Would you like to use your skills and broaden your own experience while making a difference to others and assist them to overcome challenges and barriers to enable and support them to explore options and take ‘the next step’ towards a positive future for themselves and you will make a huge difference to people’s lives?  We are looking to recruit volunteers to become mentors to support newly arrived New Scots and existing resettled refugees to take an active role in their successful resettlement through initiatives around health and wellbeing, education, volunteering opportunities to gain employability skills and experiences and through a range of organisations within the community.

Your time commitment will be:

• Variable to meet the demand of the service and your availability

Your involvement will be:

• enabling newly arrived New Scots and existing refugees to identify their needs and aspirations and play an active role in fulfilling them
• assisting New Scots and resettled refugees to develop and take part in social, cultural, recreational and other community activities
• supporting community development initiatives that promote links between New Scots and resettled refugees to the wider community, promoting the successful integration of resettled refugees and New Scots through community initiatives that may include key factors such as health, employment, education and training.
• assisting with the integration of New Scots and resettled refugees into their local community
• being proactive in raising awareness of New Scots and resettled refugees with agencies promoting best practice in providing support
• supporting and mentoring in a manner that effectively compliments the framework of integration

Your opportunity is:

• demonstrating and improving communication skills and confidence
• gaining training and experience which may help you to gain employment in the future
• gaining valuable experience to put on your CV
• inspiring others and put your skills to good use
• meeting new people and working as a team
• supporting the learning of children and/or adults

Your training will include:

• a comprehensive induction with on-going training and support

The skills we are looking for are:

• some knowledge of the difficulties New Scots and existing refugees have in accessing services in the role organisations, agencies and the wider voluntary sector have in addressing these.
• ability to act quickly and creatively to put together or support a programme of practical measures that will meet the diverse needs of New Scots and help them resettle effectively.
• sensitivity to working in a multi-cultural organisation and the ability to work with others from different cultures.
• ability to keep an up to date record of work progress.
• good command of spoken and written English.
• basic word processing and database skills.
• ability to prioritise and manage own workload.
• understanding of basic health and safety requirements in particular risk assessments for activities.
• ability to take a flexible and creative approach to working on own initiative as well as within a structured team work plan.
• ability to work effectively with interpreters, other volunteers and mentors, and organisations in the team and to establish good working relationships with others.
• commitment to and understanding of equal opportunities.
• ability and willingness to work flexible hours and travel within the area.
• to undertake any other duties consistent with the main purpose of the project as agreed with the Community Learning and Development worker

If you are interested in the role, or would just like a little bit more information please contact volunteering@liveargyll.co.uk

Application Form