How To Support A Refugee Charity

With asylum-seekers making up around 5% of immigrants to the UK in 2018, almost 40,000 people applied for asylum that year alone. That's a huge number of people seeking formal refugee status because they fear persecution due to their race, religion, nationality or political views.

WHY VOLUNTEER WITH A REFUGEE CHARITY?

Imagine having to flee your country out of fear for your safety. Most of us would be unable to comprehend the situation. If you want to join the effort to help people in this position, as well as others who've been granted refugee status, volunteering with a refugee charity is a great thing to do.

As well as helping out a good cause, you may also find that volunteering opens up new avenues for your future. From picking up new skills to meeting lots of people, you might find yourself enjoying your experience too.

HOW TO HELP REFUGEE CHARITIES

Become A Support Worker

Arriving in the UK can be bewildering for a refugee or asylum seeker. To help them cope, support services provide vital information and advice which can allow vulnerable people to get back on their feet. You could make a difference to lots of lives by volunteering in a role like this.

Or An Interpreter

Often, refugees will arrive in the UK with no English speaking abilities, making their circumstances even more daunting. By helping out as an interpreter or translator, you can support refugee services with charities like the British Red Cross, giving a voice to people when they need it most.

Volunteer In A Shop

Charities such as Save the Children, which runs projects to help child refugees in a range of countries, rely on shops for raising vital funds. As well as helping out by serving customers, stocking shelves, and organising donations, you might want to donate some of your old things too.

Collect Donations

Taking the idea of donating to the next level, you could help a refugee charity enormously by collecting items such as clothing, bedding, and toiletries. These items can then be distributed to people who are being forced to stay in a refugee camp or hotspot such as Calais, as well as people who've gained their asylum status here in the UK.

THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE YOU VOLUNTEER

Some volunteering roles may require you to complete background checks to ensure you can work with young or vulnerable people. The refugee charity you volunteer with will usually cover any costs attached to this.

WHERE TO GET STARTED

If you want to volunteer with a refugee charity or an organisation that helps refugees and asylum seekers, start by looking at the opportunities currently available with one of these four charities:

• British Red Cross
• Helen Bamber Foundation
• Save the Children
• Theirworld

HELPING DESERVING CAUSES

If you'd like to know more about getting involved in volunteering in your community, take a look at our Local Causes page and find opportunities near you.