Amharic/Tigrinya-Speaking Welcome Group Volunteers for Refugee Newcomers in Greater Vancouver

As featured in The Globe & Mail and the CBC, Together Project’s Welcome Group Program matches volunteers with refugee newcomers for social and integration support over a period of 3-6 months. Volunteers will have the opportunity to meet with, and empower, Amharic/Tigrinya-speaking refugee newcomers in Greater Vancouver.

Together Project is offering this program in collaboration with ISSofBC.

Responsibilities:

Volunteers will be assigned to their Welcome Groups and matched with refugee newcomer families based on things like availability, skills, location, shared interests, and family composition. We like to think there’s a match for every kind of Welcome Group.

Over 3-6 months, volunteers will work together as a group to address the priorities identified by their matched household; in this way both newcomers and volunteers have an opportunity to get to know each other over time.

As a volunteer, you can help newcomers with:

-practicing conversational English skills

-accessing and navigating services, like healthcare

-finding and applying to employment opportunities

-helping youth with school and extracurricular activities

-socializing and helping newcomers learn about Canada

We’re looking for volunteers who are:

-Amharic and/or Tigrinya speaking

-based in Greater Vancouver

-passionate about helping newcomers and making social connections

-organized

-sociable

-culturally sensitive

-patient

-interested in social work, immigration, and/or settlement

-open to using virtual communication tools (e.g. WhatsApp, Zoom, etc.)

Language:

Volunteers must speak intermediate English and Tigrinya or Amharic.

Commitment:

Since we recommend a weekly interaction between Welcome Groups and matched newcomer families, most volunteers dedicate roughly 3-4 hours a month to their match over a 3-6 month period.

These interactions can take place online or in-person, as preferred/convenient.

Training:

Together Project provides volunteers with training, guidance, and interpretation/translation assistance to help each Welcome Group maximize its impact.

Apply Here:

https://bttr.im/a772o