Refugees Volunteer Roles

Volunteer ESOL Teacher to provide classes for refugees, asylum seekers and migrants. You will plan and deliver lessons independently with the assistance of experienced ESOL teachers.  Your students will be from a wide range of abilities, backgrounds and ages.

We run classes from Monday to Thursday from 10 am until 12. 

Although previous teaching experience is not compulsory, CELTA and TEFL would be appreciated.

RMC seek to appoint 2 experienced people to join our Board. We welcome applications from individuals who in addition to relevant governance experience, may have experience of finances, employment law, communications, fundraising etc. 

What will you be doing?

The Refugee and Migrant Centre (RMC) is a well-established, award winning regional charity, renowned for its work with refugees & migrants. RMC operate across Birmingham and the Black Country and have a very broad remit and extremely varied service user base. We have 5 offices across our area of operation, over a hundred staff and dozens of volunteers

The ideal candidates would have considerable experience in similar roles, have in depth understanding of charity boards/governance and be sympathetic to our ethos and values. 

For these non-remunerated, voluntary roles, we would ask that you dedicate time to attend 7-8 board meetings annually as well as social events, celebrations etc.

The key officers’ roles within the board are currently filled but vacancies for these roles may arise in the future.

We hope to receive applications from all walks of life and across RMC’s area of operation and surrounding areas.  

Please note that applications will be assessed on an ongoing bases and only shortlisted candidates would be contacted.

What are we looking for?

We welcome applications from people who in addition to relevant governance experience, may have experience in communications, management of finances, employment law, fundraising & income generation etc.   

What difference will you make?

RMC has an experienced and competent board and a highly skilled and proactive management team. In addition to providing professional governance and oversight, you will be part of a vibrant charity that is facing very high demand for its services and operates in a rather challenging socio-political environment. 

Before you apply

If you are interested, please send an expression of interest (1-2 pages of A4) and your CV via Reach

For more information or to arrange an informal conversation with the Senior Leadership of RMC, please message via Reach.

Please note that applications will be assessed on ongoing bases and only shortlisted candidates would be contacted.

ABOUT THE ROLE
As part of our Community Support team, you will play a key role in ensuring the fulfilment of our users' needs by sharing information about our services, projects, and activities; this takes place in person, through our digital channels and helpline. Additionally, you will be responsible for keeping up to date information about other services and partner organisations.
The primary challenge faced by the Latin American community is the language barrier, which hinders their comprehension of the UK system and their entitlements. Taking part in the Community Interpreting service, you will support service users in navigating these obstacles, enabling them to establish a more integrated life in the UK.

This is an exciting opportunity for anyone who wants to better understand the challenges faced by the Latin American community in London; use their language skills in a positive and impactful way; and develop valuable administrative and customer service skills in a multicultural, fast-paced organisation.

MAIN TASKS AND RESPONSIBILITIES
● Connecting service users to our services, projects and activities in person or by answering phone calls and emails
● Supporting users with general enquiries, referring them to relevant services within our organisation as well as signposting and referring to external services
● Registering users on our database and keeping accurate records of services offered
● Monitoring internal calendars and appointments
● Sharing useful, up-to-date information with users as instructed by other team members
● Ensuring internal communications, flyers and handouts are up to date
● Interpreting calls for service users and supporting with non-official translations
● Supporting community members with basic application forms
● Liaising with staff in other departments and with external contacts

PERSON SPECIFICATION
● Good verbal and written communication skills in English and Spanish and/or Portuguese
● Ability to work effectively as a member of a team and with a diverse population of service users, staff and partners
● A caring, sensitive and non-judgemental approach
● Ability to cope with stressful and emotionally challenging issues
● Professionalism to handle sensitive and confidential information
● Excellent organisational skills, attention to detail and ability to multitask
● Ability to set their own work priorities, take initiatives and work with minimal supervision
● Good IT skills, including in using Microsoft and Google suite packages and different database systems

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS 
● Two references from current/previous employers
● Enhanced DBS Check (completed through IRMO)
● Safeguarding Level 1 and 2 certificate (completed through IRMO)
● One month trial period

BENEFITS FROM VOLUNTEERING AT IRMO
● Gives the opportunity of helping others and to give back
● Creates an ideal space to learn new skills in a multicultural, cooperative and inspiring environment
● Get involved with the Latin American Community and increase knowledge of the situation of Latin American migrants in the UK
● Helps to gain experience and strengthen previous skills to face UK’s competitive job market;
● Enhance CV and get references (after a 3-month period) for further impact on the employment status
● Participate in training sessions with high-quality learning outcomes (in-house and external) in areas related to the role
● Receive regular supervision and support.

Applicants must live in Watford, Hertfordshire or the surrounding area.

At Watford & Three Rivers Refugee Partnership, our objective is to provide practical and emotional support, ultimately helping our clients achieve a sustainable position as full members of our society. Many of our clients are destitute, homeless and have no access to assistance from the government. Our mission is to provide access to advice and essential services until statutory services are in place.

Volunteering at the Drop-In centre provides an opportunity for you to help our refugee clients with any issues they might have. We have sessions running every Tuesday between 11:30am and 1:30pm at St Mary’s Church, High Street, Watford. The Drop-In provides an opportunity for refugee clients to come and discuss any issues they have and to be listened to by one of our volunteers. Many of our clients are likely to have lived here for a while but an issue or crisis in their lives means that they need to discuss it and seek some help. They may also be in the process of seeking asylum. We can provide advice and sometimes resolve their issue there and then and at other times we refer them to another agency or invite them to come back once their issue has been looked into.

The Drop-In Centre could not function without our team of committed volunteers, and we are always looking for additional help.

Full training given on starting the role as well as regular training sessions and continual support from more experienced volunteers.

Responsibilities:

· Help with filling in forms and interpreting official documents.

· Liaising with statutory and voluntary agencies.

· Referring clients for follow up action by our Case Review Team and linking them with a befriender.

· Referring clients to our partner solicitor who specialises in immigration law and comes to the Drop-In 4th Tuesday of the month.

· Advice on how to access appropriate housing and free food in the area.

· Access to the charity’s other services, such as free English classes.

Requirements:

· Able to attend at least one Tuesday Drop-In a month.

· Complete training as required and attend bi-monthly volunteer support meetings.

Skills:

· An ability to communicate and empathise with people from a variety of backgrounds and needs.

· Basic IT skills.

· Assist clients in accessing essential services such as legal, housing, financial and food.

· Can work well as part of a team.

· Enthusiasm to help refugee clients.

Desirable experience: 

· Previous volunteering experience.

· Previous experience working in a people-facing role.

If you are interested in becoming a Drop-In volunteer please apply via Charity Jobs or contact us and a volunteer coordinator will contact you to discuss this further.

This role sits within our Education, training and employment programme, which provides ESOL classes to our service users. As an ESOL Teacher Volunteer, you will support our ESOL teacher in:

• Planning, preparing and delivering high-quality lessons to a range of classes and levels in a community setting.

• Providing a safe and inclusive learning environment for learners.

• Preparing and setting tests, examination papers and exercises.

• Marking and providing appropriate feedback on oral and written work.

• Keeping classes on track according to the syllabus/learning outcomes instructed.

• Ensuring learners’ participation during classes and monitoring attendance.

• Undertaking administrative tasks, such as keeping student registers and attendance records.

We are working in partnership with New Citizens’ Gateway, a charity that empowers refugees and asylum seekers to foster a sense of belonging, integrate into the UK and rebuild their lives. They provide support for refugees and asylum seekers across London and beyond through a holistic model and multifaceted approach, which acknowledges the whole person and all their physical, social, emotional, and spiritual needs. Their services including advice and guidance, campaigning, ESOL classes, community classes and groups, counselling, wellbeing services, youth activities and mentoring. 

New Citizens’ Gateway (NCG) are actively developing their Board and are now seeking new Trustees, bringing fresh skills and professional backgrounds to help continue their growth. The new trustees will join a collaborative and ambitious team and will be responsible for providing strategic support related to their area of expertise and support overall governance and leadership of the organisation.

NCG wants its Board to reflect the people it serves, so they actively encourage candidates to apply with lived experience of the refugee and/or forced migration journey to rebuilding your life in the U.K.

Key skills and experience are sought, although not limited to, the following areas: 

• Finance / wealth management
• Fundraising
• Marketing and communications
• Youth work
• NGO leadership

However, the Board is open to expressions of interest from candidates who do not possess skills in these areas, but that would like to be considered as a Board member. 

Board meetings are held four times a year (hybrid) in addition to attending occasional networking, fundraising and ceremonial events and meetings. All reasonable expenses will be covered by the charity. We anticipate a 1-2-hour monthly time commitment. 

If you do not match the criteria for this role, please don’t be put off from applying - training and support can be agreed for the right candidate.

For more information, please contact Katherine Anderson-Scott, Associate Director, Charisma Charity Recruitment. Your expression of interest should be submitted through the Charisma website and include your CV and supporting statement.

We welcome and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds. We do not discriminate on the basis of disability, race, colour, ethnicity, gender, religion, sexual orientation, age, veteran status, or other category protected by law.

Closing date: 12th May 2025

Charisma vetting interviews must be completed by the EOD on Monday 19th in preparation for submission to NCG on Tuesday 20th May.

Interviews with NCG: TBC

Role context

Hi there, we’re a charity called Local Welcome. We support local people in joining together as a team of Leaders in order to run Local Welcome meals in their local area on weekends.

Local Welcome meals are open to all - they’re the sort of places where strangers become friends! Some group members will have been born in your local area, some new, some seeking sanctuary, or refugees. 

As a member of the Leader team, you’ll be supporting your group in cooking and eating a delicious meal from scratch. No cooking skills are required - our simple recipe steps have that covered!

The commitment

Location

In-person.

Voluntary

This is an unpaid role.

Time commitment

4-6 hours per month - this includes 4 hours leading on the day of the meal, and a couple of hours of prep and organising which is split between leaders before and after the meal. Depending on your leader team’s capacity, it’s possible for a very busy leader to arrive on the day and lead with only a small amount of involvement before and after.

Responsibilities

With the support of our small staff team, and the Local Welcome leader handbook, you would be working with your fellow leaders to:

1. Organising and facilitating monthly meals in your local area
2. Coordinating practical elements of running meals as a team - e.g. deciding what to cook and organising the grocery shop before the meal, ensuring the meal runs smoothly on the day, and sharing feedback with our staff team afterwards
3. Completing your own safeguarding training and a disclosure check. This includes committing to keeping everyone in your group safe by reporting any concerns accordingly on an ongoing basis
4. Keeping in touch with your fellow leaders and the Local Welcome team between meals - e.g. to share your availability for the next meal
5. Creating an inclusive and welcoming environment for your group members and fellow leaders

Support from Local Welcome

1. Safeguarding training tailored to Local Welcome meals
2. Regular check-ins, support and guidance from the Local Welcome team - including an on-call staff member available for any support during meals
3. Access to our leader handbook, which contains resources and materials for setting up, running and growing your group
4. A Whatsapp group to connect with the Local Welcome team and fellow leaders
5. Opportunity to connect with a network of Local Welcome Leaders across the UK

Membership

Membership is for everyone who takes part in Local Welcome meals, whatever role you play on the day!

Everyone has the option of attending their first meal as a newcomer (for free). Afterwards, we’ll invite you to sign up as a member of your local group.

We ask our members to donate what they can afford to help us cover the costs of running monthly meals. Donations also help us keep free spaces available for group members who can’t afford to pay, and helps us become more financially resilient as an organisation. 

Learn more about membership on our website.

Experience and skills

We’re looking for leaders who believe in our mission, vision and values and are committed to helping us live up to them. 

Broadly speaking, our leaders are ‘help to organise things’ type people who can commit 4-6 hours monthly, and enjoy working in a team.

We believe our groups are at their best when our Leaders have a mixture of identities, skills, personality types and life experiences, so everyone can play to their strengths and bring something unique to the table. Unlike other traditional ‘leadership’ settings, the leader role isn’t simply for those who can speak the loudest!

In particular, we’re keen to find Leaders who have lived experience of forced migrations, who are people of colour, people who are LGBTQ+, people who have a disability and people from working class backgrounds.

Most importantly, all leaders must respect and value people’s differences and be committed to helping Local Welcome to be an inclusive organisation.

Values

Our values are not just a set of nice words we stick up on the wall, they are very important to us and we gently hold ourselves and each other accountable to them every day.

• Build open, honest and diverse relationships
• Deliver joy through service
• Think big and act long-term
• Be creative and take risks
• Grow and learn
• Have compassion and fun
• Build diverse supportive teams
• Eat together
• Tell the truth
• Be humble

SASS (Swansea Asylum Seekers Support) are looking for a finance professional with excellent financial management and analysis skills to join our welcoming Board of Trustees.

What will you be doing?

We are a volunteer-led registered charity, run and managed by our members, who include asylum seekers, refugees and other local people. We give a warm welcome to people seeking sanctuary in Swansea through our twice-weekly drop-ins, and offer practical support, educational and recreational opportunities.

About the Role 

We are looking for a finance professional who alongside our Treasurer and a fellow Finance Trustee to provide financial oversight and assist the strategic development of the charity. 

Responsibilities 

• Ensure that the charity’s finances are responsibly managed for the betterment of the charity’s work and for the beneficiaries it serves. 
• Provide financial oversight.
•  Assist the strategic development of the charity. 
• Act as Deputy Treasurer and prepare to assume role of Treasurer later on in 2026.
•  Administrate the charity’s bank account (i.e. access statements, co-authorise changes of signatories, but not authorise payments). 
• Oversee the charity’s financial risk-management process. 
• Ensure proper accounting records are kept, financial resources are controlled and economically spent in line with governance, legal and regulatory requirements; oversee independent examination of accounts and submission to the Charity Commission .
•  Help develop and implement financial reserves policy, and cost management policy. Communicate financial information clearly to the Board of Trustees.

What are we looking for?

Person Specification

   Essential 

• A commitment to the vision and aims of SASS. 
• Good financial management, analytical and evaluation skills. 
• Strategic vision and good, independent judgement. 
• Ability to explain financial information concisely to members of the Board and other stakeholders. 
• An understanding and acceptance of the legal duties, responsibilities and liabilities of trusteeship. 
• Commitment to Nolan’s seven principles of public life: selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty, and leadership. 

• An understanding of the challenges faced by our service users

  Desirable 

  Experience of completing grant applications and reports (in regards to finance). 

  Financial business planning experience. Experience in developing a sustainable funding strategy and opportunities for income diversification.

  We would particularly welcome applications from candidates with lived experience of the UK asylum system, or other refugee experience.

What difference will you make?

• By ensuring that SASS remains financially sustainable and helping the organisation to grow, you will help to make an enormous positive difference to many lives: some of the least privileged people in our society.
•  On the Board of Trustees and across SASS activities you will meet some very remarkable people and have the opportunity to become part of their stories.

The TrusteeWorks Team at Reach Volunteering are supporting SASS with their Finance Trustee recruitment. Applications should be made via TrusteeWorks in the first instance. 

To apply please submit your CV along with a covering letter stating why you wish to join the organisation and how your skills and experience would add value to the board. The closing date for applications is May the 2nd 2025. 

Role context

Hi there, we’re a charity called Local Welcome. We support local people in joining together as a team of Leaders in order to run Local Welcome meals in their local area on weekends.

Local Welcome meals are open to all - they’re the sort of places where strangers become friends! Some group members will have been born in your local area, some new, some seeking sanctuary, or refugees. 

As a member of the Leader team, you’ll be supporting your group in cooking and eating a delicious meal from scratch. No cooking skills are required - our simple recipe steps have that covered!

The commitment

Location

In-person.

Voluntary

This is an unpaid role.

Time commitment

4-6 hours per month - this includes 4 hours leading on the day of the meal, and a couple of hours of prep and organising which is split between leaders before and after the meal. Depending on your leader team’s capacity, it’s possible for a very busy leader to arrive on the day and lead with only a small amount of involvement before and after.

Responsibilities

With the support of our small staff team, and the Local Welcome leader handbook, you would be working with your fellow leaders to:

1. Organising and facilitating monthly meals in your local area
2. Coordinating practical elements of running meals as a team - e.g. deciding what to cook and organising the grocery shop before the meal, ensuring the meal runs smoothly on the day, and sharing feedback with our staff team afterwards
3. Completing your own safeguarding training and a disclosure check. This includes committing to keeping everyone in your group safe by reporting any concerns accordingly on an ongoing basis
4. Keeping in touch with your fellow leaders and the Local Welcome team between meals - e.g. to share your availability for the next meal
5. Creating an inclusive and welcoming environment for your group members and fellow leaders

Support from Local Welcome

1. Safeguarding training tailored to Local Welcome meals
2. Regular check-ins, support and guidance from the Local Welcome team - including an on-call staff member available for any support during meals
3. Access to our leader handbook, which contains resources and materials for setting up, running and growing your group
4. A Whatsapp group to connect with the Local Welcome team and fellow leaders
5. Opportunity to connect with a network of Local Welcome Leaders across the UK

Membership

Membership is for everyone who takes part in Local Welcome meals, whatever role you play on the day!

Everyone has the option of attending their first meal as a newcomer (for free). Afterwards, we’ll invite you to sign up as a member of your local group.

We ask our members to donate what they can afford to help us cover the costs of running monthly meals. Donations also help us keep free spaces available for group members who can’t afford to pay, and helps us become more financially resilient as an organisation. 

Learn more about membership on our website.

Experience and skills

We’re looking for leaders who believe in our mission, vision and values and are committed to helping us live up to them. 

Broadly speaking, our leaders are ‘help to organise things’ type people who can commit 4-6 hours monthly, and enjoy working in a team.

We believe our groups are at their best when our Leaders have a mixture of identities, skills, personality types and life experiences, so everyone can play to their strengths and bring something unique to the table. Unlike other traditional ‘leadership’ settings, the leader role isn’t simply for those who can speak the loudest!

In particular, we’re keen to find Leaders who have lived experience of forced migrations, who are people of colour, people who are LGBTQ+, people who have a disability and people from working class backgrounds.

Most importantly, all leaders must respect and value people’s differences and be committed to helping Local Welcome to be an inclusive organisation.

Values

Our values are not just a set of nice words we stick up on the wall, they are very important to us and we gently hold ourselves and each other accountable to them every day.

• Build open, honest and diverse relationships
• Deliver joy through service
• Think big and act long-term
• Be creative and take risks
• Grow and learn
• Have compassion and fun
• Build diverse supportive teams
• Eat together
• Tell the truth
• Be humble

Our focus as an organisation supporting refugees are three-fold:

Frontline evacuations, where conflicts are at their their most precarious

Emergency humanitarian aid deliveries in the most hard-to-reach areas in Ukraine, Syria and Turkey, as well as Greece and France.

 Self-reliance projects such as an education centre in Jordan, or upskilling adult refugees into work abroad and in the UK via our "Vintage Emporium" charity shops.

You will gain invaluable experience as a senior marketeer, working directly with the Managing Director, spanning traditional and digital channels in disaster relief in an agile organisation that punches well above its weight, committing to saving the lives of people who otherwise wouldn't be saved. We are small - your voice will be heard and your creativity welcomed!

Your focus will be on marketing our AID SHOP, a groundbreaking humanitarian aid delivery system that allows the general public to turn their empathy for new crises (Gaza, Turkey & Syria earthquake etc) into effective immediate action.

When disaster strikes, or the season changes - survival items for escalating conflicts or disasters are changed and added to our website. You will communicate these updates via email campaigns and social media posts, the items are then 'purchased' by our supporters, with the shopping lists collated internally by you, then sent to our partners or volunteers on the ground who can purchase the physical items and deliver the survival items to vulnerable people in the most precarious and volatile regions, sometimes within minutes! 

We also save greatly shipping and storage costs, and there is next to zero chance for unforseen delays at customs.

It is the most efficient way we know of giving in a crises - and is very efffective when marketed right (following either our set formulas, or bringing your own to experiment with). The best part? People know exactly where their money is going, so are justifiably much more generous!

So we need a volunteer (you!) to manage our marketing and communication efforts, ideally 2 days per week to:

*Post on social media (1 x reel / story per week, using a template to communicate the most needed survivial item of the week available for purchase in our "aid shop". 1 x Faceboo photo or video post)

*Update website as required

*Write 1 x compelling press release per week

*Update marketing / fundraising collateral

*Assist charity shops with creating leaflets and posters ad-hoc

*Organising our photos & videos by devising a tagging system 

Requirements:

*Please note - if you only have experience in one of the areas needed (e.g. you have worked in copywriting and press roles, but not social media) then please still contact us, as the role can be shared!

2 years' experience in marketing and press roles preferred

Experieince using Canva

An adaptable and compelling copywriter essential

Impeccable grammar 

Good attention to detail 

Creative, flexible, adaptable

Some knowledge of refugee topics would be very useful but not essential

In return, you’ll work as part of a fun, flexible team of people with shared motivations and interests, and have full visibilty of the fruits of your actions, directly impacting and saving lives within hours of marketing to our database. 

Please apply via the prompts here on CharityJobs by 28th February - we are actively interviewing so we may close the opportunity earlier.

We can't wait to hear from you!

Role context

Hi there, we’re a charity called Local Welcome. We support local people in joining together as a team of Leaders in order to run Local Welcome meals in their local area on weekends.

Local Welcome meals are open to all - they’re the sort of places where strangers become friends! Some group members will have been born in your local area, some new, some seeking sanctuary, or refugees. 

As a member of the Leader team, you’ll be supporting your group in cooking and eating a delicious meal from scratch. No cooking skills are required - our simple recipe steps have that covered!

The commitment

Location

In-person.

Voluntary

This is an unpaid role.

Time commitment

4-6 hours per month - this includes 4 hours leading on the day of the meal, and a couple of hours of prep and organising which is split between leaders before and after the meal. Depending on your leader team’s capacity, it’s possible for a very busy leader to arrive on the day and lead with only a small amount of involvement before and after.

Responsibilities

With the support of our small staff team, and the Local Welcome leader handbook, you would be working with your fellow leaders to:

1. Organising and facilitating monthly meals in your local area
2. Coordinating practical elements of running meals as a team - e.g. deciding what to cook and organising the grocery shop before the meal, ensuring the meal runs smoothly on the day, and sharing feedback with our staff team afterwards
3. Completing your own safeguarding training and a disclosure check. This includes committing to keeping everyone in your group safe by reporting any concerns accordingly on an ongoing basis
4. Keeping in touch with your fellow leaders and the Local Welcome team between meals - e.g. to share your availability for the next meal
5. Creating an inclusive and welcoming environment for your group members and fellow leaders

Support from Local Welcome

1. Safeguarding training tailored to Local Welcome meals
2. Regular check-ins, support and guidance from the Local Welcome team - including an on-call staff member available for any support during meals
3. Access to our leader handbook, which contains resources and materials for setting up, running and growing your group
4. A Whatsapp group to connect with the Local Welcome team and fellow leaders
5. Opportunity to connect with a network of Local Welcome Leaders across the UK

Membership

Membership is for everyone who takes part in Local Welcome meals, whatever role you play on the day!

Everyone has the option of attending their first meal as a newcomer (for free). Afterwards, we’ll invite you to sign up as a member of your local group.

We ask our members to donate what they can afford to help us cover the costs of running monthly meals. Donations also help us keep free spaces available for group members who can’t afford to pay, and helps us become more financially resilient as an organisation. 

Learn more about membership on our website.

Experience and skills

We’re looking for leaders who believe in our mission, vision and values and are committed to helping us live up to them. 

Broadly speaking, our leaders are ‘help to organise things’ type people who can commit 4-6 hours monthly, and enjoy working in a team.

We believe our groups are at their best when our Leaders have a mixture of identities, skills, personality types and life experiences, so everyone can play to their strengths and bring something unique to the table. Unlike other traditional ‘leadership’ settings, the leader role isn’t simply for those who can speak the loudest!

In particular, we’re keen to find Leaders who have lived experience of forced migrations, who are people of colour, people who are LGBTQ+, people who have a disability and people from working class backgrounds.

Most importantly, all leaders must respect and value people’s differences and be committed to helping Local Welcome to be an inclusive organisation.

Values

Our values are not just a set of nice words we stick up on the wall, they are very important to us and we gently hold ourselves and each other accountable to them every day.

• Build open, honest and diverse relationships
• Deliver joy through service
• Think big and act long-term
• Be creative and take risks
• Grow and learn
• Have compassion and fun
• Build diverse supportive teams
• Eat together
• Tell the truth
• Be humble

Want to support a migrant organisation striving for systemic change? We are looking for a Chair to lead the board, and contribute to the governance of an organisation, whilst centring migrant voices and experiences, and embedding our campaigning and policy work within a migrant-led agenda to help make a just society for migrants a reality.

The role of an MRN Trustee

As with any small charitable organisation, we are reliant on the skills and dedication of the trustees to support the organisation. We pride ourselves on a diverse board which primarily consists of those with the lived migrant, including refugee experiences.

As a trustee, you are instrumental in ensuring that MRN is achieving its objectives and purpose, and it is complying with its governing document and other legal requirements. Trustees are key to developing and delivering the strategy that will help drive the organisation forward.

With our Chair stepping down due to capacity reasons, we are seeking a Chair to lead the board and organisation. Alongside this, through a skills audit and analysis of our gaps, we have identified the following areas of expertise to have a full complement of skills and knowledge on the board: HR, fundraising and income generation for small/medium UK charities or businesses.

We want to reflect the communities we engage with, and therefore want to continue to attract those with the lived experience of migrating or the refugee system, who are from racialised or migratised backgrounds. We are also keen for those under 25 and those living outside of London to apply.

As a trustee you will be able to apply your significant skills and abilities, while working alongside devoted and enthusiastic trustees and staff who are committed to working and campaigning for the rights of all migrants.

​ Role description for Chair of trustees

In addition to the general responsibilities of a trustee, duties of the Chair include the following:

• Providing leadership to the organisation and the board by ensuring that everyone remains focused on the delivery of the organisation’s charitable purposes in order to provide greater public benefit
• ​Chairing and facilitating board meetings ​
• Giving direction to board policy-making ​
• Checking that decisions taken at meetings are implemented
• Representing the organisation at functions and meetings, and acting as a spokesperson as appropriate ​
• Bringing impartiality and objectivity to decision-making ​
• With the CEO:
  • Planning the annual cycle of board meetings and other general meetings where required, for example the AGM
  • ​Setting agendas for board and other general meetings
  • Developing the board of trustees including induction, training, appraisal and succession planning
  • Addressing conflict within the board and within the organisation, and liaising with the CEO to achieve this
• Where staff are employed:​
  • Liaising with the CEO to keep an overview of the organisation’s affairs and to provide support as appropriate

​Leading the process of supporting and appraising the performance of the CEO

Sitting on appointment and disciplinary panels

The Vice-Chair acts for the Chair when the Chair is not available and undertakes assignments at the request of the Chair

Person specification

In addition to the person specification for a trustee, the Chair should have the following qualities:

• Leadership skills
• Experience of committee work
• Tact and diplomacy
• Good communication and interpersonal skills
• Impartiality, fairness and the ability to respect confidences.

In most circumstances, it would also be desirable for the Chair to have knowledge of the type of work undertaken by the organisation and a wider involvement with the voluntary sector and other networks.

Swansea Asylum Seekers Support (SASS) are a volunteer-led registered charity, run and managed by our members, who include asylum seekers, refugees and other local people. We give a warm welcome to people seeking sanctuary in Swansea.

SASS is recruiting a new Deputy Chairperson. As part of our succession planning, this role is being created with a view to taking up the Chairperson’s position, after our current Chairperson steps down.

What will you be doing?

Overarching responsibilities 

Governance – to encourage high standards and promote the efficient and effective use of resources throughout the organisation. 

Strategic Leadership – to take a leading role in the development, implementation and regular monitoring of the organisation’s strategy. 

Board development – to lead the development of Board of Trustees, ensuring that the Board is operating effectively, efficiently, and in accordance with charity law, working to best practice as set out in the Charity Governance Code.

Specific responsibilities 

• Ensure SASS complies with its governing document, charity law, company law and any other relevant legislation or regulations. 
• Ensure SASS pursues its objects as defined in its governing document. 
• Ensure SASS applies its resources in pursuance of its constitution and objects. 
• Contribute actively to the Board of Trustees' role in giving firm strategic direction to the organisation, setting overall policy, defining goals, setting targets and evaluating performance against those targets. 
• Safeguard the good name and values of SASS. 
• Ensure effective and efficient administration. 
• Ensure financial stability. 
• Recruit, induct and support other Trustees as required. 
• Support staff, volunteers and the sanctuary-seeking community. Facilitate change and resolve any conflict within the board or organisation.

What are we looking for?

Skills, knowledge & attributes 

• A minimum of 2 years’ experience of being either a Trustee or a volunteer of a charity OR as a senior member of staff of a voluntary organisation. 
• A keen sense of strategic purpose.
• Understanding the legal duties, responsibilities and liabilities of trusteeship. 
• An inclusive leadership style: able to inspire and support everyone to participate on an equal footing.
• Experience of external representation is desirable.
• The ability to listen and engage effectively. Comfortable with challenge and debate, are able to encourage that in others whilst fostering collaboration.
• An understanding of issues facing refugees and asylum seekers. 
• Lived experience is desirable but not an essential
• A strong personal commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion. 
• Responsive to need. As a small charity, unexpected and unforeseen situations arise that require the Chairperson to advise, support or consent to a course of action. 
• Willingness to lead according to SASS’s values. 
• Commitment to Nolan’s seven principles of public life: selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty and leadership.

  The TrusteeWorks Team at Reach Volunteering are supporting SASS with their Deputy Chairperson recruitment. Applications should be made via TrusteeWorks in the first instance. 

  To apply please submit your CV along with a covering letter stating why you wish to join the organisation and how your skills and experience would add value to the board. 

  The deadline for applications is 2 May 2025. 

We have a fantaastic opportunity for you to join our Board of Trustees in a growing and expanding organisation that makes a difference in the lives of women and girls, preventing exploitation and trafficking and advocating for a life of freedom, dignity and empowerment.

Emerge Worldwide is a humanitarian organisation whose purpose is to advocate and raise awareness against sexual exploitation and sex trafficking, focused on women and girls. Our activities provide interventions, tools and resources in prevention work, as we seek to end it everywhere. 

We help and support those suffering trauma, and who are victims of sexual exploitation and sex trafficking and empower survivors of this horrific crime, to go on and live independent successful lives.

We are looking for people willing to bring energy, enthusiasm and commitment to the role, and who will broaden the diversity of thinking on our board. 

We are seeking passionate individuals to join our Board of Trustees, who will partner with us in our dedication and fight to combatting this heinous crime. We are keen to receive your application if you have human rights, fundraising, or sexual exploitation / sex trafficking experience.

We are keen to receive applications with experience in any of the following areas:

• human rights

• fundraising / income generation

• asylum seekers / refugees

• sexual exploitation / sex trafficking

Your experience will help to support Emerge Worldwide to engage in high-level discussions and actions, which will position and promote our voice and impact, create positive change within the humanitarian and modern slavery sectors and deliver on our purpose to end sexual exploitation and sex trafficking everywhere.

Duties

• Support and provide advice on Emerge Worldwide’s purpose, vision, mission, goals and activities. 

• Approve operational strategies and policies, and monitor and evaluate their implementation.

• Oversee Emerge Worldwide’s financial plans and budgets and monitor and evaluate progress. 

• Ensure the effective and efficient administration of the organisation.

• Ensure that key risks are being identified, monitored and controlled effectively.

• Keep abreast of changes in Emerge Worldwide’s operating environment.

• Contribute to regular reviews of Emerge Worldwide’s own governance. Attend Board meetings and adequately prepared to contribute to discussions.

• Use independent judgment, acting legally and in good faith to promote and protect Emerge Worldwide’s interests, to the exclusion of their own personal and/or any third-party interests.

• Contribute to the broader promotion of Emerge Worldwide’s objects, aims and reputation by applying your skills, expertise, knowledge and contacts.

As a small charity, there will be times when the trustees will need to be actively involved beyond Board meetings. This may involve scrutinising board papers, leading discussions, focusing on key issues, providing advice and guidance on new initiatives, presenting externally, or other issues in which the trustee has special expertise.

Personal skills and qualities

• Enthusiasm and commitment to Emerge Worldwide vision, mission, purpose and work.

• Willingness and ability to understand and accept their responsibilities as trustees and to act in the best interests of the organisation.

• Ability to think creatively and strategically, exercise good, independent judgement and work effectively as a board member with good governance.

• Effective communication skills and willingness to participate actively in discussions. 

• Good independent judgement.

• A strong personal commitment to equality and diversity.

• Willingness to lead according to our values.

• Fulfilling the criteria of a charity trustee the essential trustee 

Terms of office

• Trustees are appointed for a minimum of 2 years of office

• This is a voluntary position, but reasonable expenses are reimbursed.

Time commitment

• Attending quarterly Board meetings annually - currently meetings are held remotely.

• Trustees are encouraged to attend all staff in-person meetings which run 3 times annually plus any relevant training days.

You will be part of a professional, friendly and skilled Board of Trustees.

We are a welcoming organisation, dedicated to creating a positive and engaging experience where you’ll feel valued, inspired, and empowered to bring your ideas to life.

Apply and help us end sexual exploitation and sex trafficking for good!

Application:

To apply, please submit your CV and a covering letter outlining your motivation for the role and how your skills and experience make you a good fit. 

If you do have any questions, our HR Manager can arrange to speak with you or communicate with you by email.

Please note that we will request references, and a DBS check will be required due to the nature of our work.