YOUR SKILLS CAN MAKE A HUGE DIFFERENCE
Join our energetic team of volunteers.
Volunteer with us
The Elmbridge CAN team includes people from all walks of life - from teachers and business consultants to charity professionals and homemakers. We bring together our unique skills and with a tonne of positive energy, pursue projects we feel will help us achieve our aims.
WHAT DO OUR VOLUNTEERS DO?
Our volunteering ethos is based on getting to know each family, so that we can provide individualised, community-based support. It's easy to forget, when we use labels like 'refugee' that these people are survivors, and many are leaders, teachers, artists, and workers from all backgrounds. Many are qualified business professionals, entrepreneurs or healthcare practitioners. All refugee families have experienced trauma and loss. We try to change the narrative, away from the "saviour/victim" cliche, and instead of introducing an individual in our community as a “refugee” we try to use language they themselves would identify with, e.g. “a father of three from Syria,” “a mother and teacher from Iran” etc... We have the attitude of learning from each other.
WHAT DO OUR VOLUNTEERS DO?
Our volunteering ethos is based on getting to know each family, so that we can provide individualised, community-based support. It's easy to forget, when we use labels like 'refugee' that these people are survivors, and many are leaders, teachers, artists, and workers from all backgrounds. Many are qualified business professionals, entrepreneurs or healthcare practitioners. All refugee families have experienced trauma and loss. We try to change the narrative, away from the "saviour/victim" cliche, and instead of introducing an individual in our community as a “refugee” we try to use language they themselves would identify with, e.g. “a father of three from Syria,” “a mother and teacher from Iran” etc... We have the attitude of learning from each other.
Volunteers provide practical and holistic support for starting a new life. This "roadmap" illustrates the process from arrival to becoming a fully contributing, thriving member of the community.
WE LOVE PEOPLE WITH:
To find out more about what it's like volunteering with Elmbridge CAN read this interview with three volunteers.
- Commitment and drive
We need passionate and energetic individuals who want to invest their spare time in making a real difference to refugees. - Creativity
There are many challenges involved in resettling refugees locally and we need people who are able to think outside of the box and win others over with their ideas. - Commercial skills
Fundraising, networking, marketing, project management, strategy and proposal writing - our projects need a broad ranger of skills to make an impact. - Connections
Finding and knowing the right people makes a big difference to getting things done. Many of our volunteers are great at networking and can connect people and projects to help us achieve our goals.
To find out more about what it's like volunteering with Elmbridge CAN read this interview with three volunteers.
CURRENT VOLUNTEER VACANCIES
Updated October 2023
Communications lead
If you are creative, experienced in Communications and have some time to spare on a regular or ad hoc basis, we could really use your help to direct our Communications strategy, working alongside other talented volunteers. If this might be you, please fill in the form below and we'll arrange a chat about how it could work.
If you are creative, experienced in Communications and have some time to spare on a regular or ad hoc basis, we could really use your help to direct our Communications strategy, working alongside other talented volunteers. If this might be you, please fill in the form below and we'll arrange a chat about how it could work.
Material donations co-ordinator/s
This role involves working with our staff team, volunteers and the wider community to co-ordinate donations of furniture and equipment, making sure they reach people who need them, while supporting reuse and recycling in our community. If you are organised, have good interpersonal skills and are willing to commit a few hours a week to making a real difference to our organisation and our families, we would love to hear from you! Please fill in the application form below.
This role involves working with our staff team, volunteers and the wider community to co-ordinate donations of furniture and equipment, making sure they reach people who need them, while supporting reuse and recycling in our community. If you are organised, have good interpersonal skills and are willing to commit a few hours a week to making a real difference to our organisation and our families, we would love to hear from you! Please fill in the application form below.
Family support volunteers and translators
We would like to hear from volunteers who have ANY of these skills:
- Speakers of Ukrainian, Russian, Arabic, Farsi, Pashto and Dari - time commitment could be regular or occasional AND/OR
- Those who have experience of working with refugee and asylum seeking people, AND/OR
- those who are particularly suited and willing to be trained in this work, and who are also able and willing to commit significant and flexible time, for direct family support work. To help us when we welcome new families and support them in a number of ways from administrative tasks – including registering for bank accounts, benefits, medical services and schools – to local orientations, support learning English or other activities or simply friendship.
Please fill in the application form below if you are interested.
We would like to hear from volunteers who have ANY of these skills:
- Speakers of Ukrainian, Russian, Arabic, Farsi, Pashto and Dari - time commitment could be regular or occasional AND/OR
- Those who have experience of working with refugee and asylum seeking people, AND/OR
- those who are particularly suited and willing to be trained in this work, and who are also able and willing to commit significant and flexible time, for direct family support work. To help us when we welcome new families and support them in a number of ways from administrative tasks – including registering for bank accounts, benefits, medical services and schools – to local orientations, support learning English or other activities or simply friendship.
Please fill in the application form below if you are interested.
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ESOL teachers and subject-specific tutors
The refugees we support want to learn English - so that they can make friends, find work and access essential services. This is an essential success factor for them to move through the 'confidence & independence' stage of resettlement. If you're a qualified ESOL teacher, or an experienced academic teacher of GCSE level in Maths, English, Science, and/or any A’level subjects, we'd love to hear from you. We would also consider young tutors who have recently studied these exams and would be willing to help others. DBS checking is necessary for all volunteers with direct contact. Please do fill in the application form below. |
We recognise that volunteers will incur expenses and we aim to reimburse all reasonable expenses as swiftly and simply as possible, while maintaining adequate control and providing transparency to our stakeholders. To find out more, please read our volunteer expense policy.
The first step to apply for these roles is to fill in the attached VOLUNTEER APPLICATION form .
If you don't match any of the above needs, but are still keen to help and prepared to commit, feel free to fill out the form anyway - it may also be worth contacting larger charities such as Care4Calais who are often looking for volunteers. Please note our work takes place in Elmbridge, if you are outside this area it may be worth contacting a more local charity.
After we receive the application, we'll usually get in touch for an informal chat, to see how best you can help.
The first step to apply for these roles is to fill in the attached VOLUNTEER APPLICATION form .
If you don't match any of the above needs, but are still keen to help and prepared to commit, feel free to fill out the form anyway - it may also be worth contacting larger charities such as Care4Calais who are often looking for volunteers. Please note our work takes place in Elmbridge, if you are outside this area it may be worth contacting a more local charity.
After we receive the application, we'll usually get in touch for an informal chat, to see how best you can help.