INDEPENDENT READING GROUP VOLUNTEER (FACE-TO-FACE)

CARAS-Volunteer-Application-Form

INDEPENDENT READING GROUP VOLUNTEER (FACE-TO-FACE)CARAS Youth ESOL Programme – Monday, Wednesday mornings

About CARAS:

Community Action for Refugees and Asylum Seekers (CARAS) is a registered charity that has been supporting refugees and asylum-seekers since 2002 empowering them to integrate and engage in the local community.

Arriving as an asylum seeker/refugee can be a disempowering experience. Difficulties with language, accessing services and overcoming prejudice are ever-present. As an organisation we are committed to work alongside refugees to overcome those challenges, and to help them build their lives.

We offer group support and targeted support work. We offer a range of activities including: ESOL classes; social and recreational activities such as youth club, drama, trips, and family activities; educational support for young people; and casework and advocacy support.

Our values are at the centre of all our work:

• Kindness: CARAS will nurture all who are part of our community, helping everyone to develop their skills, talents, and interests.
• Justice: CARAS will strive for social justice following a rights-based approach in all our work and challenging instances when rights are not upheld in wider society.
• Empowerment: CARAS works alongside people, recognising and respecting their skills and strengths and striving together for better outcomes.
• ‘With’ not ‘for’: CARAS will put the voices, opinions, experiences and needs of its beneficiaries at the heart of all that we do.

About Youth ESOL:

Our award-winning ESOL project offers English language classes to young people at a wide range of levels. This provides vital skills, opportunities and social contact and is crucial for enabling young people to do well at school or college.

About the Role:

CARAS is looking forReading Group Volunteerto support our face-to-face study programme for young people.

The reading group isinStreathamandisan important elementofa study programme for young people aged 14 to 18 who are out offormaleducation.The timings of the reading group sessions are as follows:

• Monday afternoons 2pm to 3pm

• Wednesday mornings 11am to 1pm.

Volunteersare required toattend either one of both sessions. Volunteers are also welcome tostay andsupport themore traditional English languageclasses either before the reading session on Mondays or after the reading session on Wednesdays.

Students will be supported to read at length and complete challenges that are adapted to their ability level.

The reading group aims to foster independence and a joy of reading among the young people and requires volunteers to learn about the young peoples’ interestsin order tohelp them selectan appropriate text.

The ESOL teacher will provide volunteers with tips to support reading and understanding for emerging learners of English, such as phonics and elicitation strategies.

Volunteers will work with 1-5 students, mostly readingout loudwith them or helping them to decode unfamiliar language.

Please note that ESOL classes do not run during school holidays, and we follow Wandsworth Council term dates:https://www.wandsworth.gov.uk/schools-and-admissions/schools/school-term-dates/.

Volunteertasks and responsibilities:

• Providing learners with one-to-one or small group support within the Reading Group sessions;

• Helping to set up the classroom and provide learners with classroom resources;

• Contributing to debriefs to inform the ESOL teacher how each student found the lesson/task and the students’ areas of greatest challenge and success;

• Attending and contributing to volunteer debriefs after each session;

• Making use of any community languages you may know to help students during the class;

• Working collaboratively as a team and helping to shape the project;

• Supporting people to develop their knowledge and skills, encouraging and inspiring participants to reach their full potential;

• Assisting participants to recognise and celebrate their achievements;

• Listening and supporting students to select, read and understand a text; Showing flexibility to the wide range of ability levels in the classroom;

• Following CARAS’ confidentiality, safeguarding, health & safety, equal opportunities, data management and all other policies as relevant.

Requirements:

Essential:

• To be 18 years or older;

• An interest in education and English language teaching;

• Currently resident in the UK; has asylum-seeker or refugee status

• * Able to provide five years’ worth of addresses, and willing to undergo a DBS check; *DBS and proof of residency is not necessary if you are a CARAS community member who is more recently arrived in the UK.

• Able to attend volunteer induction training (online) prior to start of role

• Able to travel to our community centre in Tooting (food and travel expenses can be reimbursed);

• To be non-judgemental and able to engage with young people from diverse backgrounds;

• To be reliable and punctual;

• Good communication skills, especially with people who are new to English;

• An interest in books and stories, writing and poetry

• The ability tovolunteeron Wednesday during Wandsworth term time for a minimum of four months;

Desirable:

• Knowledge of community languages, such as Arabic, Tigrinya, Amharic, Pashto, Dari, Farsi, Kurdish, Somali or Spanish;

• Experience of reading with young people or learners of English, or teaching ESOL or phonics.

Through volunteering with us you will:

• Gain experience of English language teaching;

• Meet new members of your local community;

• Learn about different cultures;

• Learn about issues relating to refugees and people seeking asylum;

• Work as part of a friendly, welcoming team;

• Develop your skills and competencies such as literacy and phonics strategies for emerging learners of English;

• Be able to access relevant training, including safeguarding training.

• Be able to obtain a reference from us relating to your placement after 3 months of regular volunteering.

To Apply:

To apply for this opportunity, download and complete the CARAS volunteer application form, using this volunteer role description to inform your answers. Email your completed form to Mirza at volunteering@caras.org.uk with the email subject header, “Youth ESOL – Independant Reading Group Volunteer.“

Successful applicants will be invited to a taster session at CARAR, following which they will have an informal interview with a staff member of the CARAS ESOL team and a community member. All volunteers must complete an enhanced DBS check for working with young people and attend training with us before starting. You will also receive training and support relevant to your specific role.These meetings and the induction training will be on a rolling basis, so apply ASAP!

CARAS-Volunteer-Application-Form