About the Refugee Council

Founded in 1951, the Refugee Council exists to support people who come to the UK in need of safety and our purpose is to advocate with them for compassion, fairness and kindness. We achieve this by providing expert advice and casework, building the capacity of refugee community organisations, and working with allies across society to change government policy.

The Refugee Council is one of the leading organisations in the UK working with refugees and people seeking asylum.

Learn more about the Refugee Council here

About STEP Forward

This team provides intense and multi-faceted provision of ESOL, education, financial and digital literacy, volunteering placements, wellbeing sessions and mentorship for female refugee clients from a range of backgrounds.

About this role

Volunteers will have the opportunity to support our operations and services by carrying out the main task of their role.

What could I be doing?

• Encouraging clients to engage with the sessions and support students to get the most of their learning
• Supporting ESOL Tutors in preparing and delivering lessons
• Supporting individuals or groups of learners to get the most out of their learning.
• Supporting other volunteers to engage with, and facilitate, the activities.
• Helping learners who need extra support to complete tasks.
• Assisting with monitoring and recording attendance and engagement
• Reporting any matters of concern about clients, staff or other volunteers to the Volunteer coordinator in a timely and professional manner

Useful skills and experience

• Pashtu or Dari language skills are desirable but not essential.
• Experience of learning or teaching ESOL and engaging or delivering groups sessions/teaching/training helpful but not essential
• A good level of spoken and written English and listening skills.
• Confident and creative in interacting with people who speak English as a second language and/or with low level English language skills.
• Ability to work with colleagues and learners from different cultural backgrounds.
• Ability to establish and maintain professional boundaries.
• A commitment and interest in supporting refugees in educational access.
• Some understanding of the barriers issues faced by refugees in the UK in accessing learning, or a willingness to improve current knowledge.
• Experience of working one-on-one or small groups of learners who need additional help.
• An appreciation of the importance of confidentiality and data protection

Time commitment

Up to four half-days a week.

Monday–Thursday, 10:00 – 13:00

Hours can be flexible according to the demands of the project.

This role is subject to a satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service check.

Repeat checks are initiated every two years.

You can learn more about this role by downloading our task description here [PDF].

You can apply for this role using this application form [DOC].

Interested? Contact Shana de Silva at shana.desilva@refugeecouncil.org.uk for more information.