Migrants Organise is looking for Casework Volunteers who will support us to deliver outreach work in asylum support accommodation on Mondays or Thursdays from January 2025.
Apply by: December 9th. Read on for more info.
Migrants Organise is a platform where migrants and refugees organise for power, dignity and justice. We bring together community organisations, individuals, and institutions together on a common platform to act with, not for, migrants and refugees. We aim to make our communities stronger, more powerful and create spaces for us to speak out on issues affecting migrants and refugees, from isolation, discrimination, immigration policies, structural racism and more.
The Community Programme at Migrants Organise is currently supporting more than 800 individuals. We provide casework support to refugees and migrants including advice on housing, immigration, welfare benefits, community care ,education, asylum support and run weekly activities (E.g. English classes, gardening, dance) from our office in Hackney, East London.
We’re looking for a a Casework Volunteer who will support us to deliver outreach work in asylum support accommodation on Mondays or Thursdays from January 2025.
We will provide close supervision and training. We would expect you to be available for six months (1 day volunteering per week). Reasonable lunch and travel expenses will be reimbursed.
Your responsibilities will include:
- Supporting the Community Programme Team in the efficient running of the Community Programme
- To offer 1-2-1 advice to migrants and refugees on their basic welfare rights and entitlements
- To provide advocacy to members consisting of making phone calls, writing letters, filling in forms, making appropriate referrals
- Updating our casework management system, keeping records and providing brief reports as appropriate
- Being a friendly face in the office: welcoming members, answering the phone, being on reception
- Ensuring correct data entry and record keeping
- Other duties on an ad hoc basis
Skills and Knowledge:
- Experience in advising migrants and refugees (eg. asylum support, welfare benefits, housing, education) (desirable)
- Ability to speak clearly and confidently adapting style to needs of members
- Ability to produce clear well-structured written information and advice
- An ability to build good rapport with vulnerable migrants and refugees
- A commitment to equality & diversity and the rights of all individuals to respect and fair treatment
- Ability to work proactively and being self-sufficient
- Knowledge of the asylum and the immigration system in the UK (desirable)
Application Process
If you are interested in the role, please send your CV and a covering letter to Heike Langbein
(heike@migrantsorganise.org).
The deadline for applications is Monday, 9th December 2024.
Shortlisted candidates will be invited to an online interview taking place the week of 9 th December
2024.
More about Migrants Organise
Migrants Organise combines advice and support for individuals subjected to hostile immigration policies with grassroots organising, advocacy, research and campaigning to dismantle structural racism. This is how:
We speak out. We make our voices heard, and we take a stand on the issues that affect us. We talk about the issues that matter to refugees and migrants. We tell our stories, and we create opportunities for our voice to be heard.
We connect people. We act relationally, to help people belong. People need connections to belong and thrive with dignity. We see strength and resilience in our individual identities and experiences as people. We connect people with resources.
We grow power. We recognise and use power to make change. We provide a platform for people to be powerful and develop skills, leadership, confidence and connections.
We build common ground. We bring diverse people together around shared issues, on a shared platform. We create spaces for people to find common ground and shared perspectives for action.
What do we do?
We organise: we work with communities to act for change. We develop leaders to understand their power, their issues, and how to build actions for change.
We mobilise: we bring people to strategic actions and campaigns. We urge and support people to take action on the issues affecting migrants and refugees.
We mentor: we support and advise people, and connect people with others who can provide support and advice on the journey to integration. We connect people with others who can share knowledge, experience or friendship.
We train: we develop people’s skills, confidence, experience and capacity to act. We use workshops, training sessions, action and experience to help people to develop.
We celebrate: we find and create platforms to recognise people. We celebrate migrants and refugees and their contributions.
