. So long as you are not undertaking PAID employment you are free to volunteer.

Do I need to have a basic command of English?
You will need a basic command of English before getting involved in most - but not all - activities. If you or someone you know wants an appointment with us to help find opportunities that will suit you, and needs help with English, please bring along someone that can interpret for you. Alternatively, the Volunteer Centre may be able to access an interpreter.

Will volunteering affect my claim for asylum?
No. Volunteering will not affect your claim for asylum either in a positive or negative way. The Home Office will not even know that you volunteer unless you choose to tell them.

Do I have to tell the Job Centre?
If you have refugee status and are claiming benefits from Job Centre Plus, you can still volunteer. You should seek further advice about your particular benefits.

This project is delivered in partnership with Timebank and is funded by the Immigration and Nationality Directorate of the Home Office