The Refugee Project is looking for volunteers!

Jan 062015

We are now recruiting new volunteers to work in the Ovcha Kupel, Voenna Rampa and Vrazhdebna refugee centres in Sofia, between February 2, 2015 – May 29, 2015
For more than four years, Caritas Sofia and CVS – Bulgaria have been organising activities for the asylum seekers at the Integration Centre in Ovcha Kupel, in co-operation with the State Agency for Refugees (SAR). In 2014 we expanded our activities to Voenna Rampa, and from February 2015 we plan to have activities in all three refugee centres in Sofia. The project provides an opportunity for volunteers to help children, young people and adults to integrate more easily into Bulgarian society. The project offers a variety of activities: Bulgarian and English lessons, IT skills, art workshops, music and sports sessions, as well as excursions and volunteer-organised fundraising and promotion of the project.

We are now seeking new volunteers with fresh energy and ideas to continue to implement and develop the project activities in conjunction with our existing volunteers. Participants will volunteer on the same day each week (excluding weekends) for two hours, and will organize sessions of the type listed above. Training will be provided to prepare all volunteers for this work.
Volunteer requirements
To become part of our team, you must:
– Be over 18 years old
– Be able to volunteer on the same morning (from 10 -12 or 11 – 13) or afternoon (14 -16) each week.
– Have the desire and skills to work with asylum seeker children, young people or adults
– Be helpful and responsive to their needs.
– Have a desire to share knowledge of one or more of: Bulgarian language, English language, Computing skills, art, sports and games or music
– Be responsible and prepared to plan sessions independently (under the mentorship of the project coordinators) after initial training
– Have an interest in different cultures
Experience of working with children is an advantage, as well as education in social activities and / or pedagogy. Knowledge of Arabic and/or Farsi would be useful; knowledge of other languages is a plus.
How to apply
Step 1: Complete our application form – ideally in English as three of the co-coordinators are European Voluntary Service volunteers from other countries.
Step 2: Send the form, together with your CV (preferably in English) to therefugeeproject@gmail.com, with the email title Application_January_2015. (It would also be helpful if you name the files Application 012015_First Name_Surname and CV_First Name_Surname)
One of our team will contact you to tell you the results of the preliminary selection. Selected candidates will be invited for a short interview with the coordinators of the project.
A description of the volunteer position and the application form can be found below:
Volunteer_Application_January_2015

Volunteer_description_2015
More information about The Refugee Project can be found on the project website and on our Facebook page. If you have questions or comments, you can contact us at therefugeeproject@gmail.com.

The deadline is 18th January!!! Good luck!

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In 2014 The Refugee Project was awarded as one of the best voluntary initiatives. “Voluntary Initiative 2014” is organised for a fourth successive year by Tulip Foundation and the National Alliance for Voluntary Action.