Welcome and support for those who need it most is best served through the hospitality and welcome of a warm friendship and generous spirit. Karen has volunteered with us to do just that as a befriender. It was the lockdown in March 2020 that gave Karen the push to start volunteering with us. Looking for a positive way to respond and a personal touch approach she found a place to belong with Refugee Roots.  

"Volunteering with Refugee Roots is a really interesting thing to do. It allows you to connect with different people, from different backgrounds, and help them feel welcomed in our city." 

"I heard about Refugee Roots from my church. I liked the look of the work that they were doing however, it was advertised during lockdown and I wasn’t sure how this would work. After attending a volunteer induction all became clear. It was possible to be a telephone befriender! Supporting participants from home, on the phone, is a great way to help others, without having to leave my house. I really feel that I am positively impacting the lives of others!"

Volunteering with Refugee Roots is a really interesting thing to do

"Sometimes the language barriers make telephone befriending difficult. It's hard to know where to start when talking to a new person with limited english. However, after some research I found some great ideas and the conversation flowed. I thoroughly enjoy talking to my befriendee. I love hearing about the things that are going on in their life. One of the people I befriended was expecting his first child. It was exciting to journey with him as he waited for his new daughter to arrive." 

You too can be part of the difference and change

Volunteer