Re-establish hopeful futures for young refugees and asylum seekers through education - Become a volunteer mentor at Refugee Education UK
Refugee Education UK
Would you like to support an asylum-seeking or refugee young person with their education? Refugee Education UK is looking for volunteers to act as educational mentors for at-risk young refugees, asylum seekers, and survivors of trafficking who need extra support with their education particularly separated children.
In conflict, schools are destroyed, occupied by armed groups and used to shelter displaced people. Where learning continues, students and teachers can be targets of violence. For many, continuing to learn is just not possible. When children and families are forced to flee their homes, they miss out on more education as they make dangerous journeys trying to find a place of safety. For refugees arriving in the UK, education is a priority: it’s how lives begin to be rebuilt and hope for the future is rekindled. But getting back into and progressing in education is fraught with challenge. Your role as volunteer educational mentors at Refugee Education UK can help plug the gap and make the difference. What will you do? Educational mentors meet with their mentees once a week, in a public place, to help them with an agreed aspect of their education for a minimum of six months. This is typically in the form of English and maths support but mentoring can take different forms, from structured sessions around English reading to conversational goals set by the mentee. We provide support in providing you with resources and training to feel equipped to support your mentee. Mentors who apply to work with us go through an application process involving an interview, external references and a DBS check before they attend our mandatory training which covers child protection, boundaries, the asylum process, and how to structure mentoring sessions. We ask the mentor to start their mentoring session by 5:30 pm at the latest on a regular weekday and we ask both mentors and mentees to commit for at least 6 months.
Befriending, buddying and mentoring
IT Skills - Basic, Reading And Writing, Customer Service/Hospitality, Verbal Communication
1. Experience of working with young people and the related challenges (ie: flexibility and patience sometimes required for youth work). 2. Capacity to travel to a location convenient for the young person and an ability to meet the young person by 5:30 pm at the latest. 3. Experience of working with people from a variety of backgrounds and cultures 4. Ability to work on own initiative and a willingness to take on relevant preparation 5. Ability to think creatively and problem-solve 6. Excellent communication/interpersonal skills 7. Good organisational skills 8. Ability to cope with emotionally-demanding and stressful situations 9. Motivated by promoting the wellbeing of children and young people 10. Commitment to and ability to work in accordance with REUK’s Child Protection policies and Christian Ethos.
Mentors often become important adults in the young people’s lives, acting as role models and helping to combat isolation and loneliness. Mentors work closely with the REUK Educational Mentoring team who provide oversight, guidance and support. A new mentor training is provided to all volunteers, for all successful applications. Mentor development trainings are also provided regularly on a frequent basis.
Meetings are once a week, for one hour a week, for a minimum commitment of six months. We ask for this as it can take time for your relationships to form and for both you and your mentee to build a good rhythm to your mentoring sessions.
CR9 1ET
Our office is based in NW London but mentoring meetings are facilitated in public spaces across South London and Croydon such as libraries. Let us know where you would prefer to volunteer and we can be in touch with possible options for you
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