Refugee Support Caseworker

Refugee Support Caseworker Volunteer
Location: Trinity Centre, Cardiff
Hours: Monday afternoons, normally between 1.30 pm to 5 pm

About the role
The casework volunteer will work one-to-one with vulnerable asylum seekers and refugees to help them access suitable support services.

Clients are from a range of nationalities and we need speakers of Farsi and Tigrinya as well as Albanian, Pashtu, Urdu, Kurdish and Sorani.

About the Team
We use kindness to help those in crisis.

Every year thousands of refugees, asylum seekers and migrants arrive in the UK with little support, money, or opportunities. Sometimes these people don't even have the means to find and contact their loved ones back home. It's our job to do what we can to help.

We're a diverse, busy team dotted all over the country who share the common goal of doing what we can to make refugee lives that little bit brighter. From providing emotional support to reuniting families, we're committed to helping as many people as we can in as many ways as we can. Seeing the look on someone's face when they are put back in contact with a partner, parent, or child, that they thought they'd never see again is simply priceless.

About the person
You need to have good interpersonal, diplomacy, communication and teamwork skills although full training will be given for any technical requirements. Also someone who is:

• Understanding of face-to-face client work and/or casework, demonstrating excellent communication and proven listening skills
• A good communicator and empathetic about the situation and needs of refugees
• Aware of conflict and migration issues and sensitive to cultural issues, including those relating to gender
• Personally resilient as you may need to deal with difficult or challenging situations
• Able to use emotional support skills in a calm and responsible manner
• This role requires a criminal record check to the appropriate level
• Willing to uphold the Fundamental Principles of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and adhere to the Society's Equal Opportunities Policy

Tasks included in this Role:

• Providing one to one support to beneficiaries
• Undertaking sensitive and comprehensive interviews with service users to assess their needs
• Agreeing a plan of action with the beneficiary
• Support the beneficiary to access other services, for example from the NHS, legal representatives and Social Services
• Offering onward referral to relevant bodies as appropriate
• Identify and respond appropriately to safeguarding and protection issues with vulnerable clients, including children and vulnerable adults

What We Offer

• Access to relevant in-house training and development opportunities, including British Red Cross intranet site and e-learning facility
• Valuable exposure to the work of the Red Cross in the UK and around the world
• Being a volunteer for the British Red Cross means that you can proudly say you are part of the world's largest humanitarian organisation.

Here's a little bit more about us...
The British Red Cross help anyone, anywhere in the UK; get the support they need if crisis strikes.

From hiring a wheelchair or dealing with loneliness, to adjusting to life in a new country - we're there when you need us. Our goal is to connect human kindness with human crisis.

We're part of the global Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, and we believe in the power of kindness.

Our organisation was born out of a desire to bring help without discrimination. Impartiality and neutrality have been central values for the Red Cross since we started.

Young People and This Role
We value the energy and enthusiasm that young people bring to this role. To volunteer for this role you must be aged 18+. However (subject to a risk assessment, safeguarding requirements and parental consent) those aged 15-17 can be involved in a variety of activities such as promoting the service, supporting service volunteers and undertaking training.

Our Promise
We value the skills and experience that people bring to the organisation. We will work with you to look at your knowledge and skills and help make an assessment about which elements of the learning for your role you will need to complete with us and recognise where you may already know all that you need to confidently and safely carry out your duties. We want to try and make sure that you get all the training you need, no more and no less.

Connecting human kindness with human crisis.