Volunteering to help refugees and asylum seekers in Leeds

1. Volunteering to help refugees and asylum seekers in Leeds What can I do to help? How can I be useful?  What volunteering roles are out there? Tina Brocklebank   hello@leeds.cityofsanctuary.org

2. “If you have never volunteered before you might want to apply for short term roles or one off events in the first instance, to make sure volunteering is something you want to do!” “Make sure you are provided with a clear role description...ask what support/policies /procedures are in place for you in your role” Volunteering is an opportunity to try something new! You might find a new interest or hobby while learning new skills Think about why you want to volunteer.. It will make it easier to choose the right opportunities if you know what you want to get out of it. “If you are not enjoying a volunteering opportunity it is perfectly acceptable to move on to new opportunities. It is good practice to be upfront and honest with the organisation and let them know Identify the skills/life experience you have to offer Be realistic about the amount of time you can commit and the logistics of fitting volunteering into your life. It's better to start small than take on too  much too soon... Research the organisations you want to get involved with beforehand, to make sure their causes and ethics match your beliefs and the issues that are important to you”..

3. The Migrant Support Sector in Leeds • Teaching English • Practical Support/Orientation  • Giving someone a home • Helping people make friends • Distributing/collecting food/clothing • Legal support • Employment, Education, skill-sharing • Health • Young people • Other advertised vacancies in Leeds this month • Where to get further information

4. Teaching English • Learning English in Leeds: follow this link for information about all English providers in Leeds. • St. Vincent’s Support Centre   More information here. Curtis House, Berking Avenue, Leeds. LS9 9L. Their Thursday drop-in 10am -12 midday offers ESOL support. Contact Victoria on  Victoria.Prout@stvincents-svp.org.uk or on 0113 248 4126 • L.A.S.S.N. - Leeds Asylum Seekers’ Support Network – English at Home(Citywide) More information here or contact David Skivington 07564 267 065or Riley Coles 07927 808375 • R.E.T.A.S (Refugee Education Training & Advisory Service) - Adult Community Learning Learning Support  Assistant . Monday or Tuesday 9.30am to 12.30pm or 1pm till 4pm • Contact Charlotte Hegarty on  charlotte@retasleeds.co.ukor  0113 380 5630. Information here .                 233-237 Roundhay Road, Leeds LS8 4HS. • Meeting Point –More information hereor email Emma on emma.c@ccacp.org.uk0113 2796700 . Christ Church, Armley Ridge Rd, Leeds LS12 3LN.Mon 1.30-2.30pm. Wed.11am-12.30.  • Rainbow Hearts women’s group information here :  Experience of teaching EFL or ESOL is an advantage, but ability to support women build confidence in their English skills is more important.  The ideal volunteer would have a confident and friendly manner, be able to plan short, simple learning activities for a handful of women, work within a busy environment and occasionally prepare women with vocabulary comprehension in preparation for planned group discussion topics. Two groups, each of which meet once a fortnight on alternate weeks.  • Tuesdays 10:30-12:30. One Community Centre, Cromwell Street, Lincoln Green, LS9 7SG. Contact Sally : Sally@womenshealthmatters.org.uk • English in the CommunityQualified EFL teachers to teach classes on Thursday mornings and Friday mornings at Scargill Grange Community Centre, LS9 7ES. Contact Dawn on englishinthecommunity@gmail.com

5. Practical Support & Orientation • P.A.F.R.A.S.- Positive Action for Refugees and Asylum Seekers (support for those destitute)  Email Emma at : volunteering@manuelbravo.org.uk.  St Aidan's Community Hall, Elford Place West, Leeds,  LS8 5QD • More informationhere .Volunteers needed for the well attended Wednesday drop in10am -1.30pm especially:  • Welcome team, Wellbeing volunteers, Family area volunteers • Advice volunteers - one-off advice at drop-in around simple matters & refer complex matters to PAFRAS caseworkers. Full training and supervision  given. Need to be available  Wednesday and Thursday to attend drop-in and complete follow-ups/training. • Meeting Point :  • Assist with the weekly drop-in  open for clients from 3-6pm; volunteers needed from 11am and 2.30pm. • Children’s games, arts and crafts, Women’s activities, Hot meal, Food packages, Nearly new shop, English classes, Conversation, befriending, PC and internet use, Help desk – for help with filling in forms, phone calls. • Contact: email Emma on emma.c@ccacp.org.uk0113 2796700 . Christ Church, Armley Ridge Rd, Leeds LS12 3LN. • British Red Cross www.redcross.org.uk Vacancies are regularly updated  here . • Refugee Peer Buddy Volunteer,  Refugee Peer Educator Volunteer - create and deliver a series of life skills education programmes. City wide • RETAS: • Friday Drop In – Volunteer, Support Assistant, 9.30 till 1.30 every Friday • 28 day project – Volunteer Support Assistant - 4 hours a week (hours flexible) - Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday • 28 day project – Mentor - Up to 3 month’s commitment per match, 2 hours a week • Housing Support Group -Volunteer Support Assistant. 9.45 to 12.30 every Thursday • Contact Charlotte Hegarty on  charlotte@retasleeds.co.ukor  0113 380 5630. Information here .  233-237 Roundhay Road, Leeds LS8 4HS.

6. Giving someone a home • L.A.S.S.N. - Leeds Asylum Seekers’ Support Network - Grace Hosting. More information here or contact Jo Cartergracehosting@lassn.org.uk, 07927 808372. Grace Hosting needs: • Shorter Stay Hosts offer to put someone up for anything between one night and a few weeks. • Longer Stay Hosts provide accommodation ranging from a few weeks or sometimes even months at a time. • Co-ordinators – people who help link Hosts with people needing accommodation. If you can spare a few hours during the day on a regular basis, want to volunteer from home and have access to a telephone and PC, please consider volunteering as a Grace host Coordinator. __________________________________________________________________- Last month Grace Hosts provided 408 nights of warmth and welcome to 25 people in a single month – despite this there are far more referrals than hosts and people regularly have nowhere safe to sleep. Can you help?.

7. Making friends • L.A.S.S.N. - Leeds Asylum Seekers Support Network.  Volunteers for new "Meet and Connect'' groups contact Tina Brocklebank at befriending@lassn.org.ukor on  07845 298039. (Citywide) • Refugee Council: www.refugeecouncil.org.uk. Contact Fleur Gribble on 0113 386 2219 Email: fleur.gribble@refugeecouncil.org.uk . Citywide • Volunteer Befriender • Mill Hill Conversation café: Needs volunteers to help people feel welcome, to play board games and to chat to people. Thursdays 2.30-4.30pm. Mill Hill Chapel, City Square. LS1 5EB. Information here • PAFRAS Women’s Group volunteer (to attend a group on a Tuesday).   Email Emma at  volunteering@manuelbravo.org.uk • Rainbow Hearts:  Arts and Crafts Volunteer: work with a small group of women to support them with arts/craft activities. Tuesdays 10:30-12:30. One Community Centre, Cromwell Street, Lincoln Green, LS9 7SG. Contact Sally : Sally@womenshealthmatters.org.uk

8. Collecting/distributing food/clothing • P.A.F.R.A.S. - Positive Action for Refugees and Asylum Seekers –( support for those who are destitute)– toiletries and tinned food for their drop-in (600 people visit each month, 70 food parcels given out each week). Drop off donations 9am-2pm Wednesdays.  More information here .St Aidan's Community Hall, Elford Place West, Leeds, LS8 5QD • St Vincent’s – In partnership with PAFRAS: clothing, furniture, food for refugees/asylum seekers who are destitute/living in extreme hardship: More information here or contact Julie at julie.linley@stvincents-svp.org.uk. Drop off donations Mon –Fri, 10-4pm. Curtis House, Berking Avenue, Leeds. LS9 9LF • Meeting Point – Desperately need food donations for the food parcels they distribute each week (1700 parcels last year) : Rice, oil, tinned pulses, beans and soups ( not pork/sausages), cereals, tinned tomatoes. Contact Emma at  emma.c@ccacp.org.uk       Drop donations at Christ Church, Upper Armley Leeds LS12 3DA, Monday-       Wednesday.  • The Bike College: 0113 345 5180.  More information herehello@thebikescollege.org Museum Store, Copley Hill, Leeds, LS12 1HY. Open every day - midday till 8pm • Yorkshire Aid (LS11) Collect clothes/shoes/bicycles/gardening equipment/knitting and sewing equipment etc.( mostly for overseas)       More information here New Donation point: Slung Low, 67-71 Bath Rd,        Leeds. LS11 9UA. 

9. Legal support • Manuel Bravo – (free legal advice for asylum seekers) More information here  • Office Volunteers • Communications Volunteers • Fundraising and Events volunteers • Qualified Casework volunteers (requiring OISC Level 1 or above) • Contact Emma on emma.mckee@manuelbravo.org.uk • St. Vincent’s Support Centre.  Information here. • Migrant Support Volunteers – Admin/enrolment/applications/IT support.  • Curtis House, Berking Avenue, Leeds. LS9 9LF • R.E.T.A.S. • 28 day Transition Mentor Programme. To support people once they have attained refugee status in the 28 days before housing/benefit is withdrawn and to prevent people falling into destitution/isolation.  More information here .  • Volunteer support assistant- Housing. Regular commitment every Thursday 9.30 till 12.30. This involves helping clients to fill in application forms for Leeds homes, search for private landlords/accommodation and find furniture for houses.Contact Charlotte Hagerty on 0781 343 8783 or   welcome@retasleeds.org.uk. 233-237 Roundhay Road, Leeds LS8 4HS.

10. Employment, Education, skill-sharing • L.A.S.S.N (Leeds Asylum Seekers Support Network) . More information here • Connecting Opportunities; Integration and Employment Befriending This project is different to L.A.S.S.N’s other Befriending project as it supports people who have the right to work in the UK. Integration and Employment Befriending offers people who are thinking about work the chance to build their confidence, improve their English and to make contacts and friends in their local community, finding out about the help and services available to them. Contact Emily Stevenson on Emily@lassn.org.uk( citywide) - R.E.T.A.S. Volunteer Advisors. - Friday Drop-in 9.30am-1.30pm. To support with writing a C.V, job searches, phonecalls, universal credit applications etc. - Volunteer Support - New Roots project. Supporting our employment and education adviser with CV’s, university searches and personal statements, job applications and searches. Helping to develop relationships with employers and agencies. Contact Charlotte Hagerty on 0781 343 8783 or charlotte@retasleeds.co.uk233-237 Roundhay Road, Leeds LS8 4HS. -Refugee Forum: Homework Club Volunteers Tuesdays 4.30-6.30pm at the One Community Centre, Cromwell Street, Lincoln Green, LS9 7S. Email Helen at info@leedsrefugeeforum.org.uk Information here

11. Health • Solace  -  Psychotherapy, complementary therapies and advocacy support  for the survivors of persecution and exile. Information here.  • Need Interpreters - most common languages are Farsi, Arabic, Tigrinian, French, Kurdish, Turkish and Dari. All training given. Contact email:  info@solace-uk.org.uk or 0113 487 8360. Oak House, Park Lane, LS3 1EL.  • Maternity Stream of Sanctuary – supporting female refugees/asylum seekers through pregnancy and birth; started by Leeds women in 2011 who didn’t want other mums “to suffer as we had suffered”.   More information here or email Sue Deakin at sue@maternity.cityofsanctuary.org. Citywide • Women’s Health matters – Rainbow Hearts. “I love coming to Rainbow Hearts, all the different countries and backgrounds, always beside me” . • Health and social-support information sessions offered to women around topics such as self-care, well-being, healthy eating, creative arts. Call 0113 2762851 or get more information here. Tuesdays 10:30-12:30. Lincoln Green, LS9 7SG.

12. H.A.R.P – Health Access for Refugees project ​ • 1. Health Befriender – The ability to support vulnerable asylum seekers, refugees and vulnerable migrants in accessing health services (outlining provision, GP registrations and locations). ​ • Facilitation of ‘ESOL for Health’ and informal peer group activities and 1-1 interactions in Mill Hill Conversation Clubs helping people learn the English that helps them to communicate health issues and needs  re Men’s Health, Women’s Health, Mental Health, and Maternal Health. ​ • ​ • 2. Health Advocacy – One to one support to improve the health and well-being of asylum seekers, refugees and vulnerable migrants by helping them to access health services appropriately by advocating on their behalf.  eg explaining how NHS services work, rights and entitlements, assisting with GP, Dentist, Opticians registrations; making health related appointments, form filling and communicating with the health and other services  ​ • ​ • 3. A Volunteer Team Leader - to support other volunteers and volunteer coordinator with the delivery of HARP project and to share knowledge, experience and best practice. This may include attending Healthwatch, multi-agency, CCG and other relevant local meetings promoting the work of HARP project and raising awareness of asylum seekers, refugees and vulnerable migrant issues related to health access.​ • Contact Rose McCarthy on: rosemccarthy@refugeecouncil.org.uk or tina@lassn.org.uk for an application form​ • ​

13. LGBTQ+ • African Rainbow Familyhttps://africanrainbowfamily.org/ • African Rainbow Family (ARF) is a non-for-profit charitable organisation that support lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender intersexual and queer (LGBTIQ) people of African heritage and the wider Black Asian Minority Ethnic groups.  Programmes and Services  •  Signposting to immigration advice and other mainstream services. • Organise social events and activities. • Offer free counselling. • Support LGBTIQ people seeking asylum with no recourse to public fund by subsidising transport fares and other costs such as food.  • Support our destitute members with weekly subsistence. • Offer hot meals for members. • Offer moral and practical supports to people in detention centres.  • Offer moral support and evidence in court. • Offer buddy support for members to sign at immigration reporting centres. Volunteer with Us African Rainbow Family from time to time needs volunteers to help deliver our crucial life changing work for LGBTIQ people seeking asylum in the UK, why not join our pool of committed and dedicated volunteers?  Apply here today to give back to the community and make a positive change in somebody’s life!

14. Children & Young people • Refugee Council Children’s Section: Vacancies in West Yorkshire advertised here • PAFRAS Wednesday drop-in 9.30-1.30pm: Information here • Family area volunteer: supervising the family area at drop-in where parents can bring children to play.  • St Aidan's Community Hall, Elford Place West, Leeds, LS8 5QD. Contact Emma on volunteering@manuelbravo.org.uk • Meeting Point: To run/participate in children’s activities during the drop-in’s Mon. term-time 3-6pm and during holidays 3-5pm. Also Wed 1-3pm when the Women’s Group runs. More information here or contact Emma emma.c@ccacp.org.uk 0113 2796700 . Christ Church, Armley Ridge Rd, Leeds LS12 3LN. • City of Sanctuary:  • Volunteers wanted for the Schools of Sanctuary Steering group. You will meet once a quarter for approx 2 hours.  • Assessment Volunteers are also needed to assess a school's progress against Schools of Sanctuary criteria. • Applications are especially welcomed from refugees and people seeking asylum, educational professionals, school staff, parents of school aged children, and those with experience in education settings. Citywide • For more information, please have a look at this document  or email schools@leeds.cityofsanctuary.org

15. Other needs in Leeds: • Tales of a City Tours  • Guided Tour Project and social enterprise where refugees are trained as tour guides and run cultural tours linking their personal stories to places of significance in Leeds city centre. Creating meaningful connections and improving understanding between refugees/migrants and locals/visitors to Leeds.  • Volunteers needed in the following areas: Community Engagement Officer (promoting the tours and building partnerships with local community networks); Social Media Officer (raising the project's profile online); Tour Guide Assistant (attending tours and supporting guides); Film Maker and Editor (creating promotional videos about the tours); Graphic Designer (designing promotional material for the project). Contact Emily at talesofacitytours@gmail.com  to find out more. Citywide • City of Sanctuary:  • Sanctuary Suppers: Using food to bring people from different backgrounds together to meet asylum seekers and refugees and help shape and build a culture of welcome for people seeking sanctuary in Leeds. Breaking barriers of stigma and spreading support and love instead of judgement. Contact Diana Flores on hello@leedscityofsanctuary.org.uk. Citywide • Rainbow Junktion Café:  • Commit to a regular slot  Monday, Thursday or Friday: 9.30-2pm or 1pm-4.30pm. The morning shift involves cooking, serving and washing up and the afternoon shift is serving and cleaning down the cafe.  • All volunteers  attend a volunteer inductionheld on the 3rd Thursday of the month at 2pm in the cafe (17th October, 21st November). • Also need volunteers on the 1st and 3rd Friday of the month between 3pm and 11pm for bistros and occasional events. • Contact Emily Carrigan on emily@rainbowjunktion.org.uk. More information here. LS6 1NP • Refugee Forum: Voluntary Administrative Assistant:General office support, including: Word processing  • Creating and maintaining filing systems, database management, membership records, correspondence, photocopies, training/information packets and mailings as well as contributing to the Newsletter and assisting with information updates.  • Please send a resume and brief statement of interest to info@leedsrefugeeforum.org.uk  including when you are available and how many hours per week you are prepared to commit. You will be contacted shortly to schedule an interview. Ring Ali Mahgoub on 0113 244 9600. LS9 7SG

16. Where to get further information: • www.leedsmultiagency.org.uk– regularly updated blog about asylum and refugee organisations in Leeds. • www.leedsdirectory.org – general support services in Leeds • www.migrationyorkshire.org.uk –Up to date information on asylum and refugee migration patterns/statistics in Leeds and across Yorkshire. • http://helpinleeds.com/ - a translatable resource for asylum seekers, refugees, people they know, and people who are helping them.

17. Thank you so much for being here this evening.