Volunteer at your local Affiliate
Volunteering at the Richmond, Virginia
affiliate office.
Photo: CWS/Richmond |
Volunteering with a local affiliate is a great way to help refugees. You can help set up medical or other appointments for a refugee and provide transportation. You can teach English or supplement ESL classes with conversation. Children in a refugee family may need help with schoolwork.
Showing refugees around their new town or city helps them feel less like strangers. A tour can include parks and playgrounds, the local library, post office, police and fire stations. A refugee family is likely to appreciate a trip to the zoo or museum, and children would probably love to join a game of soccer. Guide refugees through a neighborhood grocery store. New arrivals need to know the basics of shopping, or about the Women, Infants and Children dairy supplementation program. Teach a refugee how to use public transportation or help them learn to drive.
Volunteers can also help out at the affiliate office, sorting donations or helping staff set up apartments for refugees. If you want to do more, you can plan a Christmas party, or solicit school supplies and other donations.
“We really need volunteers,” said an affiliate staff member. “The refugee office doesn’t often have time for one-on-one relationships with refugees. Volunteers help them feel less homesick, especially if they don’t have a family. They feel that someone cares for them.”
Adapting to life in the US can place many demands on traditional family roles. As children learn English fast or try to be “American”, many refugee parents may feel they are losing control or being left out. Volunteers who befriend families can be very helpful in bridging the gap that can develop between generations during resettlement. Volunteers can also alert refugee families to behaviors that can lead to problems with the law.
For more information on how to volunteer, contact your local CWS/IRP affiliate office.