Volunteer Positions
From one-on-one interactions with refugees to teaching a class, the Refugee Career Hub finds a place for your skills and talents. We always have tasks that need doing, even if resume-writing isn’t your talent. Typical volunteer tasks include:
- Build resumes
- Fill out job applications
- Speak at an upcoming job class
- Teach a computer class
- Become a Career Coach
- Taking photographs to record the stories of the career hub
- Provide snacks for job-seekers and volunteers
- Pray for the Hub and our mission
Getting Started as a Volunteer
The Refugee Career Hub is one of seven programs under Friends of Refugees.
- Attend volunteer orientation through Friends of Refugees. Sign up here.
- Complete volunteer application and background check.
- Approved applications will be sent to the Hub’s volunteer coordinator.
- Attend volunteer orientation for the Career Hub scheduled through the volunteer coordinator.
Have a large group interested in volunteering at the Hub?
A Day in the Life as a Volunteer
Most volunteers help the refugees when they come to the Hub to start or continue the process of looking for a job. These are called walk-in hours. About thirty minutes before walk-in hours begin, the volunteers gather in a huddle to hear from the Volunteer Coordinator and the Job Developer who hand out a list of the day’s available positions and talk about any company that is recruiting in-person that day.
Mohamed is first in line, and this is his first time at the Refugee Career Hub. The first step is to register him in Zoho, the tool that the Hub uses to maintain each job-seeker’s information and keep track of the available jobs. He doesn’t speak much English, so his young son helps translate. He is from Syria, and he used to work as a cook. He doesn’t have an email account, so he creates one to maintain contact with potential employers. Finally, Mohamed visits our Community Training Specialist to start his new-member orientation.
Next in line is Lakirta, who is visiting for the second time to update her resume and turn in her completed practice job application. The volunteer opens her Zoho profile, opens her resume, and asks Lakirta for any new information for her resume. Lakirta proudly says that she now has a driver’s license, which qualifies her for more jobs. The volunteer adds this to her resume and verifies that the rest of her resume is up-to-date. Finally, they email Lakirta a copy of her resume and print three copies for her to take to interviews. She smiles as the volunteer hands the copies to her.
Samuel, here for the third time, is finally ready to apply to an open position. He hands his resume to the volunteer and explains that he has just earned his welding certification. After consulting the available positions, they find that an iron-working job is open. Samuel reviews the job’s location, schedule, and wage range to verify that he is a good fit for the position. His information and the job opening are sent to our Employment Specialist so she can arrange an interview for Samuel. Our Employment Specialist will call him in a few days to set up a time to meet with him and prepare him for the interview.
The walk in hours are almost over, and there is no one waiting, so it’s time to start cleaning up. All volunteers assist with cleanup and preparing for the next walk-in shift.