VOLUNTEER PROGRAM

We believe that volunteer support to humanitarian entrants and refugees is an important element of the Integrated Humanitarian Settlement Strategy (IHSS) programme. Volunteers play a pivotal role in delivering humanitarian settlement services.

Volunteers play a key role in:

Reducing the sense of isolation and disconnection that many refugees experience on arrival in Australia
Making refugees feel welcome and help them establish contact with their neighbours, places of worship, sporting organisations and their particular ethnic associations
Helping refugees to develop social networks and make them feel part of the broader community

The scope of volunteer assistance to support newly arrived refugees includes:

Socialisation and Community Contact
Emergencies: Teach new arrivals how to call police and ambulance in emergencies by dialling 000. Instruct on how to contact the Telephone Interpreter Service (TIS) for an interpreter
Living Skills: Assist new arrivals with shopping, cooking, cleaning, health and hygiene and use of equipment available at their residence
Financial Arrangements: Assist clients with individual and family budgeting, banking and use of ATM’s, filling in various banking forms, bill payments etc.
Transport (public and private)
Medical Appointments
Schooling of children and English courses for adults
Centrelink
Housing

If you would like to become a volunteer for the Metropolitan Migrant Resource Centre, please contact our Volunteer coordinator on 9345 5755.