If your STAR group wants to start volunteering or you want to make your volunteering project even better these guides takes you through all the key steps and gives you lots of useful tips.

Contents

1. Introduction and how STAR national can help

2. Can you get help from your University?

3. What kind of volunteering can you do?

4. Volunteering in partnership

How to find an organisation to volunteer with How to spot a good volunteering organisation Working in partnership – how to get the most out of it

5. Get someone to take charge

6. Setting up a STAR project (get in touch with STAR national for a chat!)

7. How to know you are really making a difference

What is monitoring and evaluation?

8. Keeping things safe

9. Helping with practical problems

10. Keeping things clear – volunteering dos and don’ts and why they are important

11. Volunteers

How to find volunteers How to keep volunteers Giving people credit – getting official recognition for your volunteering

12. Useful documents

Volunteering agreement

Example role description

Example project evaluation questionnaire

Volunteer Induction Handbook Template

Getting everyone involved in planning and evaluating

STAR Group Child Protection Policy

Photo permission form

Handover sheet

Volunteering

How to volunteer and help refugees in your local area

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2. Can your university help?

The more help you can get with your volunteering project the better. At STAR national we will give you as much support as we can but don’t forget that you can often get help from your university as well, and even money if you are lucky! There are a lot of ways your university may be able to help so you need to…

Find out whether your university provides support for volunteering. This might be

through your student union or there might be a separate volunteering department or a SCA (Student Community Action) based at your university. At STAR national we have a list of useful university contacts so you can also call and ask us.

Find out what they can do for you. The kinds of things that they may be able to

help with include: o Advertising your volunteering opportunities o Providing training for new volunteers o Carrying out CRB checks for volunteers o Taking references for volunteers o Supporting the set up and running of Student Led Projects o Making sure your project is safe o Providing funding o Providing volunteers with accreditation for their volunteering through awards

and certificates (see section 4.11)

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4.3 What kind of volunteering can you do?

You can volunteer in many different ways, depending on how much time you have and what needs to be done in your area. You could 1. Help out at one off events or projects This is a great way to make a difference if your group can’t commit to regular volunteering, e.g. Organise or help out at an event for a local refugee organisation Do a food/clothes collection for a destitution project Organise a visit to your campus for a group of young refugees Collect Christmas presents for a refugee drop in 2. Volunteer in existing projects for local organisations There are loads of great projects with some really exciting volunteering opportunities out there, which really need your help. Get in touch with STAR national to find out what is happening in your local area. Your group can promote local volunteering opportunities to STAR members and other students on campus. A good way to do this is to ask a member of staff at the project to come along and talk about the work they do at one of your meetings. This is also a great way to find out more about refugees in your local area. If you are referring volunteer on to other organisations make sure you keep in touch with them so that they stay involved in the STAR group. You could organise volunteer socials or just make sure they are kept up to date with what is going on with the group through Facebook or your mailing list. 3. Set up your own STAR project in partnership Get your STAR group to take an active role in setting up and running a project in partnership with a local organisation. This could be a whole new project or adding something to an existing project e.g. running kids activities at a drop in which didn’t have anything for children before. BUT before you get planning you must get in touch with Emily at STAR national (volunteering@star-network.org.uk) It is important to be realistic and make sure that you have enough time and people to make it happen. Some examples of successful STAR projects….

Liverpool STAR help run a Refugee Women’s social group in partnership with a

local organisations, Healthy Inclusion and Sola Arts. Liverpool STAR provides volunteers and help with planning and running activities. Healthy Inclusion and Sola Arts provide support to the volunteers, funding for the activities and people to

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support the session who are also able to make sure it carries on over holidays when the students are away.

Manchester STAR runs an English Conversation Class at a drop in run by Stockport

Refugee Support group. Manchester STAR provides the volunteers and plan the sessions. Stockport Refugee Support group provide the venue, travel expenses and resources. Student Action provides support and funding.

If you want to set up your own project, get in touch with STAR National for advice. For all types of volunteering you’ll need to work with at least one other organisation. We call these your ‘Partner Organisation’. So for whatever you decide to do, go to section 4.3 for advice on how to find your partner.

4. Volunteering in partnership

For all types of volunteering you’ll need to work with at least one other organisation. We call these your ‘partner organisation’. Here is some advice on how to find your perfect partner!

Find an organisation to volunteer with Possible partner organisations could be: Community group e.g. youth group Voluntary organisations e.g. Refugee Council Council e.g. Social Services Schools or colleges Health services The benefits of working with a partner organisation are that you can: Make sure what you are doing helps refugees Learn from the experience the organisation has of helping refugees Get support to develop the project and keep it going in the long term Get the right kind of help for the refugees you are working with by asking your partner

organisation Have the right procedures in place to make the volunteering safe Benefit from funding, resources or facilities they have Get training and support Ask STAR national! Before you get in touch with any organisations please contact STAR national You may already know some organisations in your local area that work with refugees but if not you can contact STAR National for ideas – we have contact with lots of organisations all over the UK and are also happy to do a bit of research for you to find you a good project. We can also give you advice on what to say to organisations you want to volunteer with.

Working in partnership – how to get the most out of it If you are going to be doing some volunteering as a group with a local organisation you need to think about how you will work together to help refugees best. Here are a few tips... It’s important that you approach organisations with the right attitude. The people you are contacting are likely to be very busy and may take some convincing that you and your group have something valuable to offer. Too often community organisations can get let

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down, patronised, pestered or exploited by others so they can be sceptical about offers of help. You need to show that you can and will help! Here is how… Be professional – always reply to communications quickly and turn up to meetings on

time. Do not promise what you can’t deliver – be realistic Be persistant but patient – community organisations often have a lot going on and

you probably won’t be on the top of the list Be flexible – your project may need to change depending on what the needs of the

community are

The next step is… The volunteering agreement Agree who is going to do what and write it down – this means everyone is clear

about what their responsibilities are. As part of the affiliation agreement you must complete a volunteering agreement with volunteering partner projects (see the useful documents for a template). It should cover the following:

o What is the volunteering project and how will it work o Who is responsible for recruiting volunteers o How many volunteers are required o Who provides induction training for the volunteers o Who is responsible for organising activities o Who is responsible for health and safety o What is the procedure and who is responsible if there are child

protection/welfare concerns o Who provides the venue/resources

And once it is up and running… Good communication – keep in regular contact with your partner organisation and

keep them up to date with information that affects the volunteering e.g. term times or exams. Make sure you pass on all the relevant information from your partner organisation to other volunteers.

Be reliable – remember many organisations you work with have little money and rely on volunteers, so if you make a commitment it’s important you keep to it (and make sure that other volunteers do). They may not be able to run the activities without you!

Feedback –if there are any problems let them know as soon as you can and ask them how they think the volunteering is going and if there is anything that could be improved.

Handover - At the end of year make sure they know who will be their contact in the next academic year and let them know they can contact STAR national over the summer if they need to.

Let us know what is going on!

How to spot a good volunteering organisation

If you find a good volunteering organisation you’ll get a better volunteering project that works well, is safe and which has happy volunteers!

This following is to give you an idea of what you should expect from a perfect volunteering organisation. However, all organisations are different and what they can offer will depend on their size and how much money they have. Your STAR group may be able to do some of these things but check them out with STAR national first to make sure you aren’t taking on too much responsibility. Have a quick look at the list below. If the organisation you are (or are planning to be) volunteering with does not offer these then you should consider whether this is a suitable project for your group. Ask STAR national if you are unsure. A good partner organisation should give you (as volunteers)…. A clear role and project description and details of how volunteers can get started

e.g. do they need a CRB check, an application form, references? How long might it take before they can volunteer? This is really important information so you are able to recruit volunteers.

A named contact at the organisation Induction training for new volunteers so they know what they are supposed to be

doing – you might be able to do some of this yourselves but speak to STAR national if you are unsure. This should include information about volunteering with refugees.

A safe volunteering experience. The organisation should be doing the following:

o Checking that you are a suitable volunteer. This can be done in many ways depending on what you will be doing e.g. application form, references, informal chat, CRB check, in depth training. They might think that because you are part of STAR that you have already had to go through an application process so it is important to let them know that you haven’t.

o Checking the project is safe on a regular basis (e.g. through risk assessments)

o Ensuring STAR volunteers understand their policies e.g. health and safety, volunteer policy, child protection policy

o Insuring the volunteering activity

Volunteer expenses – these should ideally be offered to all volunteers to ensure that no-one is out of pocket and people who have less money are not excluded from volunteering. However, not all projects have the resources to offer expenses. Your Student Union might be able to cover these costs so check it out with them. Don’t forget that even if you don’t need to claim expenses, other people might not be able to volunteer without them.

Volunteer support – If you are volunteering with an organisation they should make

sure that everything is going well on a regular basis. They can do this in lots of ways from having individual meetings with volunteers or termly group meetings with everyone. If you don’t feel that you are getting enough support, let the project know and speak to us at STAR national for advice. It is also a good idea to hold your own volunteer get-togethers to chat about how everything is going.

5. Get someone to take charge

Elect a Volunteer Coordinator! It is important to have someone who takes charge of organising the volunteering project, this way someone has responsibility for making sure things get done and they can be the main contact for your partner organisation and STAR national. The best way to do this is to elect a volunteer coordinator. If it is a big job or you have lots of volunteering projects then it might be a good idea if more than one person is responsible, but make sure everyone has clear responsibilities. Remember the volunteer coordinator shouldn’t be doing everything themselves and they will need help! Some of the tasks they might lead on are… Finding a partner organisation Taking a lead on project planning Recruiting new volunteers Keeping in touch with the partner project Keeping in touch with STAR National Organising introductory sessions for new volunteers Organising volunteer meetings/socials Organising training for volunteers Making a volunteer rota Keeping in touch with the volunteers Planning evaluations of the project

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6 How to set up a STAR volunteering project

If you are planning to set up a new volunteering project for your STAR group you need to get in touch with STAR national to let us know…and we’re also on hand to give you advice and support so get in touch PS. we do have lots of top tips on how to plan a new project but we’ll give them to you when you get in touch!

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7. How to know you are really making a difference

If you are going to give up your time to volunteer you want to make sure that what you are doing is having the maximum possible impact and is helping as many people as possible in the most useful way. Keeping track of what you have been doing and finding out what people think of the project is the best way to do this – this is what you call ‘monitoring and evaluating’. The best way to do this is to nominate a STAR member to collect all the information together. It’s great role for someone who wants to get research experience. Think about how to evaluate before you start a project and it will make your life much easier!

What is monitoring and evaluating? Monitoring is simply recording what you’ve done so you know how things are going with your project and so you can check you are doing what you set out to do. This could be counting how many children come to your club each week, how many bags of clothes you collect for a destitution project, how many volunteers turn up or gathering feedback from participants after a trip to the seaside. Taking photos is also a good way to record what has happened. Evaluation is a more in depth look at what you have been doing so you can plan for the future and make changes, often people do this at the end of a project but it is useful to evaluate what you do as you go along e.g. evaluate at the end of a party so the next one you organise can be even better. It will use the monitoring information and other more detailed information you gather - like peoples opinions about the project in general. To do it well you should ask the people you are helping, the volunteers and your partner organisation what they think of the project. Don’t forget to answer the same questions yourselves as you probably have a very good idea of what has and hasn’t been working which will be really valuable information for the next volunteering coordinator. It answers questions like: How well are we doing? Are we doing things right? What could we change to make it better? What difference are we making? Why is it important? 1. So you can check what you are doing is really making a difference and to make your project even better… To find out what has worked, what hasn’t, how people have been helped and to see if

you can make the project better.

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It is not just about fixing things when they go wrong, it is also about finding out what you did well so you can do it again. Make sure you remember to tell us at STAR national about it! We really want to hear about all those successful events, parties and projects so we can share it with other STAR groups and show everyone what a difference STAR is making…

2. To show everyone the brilliant things you’ve done… So we can show the world what the STAR network has achieved! To show STAR members that the time they have given up has been worthwhile It gives you great material to promote volunteering opportunities to new volunteers e.g.

quotes and photos So STAR can show funders that their money has been well spent and we can ask for

more to keep helping you and providing resources. There are lots of ways you can evaluate your project from getting people to fill out questionnaires to fun activities for children (see the useful documents section for a template forms and lots of ideas) And remember you need to let STAR national know what you find out so we can share it with the network and get more funding to support your work!

8. Keeping things safe

If you are going to set up or be involved in the running of a volunteering project you have a responsibility to make sure that the people who you are helping and the people who are volunteering are going to be safe. This might just mean knowing the policies of your partner organisation but, depending on the project, you might have to think about some of the following as well. Here is a quick checklist: Training Check that you are all getting the training you need to volunteer safely. If your partner organisation or university don’t offer the training you feel you need STAR

national may be able to help - so get in touch! Volunteer checks Ask your volunteering partner organisation what kind of information they need from new

volunteers. How the suitability of volunteers is checked will depend on the kind of volunteering project. If someone is just collecting clothes for a local destitution project you probably don’t need much information and their name and contact details will do. However, if volunteers are going to be working with children, vulnerable adults (e.g. people with mental health problems, learning or physical disabilities), handling money or confidential information you need to know more about whether they are the right kind of person for the role. In these cases your partner organisation should ask new volunteers to go through some kind of application process and request references and a CRB check (see below).

DBS checks are the new CRB! What is a DBS check? – It is short for the Disclosure

and Barring Service and allows organisations to find out if people have criminal records which might affect the kind of work/volunteering they want to do - e.g. someone who wants to be a volunteer treasurer but has been convicted of fraud would be unsuitable for the role. There are two kinds of check; Standard and Enhanced. If you want to volunteer with children or vulnerable adults you will need to complete an Enhanced DBS check. DBS checks are free for volunteers and most universities can do them for you but check with your partner organisation as they might only accept checks completed through them. These can take some time to be processed – so factor this in to your project planning and let potential volunteers know..

Health and safety Ask your partner organisation what their health and safety policy is and make sure your

STAR group all read it.

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If your STAR group is responsible for any activities you should think about the potential risks of the activity well in advance. Once you have done this you can work out what you can do to prevent against the potential risks e.g. if you are doing craft activities you need to make sure sharp scissors are kept away from small children.

Make sure all the volunteers know what to do if there is an accident or an emergency

e.g. if there is a fire or if a child falls and bangs their head. Insurance Check that what you are doing is covered by your volunteering partner

organisation/student union insurance. Volunteering with children or vulnerable adults If you are going to be volunteering with children or vulnerable adults you need to make

sure that your partner organisation has a child/vulnerable adult protection policy. If they don’t, contact STAR national for advice. Make sure all the volunteers know what the policy and procedure is.

All volunteers will need to complete an enhanced DBS check (see above). Make sure that you have a procedure in place of what to do if you are concerned with

the welfare of an adult or a child. Keeping children safe: Child Protection Make sure that you are all aware of your partner organisations child protection policy

and that you know what to do if you have a child protection concern – always follow the procedure you have been given by your partner organisation! You should always have a named person to contact if you have a concern and this should be included in the volunteering agreement.

You should also read the STAR’s Child Protection Policy for STAR groups (in the useful documents section).

If your STAR group is working with children you should all attend child protection training. Many universities offer courses, your partner organisation or STAR national can organise a training session for you.

IMPORTANT! - If you are unable to contact your volunteering partner organisation or you have reported a concern to them and don’t feel that it has been dealt with properly you can contact Emma Williams at STAR national on 0207 697 4131 or 07920487955 or Emily Crowley on 0207 697 4132 or 07920 510755

Immigration advice – the law Don’t give people any advice related to immigration! It is a criminal offence for anyone

to give immigration advice or services in the UK unless they are regulated by the OISC (Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner), a regulated solicitor, barrister or legal executive (or European equivalent), or exempted by Ministerial Order.

As well as the legal implications for volunteers, immigration law is incredibly complicated and each person’s situation is different. You might just want to help but if you give the wrong information it could have serious consequences, so please leave it to the experts!

Photographs Always get permission from someone when taking photographs. If you are

photographing children you need to get the permission of their parents. (see the useful documents for a template form)

Remember, because of their situation some asylum seekers and refugees may not want their photograph to be displayed publicly, especially on the internet, so make sure you ask and explain where the picture will be seen. Not everyone wants their photograph posted on Facebook!

Unsure about something? Call STAR National…

9. Helping with practical problems

Refugees and asylum seekers may face lots of practical difficulties in the UK and the way things work here are probably going to be very different to what they are used to. The kinds of difficulties might be relating to their asylum claim, benefits, housing or how to access services. STAR volunteers may find that they get asked for help in sorting out some of these problems so what should volunteers do? The first thing is to remember that you aren’t the expert but what you do know about is how things work in the UK and this knowledge can be really helpful. You should you’ll someone in the organisation you volunteer with that you can direct people to for help, but if you don’t here is what you could do. Here are three simple steps which volunteers can follow…. But! Don’t raise people’s expectations or promise that you can fix the problem. You should also explain what you are going to do with the information.

1- Find out exactly what the problem is This may take some time but it will be worth it. The problem in the end may not be the problem you thought it was in the first place e.g. if someone tells you they have no money or they are going to lose their accommodation the problem that needs to be solved is often very different depending where they are in the asylum process – without this information they could be given completely the wrong advice or you could be sending them to the wrong organisation. Remember, people who don’t know how the systems work in the UK, what they are entitled to or what help they can get, may not know what information to give you unless you ask. 2 -Write it down and give them a copy This may be the most helpful thing you can do – you have spent time working out what the problem is which is something other organisations may not be willing or able to do. It will be much easier for the person to get the right kind of support this way. 3 -Speak to your volunteering partner or STAR national Now you know what the problem is you should find someone from your volunteering partner and speak to them about it. You can also contact STAR national for advice. Don’t try and solve the problem by yourself – you are not the expert. What you are able to do is use your knowledge of how things work in the UK to work out what the problem is. Not sure what to do? Contact STAR national for advice!

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10. Keeping things clear

Being very clear about what is ok and what isn’t is very important for volunteers and the people they are working with. These Dos and Don’ts are usually called “boundaries” and help everyone know how they should act and help avoid misunderstandings and difficult situations. You can all make a real difference by volunteering and you will get loads out of it as well. You’ll learn new skills, have fun and meet really interesting people. Here’s how to make it work well. . Why do we need Dos and Don’ts in volunteer roles? the people you are volunteering with will have a clear idea of what to expect from you

and other volunteers and this will help build a solid relationship with them. there will be consistency between what different volunteers are doing people from different cultures may have differing expectations of what a project will

provide and clear boundaries will prevent misunderstandings if boundaries are clear you will know how to behave in different situations which will

give you more self-confidence they help deal with stress because they separate your volunteering from your private

life

Ask your volunteering partner project what is and isn’t acceptable while you are volunteering. They should also cover this in any introductory training you get. Make sure all new volunteers get a copy of the guidelines BEFORE they start volunteering. General Dos and Don’ts: Guidelines like these are used for most volunteering projects and you can tailor them to suit the volunteering your STAR group is doing. Speak to your project partner or get in touch with STAR national to ask for advice and make sure new volunteers get a copy and read it!

DO Be reliable and turn up on time. If you can’t attend let the volunteering coordinator know

in advance. Find out who is in charge and what you should be doing Although you are volunteering you should treat your role in the same way as you would

a job, so be professional and don’t forget you are representing STAR Think before you say ‘Yes’! Be aware that gender relations are often very different in different parts of the world so

be sensible about the way you interact with people to avoid misunderstandings and uncomfortable situations

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Think about what you wear – you are probably going to be volunteering with people from lots of different cultures so make sure your clothes are appropriate e.g. low cut tops and short skirts may make people embarrassed

Tell other volunteers if you think their behaviour is not appropriate or if you are not comfortable doing this speak to a project worker or STAR volunteer in charge

Think about what your personal boundaries are and don’t take on too much – it’s not helpful for anyone if you get stressed out or promise to do things that you don’t have time to do ask for help if you need it

If you feel stressed, out of your depth, have been upset by something that you have heard or been made to feel uncomfortable, by something someone has done or said, speak to the project staff, other volunteers or STAR national.

Enjoy yourself! DON’T Give out personal information about yourself, other volunteers or the people you are

working with Give out your personal phone number/make friends on Facebook Arrange to meet with the people you are supporting outside of the volunteering project

unless this has been agreed by your partner organisation or is an expected part of the volunteering opportunity

Leave any confidential information where others can see it Accept offensive behaviour or language, if this happens speak to project staff or

volunteering coordinator Use your volunteering as a way to do research/find research subjects for your

dissertation or thesis, this is completely inappropriate! If you think your research might be useful for the organisation, they may want to help you but you need to get their permission.

Accept personal gifts Lend to or borrow, buy or sell to/from those you are volunteering with Give people any advice related to immigration! It against the law for anyone to give

immigration advice or services in the UK unless they are registered to do so. As well as the legal implications, immigration law is incredibly complicated and each person’s situation is different. You might just want to help but if you give the wrong information it could have serious consequences, so please leave it to the experts!

A few more things to keep in mind…. Many refugees have experienced very traumatic things and may have lost friends or

family. All will have had to leave family and friends behind. Keep this in mind when planning activities and chatting as some topics may be difficult or upsetting for some people. This doesn’t mean you have to avoid certain topics completely, just use your common sense and if you think the person you are talking to is uncomfortable change the subject.

Don’t expect people to want to talk about why they have come to the UK. If someone

wants to tell you they will do this in their own time. Talking about immigration status can also be a sensitive topic.

Politics and religion can be thorny subjects, especially in mixed cultural groups. They

might also be the reasons people have had to seek asylum in the first place, so big discussions are best avoided.

Always get permission when taking photographs. Remember, because of their situation some asylum seekers and refugees may not want their photograph to be displayed publicly, especially on the internet, so make sure you ask and explain where the picture will be seen. Not everyone wants their photograph posted on Facebook!

Remember if you feel stressed, out of your depth, have been upset by something that you have heard, or been made to feel uncomfortable, by something someone has done or said, speak to the staff at the volunteering project, other volunteers or STAR national. Don’t keep it to yourself!

11. Volunteers

You can’t have a volunteering project without volunteers so it is worth putting a bit of thought into how best to find and keep them. The better you do both of these the more likely you’ll get lots of committed volunteers.

Finding Volunteers Before you start think about why people want to volunteer. This will help you target your advertising better by e.g. showing them what they will get out of the volunteering on your leaflets and posters. The main motivations are things like: To make a difference To make friends To learn new skills To use existing skills Get work experience/CV To help them in their course e.g. French To learn about refugees They are passionate about a cause To do something fun and interesting Their friends are doing it Don’t forget to think about the kind of volunteers you want. Are you looking for specific skills from your volunteers e.g. language skills or ESOL training? Think about where you could advertise to get the kind of volunteers you want - this could be specific courses or other societies or clubs. Try and be inclusive and don’t just ask your friends, give other people the chance to get involved and the project will benefit from more skills, different ideas and life experiences. Some tips on what your advertising should cover…. Why should they volunteer, why is their help needed? Explain what need the project meets – why does it exist, what is the issue? What difference will they make? How does it benefit people – you could use quotes, life stories, video testimony from

staff and participants Why are volunteers important – e.g. no funding so can’t run without them What exactly is the volunteering role? Give a clear description of the volunteering activity – writing a role description can be

useful and be clear if you are looking for volunteers with specific skills (see useful documents for an example)

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To show people what is involved you could use photos, show a video or get current volunteers/service users to talk about the project. You could also offer a taster session at the volunteering project so they can try it out.

Reassure potential volunteers that they can get involved Make it clear if no previous experience is necessary and training will be given Make it clear that the opportunity is open to all students Commitment Don’t be scared to ask for a specific time commitment – most projects will struggle if

they don’t have volunteers who are willing to come every week or every second week. If they really want to volunteer they will make sure they can attend and you want dedicated volunteers! If you make it too flexible, people will let you and the project down and you will make lots of work for yourself trying to find enough volunteers to keep it going every week.

Tell them how they will benefit What kind of new skills will they learn Can help them with their studies e.g. practice French, teaching experience Useful for CV Highlight any social activities and how much fun it will be! Use quotes from current volunteers or get them to give a talk Different methods of advertising Posters and flyers Displays Stall at freshers fair, outside the library or student union. Organise an open day at the volunteering project Organise talks from project staff, beneficiaries, volunteers at university events or at

lectures Adverts on university newspaper or radio Use the volunteering department at your university if you have one – they can have a

huge number of people registered with them so this can be one of most successful ways to get in lots of volunteers with very little work for you.

Events during e.g. Student Volunteering Week Write an article about your project for the student newspaper or website Create a Facebook group or twitter feed Poster and leaflet tips - don’t forget to: Keep it clear and concise Make it easy to read- no jargon Eye catching Give contact details Where and when Be clear about the next step e.g. e-mail, come along to meeting

Keeping Volunteers Here are some tips to help your group hold on to volunteers: Be clear about what the volunteering project is from the start. People are much more likely to be committed and reliable if they know exactly what they are signing up to in the first place. Ask your partner project for a role description for potential volunteers or you could make

one yourself. This should tell them very briefly o What the activity is and when it happens, o Who is the project for o What need the project meets and why it is important. o How do they get involved and how quickly can they start volunteering? Is

there an application form? Do they need to wait to have a CRB check? o What time commitment is expected from them and why e.g. important for

young refugees to have continuity, it takes time for volunteers to gain trust of refugees, we need lots of volunteers every week or we can’t run the session

Give them a taste of what the project is like so they can see if it definitely something

they want to do before they make a commitment. You could… o Get the project staff/participants to come to a meeting and give a talk o Arrange a visit to the volunteering project o Run a volunteering taster session where they can try it out for a few hours

Make new volunteers feel welcome This is very, very important! A friendly, fun atmosphere is what will make people want to come back for more. Be friendly Introduce new volunteers to project staff, volunteers and participants You could organise a social for all the volunteers so they can get to know each other Ensure new volunteers feel prepared for their volunteering role. If they know why they are there and how they can be useful it will seem like a worthwhile use of their time. Provide an introductory session or meeting - your partner organisation should provide

induction training but it might also be a good idea to do something yourselves so all new volunteers know what STAR is and why we volunteer. It doesn’t have to be complicated or formal. You can do it at a group meeting or just have a chat with new volunteers when they start. If you have new people starting regularly you could give them introductory information to read (see useful documents for a template handbook you can use) and talk to them in more detail when you have time.

A good induction (from a partner organisation and/or STAR group) should cover the following:

o Introductions o Show them the around the venue – make sure they know where

toilets/kitchen/fire exits etc. are o Background info on the project o Background information on STAR and refugees in the UK o What their role will be o What the boundary guidelines of the project are – what should/shouldn’t they

be doing o Who they should go to if they have any problems or questions o What to do if they can’t attend o Useful topics – e.g. basic asylum info, working with children (you can ask

STAR national or your partner project if they can run a training session) o Policies - ask your partner organisation if they have policies that volunteers

should know about e.g. child protection policy, health and safety policy, volunteer policy, expenses policy or confidentiality policy

Buddying – you could match new volunteers up with more experienced volunteers who

can tell them what they need to know about the project, the role and help them get settled in.

Be supportive of each other Volunteers will vary hugely in the amount of experience and confidence they have. Creating an atmosphere where volunteers feel comfortable asking for help and sharing their concerns will make for happy volunteers! If you see someone is struggling or doesn’t know what to do – ask if they are ok and

give them a hand! Your partner organisation should be providing volunteers with support but if you feel

that you need more support let them know. You could ask them to have regular group support meetings with volunteers.

Make sure everyone knows who they can go to if they need help or are concerned about something.

Hold regular volunteer meetings of your own so that people have the chance to get to know each other and talk about how the project is going.

Be organised This will save so much time in the long run. It will ensure that everyone knows who should be doing what and when, and also deal with problems as they come up. Here are some suggestions… Elect a volunteer coordinator/s and agree what their responsibilities will be. Make sure all new volunteers have the information they need. Do they need a map or

directions to get to the project? What time should they arrive? Who do they ask for? Can they claim travel expenses?

Make sure that you have all the volunteers’ contact details – check with them that it is ok to share their e-mail address/phone number with the other volunteers

Make a rota o You can do this in different ways e.g. by using e-mail, facebook, creating

facebook events for each session o Do this at the start of each term to make sure you have enough volunteers

for each session. A list of back up volunteers and their contact details is also really useful.

o Make sure everyone has agreed to the rota and has a copy. o If a volunteer’s name is on the rota and they can’t attend then make it clear

that they need to let the volunteer coordinator/project know and be responsible for trying to find a replacement by contacting the back up volunteers.

o Are there a minimum number of volunteers you need to run the session? Always try to have a few extra on the rota so that if someone can’t make it the session can still run.

Text/phone/e-mail volunteers before each session to remind them Have regular volunteer meetings – this will give everyone the chance to get to know

each other, agree the rota, discuss any problems that have come up and get involved in making decisions.

Make everyone feel part of the project If volunteers feel that they have a role in shaping a project they will be more likely to feel responsible for ensuring it continues e.g. turning up when they are supposed to! Try and involve everyone in any decisions that are made Ensure everyone knows why the project exists and why volunteers are important Keep everyone up to date with what is happening with the project If you are evaluating the project make sure you ask everyone what they think Make sure everyone who volunteers knows how important they are and what a difference they are making. If volunteers feel like what they are doing really matters you’ll keep them interested… Share any positive feedback you get from participants or partner projects Ask your volunteering partner organisation to chat to the volunteers about the impact

their work is having Evaluate the project and share the information with everyone (ask STAR national for

advice on different ways to do this) Have a volunteer awards ceremony Arrange a volunteer social/party Say thank-you!

Giving people credit – getting official recognition for volunteering

Volunteering can make a huge difference to your life and it's down to you to make the most of it! In today's world you need to show that you are more than the sum of your paper

qualifications. You need to show future employers that you have initiative and can communicate and solve problems outside of the academic world. Here are some suggestions of how to show them the great stuff you have done with your volunteering

Accredited awards

There are lots of different kinds of volunteering awards you can work towards. Some awards count how many hours of volunteering you do and others might be a thank you certificate once a year. There are also some schemes which could count towards your studies.

The best place to start is to find out about what your university offers. So get in touch with your student union or student volunteering hub, your partner organisation might also have an awards scheme so ask them as well.

Vinspired and MV

The most common award is through the Vinspired programme (England) and MV programme (Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland). Although these programmes are slightly different depending what part of the country you are in, they are linked and you should be able to transfer hours between them. Many universities are linked up with these award schemes.

Vinspired and MV are nationally recognised awards for 16-25 year olds. The awards recognise the time you commit through logging the number of hours you do, the skills you develop and the difference you make through your volunteering.

Getting references It’s always useful to have people you can ask to be a referee if you are applying for a job in the future. Ask your volunteering partner organisation if you can use them as a reference – you could ask them to fill out a simple form or ask if they are willing to be used as a reference on future applications volunteers make. References are time consuming to do so only ask if you have volunteered with an organisation for a reasonable length of time and they will definitely remember who you are and what you have done!

12. Useful documents

Here are some useful templates and example documents that you might need to help with your volunteering.

Contents

Volunteering agreement Example role description Template volunteer induction guide Example project evaluation questionnaire Getting everyone involved in planning and evaluating STAR Group Child Protection Policy Photo permission form Handover sheet

STAR Group Guide 2013-14

Volunteering

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STAR Volunteering Agreement

STAR supports the UK refugee movement by recruiting, training and supporting thousands of university students to campaign, educate fellow students about refugee issues and volunteer at projects up and down the country. We make sure that refugees and asylum seekers, refugee projects and students get maximum benefit by working with well organised partner projects who can make use of our student volunteers. The STAR National charity and the volunteering partner have clear roles in working with STAR student volunteers, we will lead on recruiting and training the students, you will lead on ensuring their volunteering is safe and effective. STAR National will: Train and support STAR leaders to run successful STAR groups and volunteering projects Recruit students at local universities to join STAR and get active with volunteering Find a local STAR group which wants to volunteer with you Work with you to devise volunteering roles which are suitable for STAR students e.g. setting up an

English Conversation Club, staffing a drop in. Work with you to establish the volunteering roles e.g. writing a role description, developing a volunteering

agreement with a STAR group Liaise between the STAR group and your organisation Provide training for STAR volunteers e.g. volunteering with refugees, providing English language support Support the continuity of volunteering projects from one academic year to the next by facilitating the

handover to new STAR committees, training up new STAR leaders, keeping records for STAR groups and volunteering projects and facilitating the restart of projects in the new year

Get the students involved in other work for refugees eg campaigning and holding events on campus

We don’t: Do checks on STAR volunteers. If you want to get references or CRB checks for STAR volunteers it is

your responsibility to do so. Many universities do CRB checks and references. Provide insurance for STAR volunteers Provide volunteer expenses, if you cannot offer these the Student Union may be able to. Allow our members to volunteer as fundraisers; we rely on their fundraising activities to support our work

at STAR! The partner project will:

Provide a clear description of volunteering roles to the STAR group Provide a clear description of the project STAR will be volunteering on Have a clear process for how STAR students become volunteers with the organisation Give a named contact at the organisation who leads on the volunteering Have monthly meetings with the volunteers to check on progress and provide support Provide an induction for all STAR volunteers : outline the volunteering role, outline what your

organisation does to help refugees and how the STAR students are part of this, Fire exits, health and safety, confidentiality, boundaries, expenses etc

Have sufficient liability insurance in place to cover the STAR volunteers. Have the following policies: health and safety, volunteering, confidentiality, child protection (if

relevant) Provide STAR with termly data on how the volunteering is benefitting refugees so that we can recruit

more students e.g. number of refugees assisted, type of assistance provided, feedback from refugees Keep in contact with STAR National to provide feedback and plan for any changes

If you have any questions please contact Emily (Volunteering Project Coordinator) on 0207 697 4132 or at volunteering@star-network.org.uk

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STAR Volunteering Agreement STAR groups must complete one of these with their volunteering partner organisation

This volunteering agreement is between

Description of project:

Lead contact: Lead contact:

Name: Address: Contact number: E-mail:

Name: Address: Contact number: E-mail:

We will meet:

Responsibilities

will:

will:

To be reviewed on:

Agreed by:

Sample STAR Volunteering Agreement

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All STAR groups must complete one of these with their volunteering partner organisation

This volunteering agreement is between AN Project and STAR Group

Description of project: AN Project and STAR Group will jointly run a social group for refugee women. The group will run from 2-4pm every Wednesday in term time. Refreshments will be provided and a programme of activities will be decided with the participants at the start of each term e.g. cookery, visits to local attractions, English conversation practice.

Lead contact: AN Project Lead contact: STAR Group

Name: Address: Contact number: E-mail:

Name: Address: Contact number: E-mail:

We will meet: once a month

Responsibilities

STAR will:

e.g. Be in regular contact with AN Project Provide sufficient volunteers each week Plan activities each week Buy refreshments Tidy up room after session Organise end of year trip Maintain contact with STAR National

AN project will:

e.g. Be in regular contact with STAR Group Provide insurance for the activity Provide a contact person within the organisation Provide induction training for volunteers including providing copies of relevant policies Provide a venue for the activity Pay for refreshments Provide travel expenses for volunteers Provide funding for activities Maintain contact with STAR National

To be reviewed on: 1st June 2013

Agreed by:

AN Project

STAR Group

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Example Role Description

English conversation club volunteer

STAR Project

Volunteer Role: English conversation club volunteer Supported by: A. Worker and STAR Volunteer Coordinator Where: STAR Project Time: 5-7pm every Wed in term time What will you do? Help refugees practice their English conversation skills through one on one conversation, games and activities. We also organise regular socials and outings. This is an amazing opportunity to have fun, meet new people and make a difference! There are also opportunities to get involved in planning and running the conversation club sessions so let us know if you are interested. How often? 5-7pm every Wed in term time. Training You will get introductory training from the STAR Project and will be matched up with an experienced conversation club volunteer for the first few sessions. What skills do you need?

To be friendly and confident

To be reliable

To be encouraging and supportive

A good level of spoken and written English

Experience of teaching English would be brilliant but isn’t essential To find out more contact ************************

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[insert your group name here]STAR Volunteer induction handbook What is STAR? STAR is the national charity of students welcoming refugees to the UK, together we:

Volunteer at local refugee projects

Campaign to improve the lives of refugees

Educate people about refugees and asylum

Fundraise to welcome refugees STAR is made up of over 30 groups at universities across the UK and a national team which co-ordinates and supports the groups. STAR groups are students’ union societies which are affiliated to the charity. The charity is governed by STAR’s Board of Trustees, elected annually by the students at the STAR National Conference.

Volunteering with STAR University students have the skills to help a refugee rebuild their life in the UK. STAR works at over 40 refugee charities providing much needed assistance including:

English Conversation Clubs where communication between refugees and students is fun, friendly and leads to real independence

Drop ins where food and friendship are shared in equal measure

Homework Clubs where those undergraduate study skills are passed on to young refugees working their way through school

Contents: 1. Refugees in the UK – the basics of the UK asylum system 2. Volunteering with STAR 3. STAR Volunteering Project Information (for your STAR group to fill out) 4. Useful contact details (for your STAR group to fill out)

.

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Refugees in the UK There is a lot of confusion about refugees and asylum seekers in the UK. So it’s a good idea to make sure you know who is who and what is what.

Definitions Refugee A person who is forced to leave their country of origin and seek protection in another country because of “…a well-founded fear of persecution… for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion.” The 1951 UN Convention on Refugees Asylum Seeker A person who has made an application for asylum and is waiting for the government to decide if they will be recognised as a refugee.

The UK asylum system How many people claim asylum in the UK? 21,7851 people (excluding dependants) claimed asylum in the UK in 2012. There has been a 50% drop in asylum applications since 2003. Pakistan, Iran, Sri Lanka, Nigeria and Afghanistan2 were the top 5 countries of origin for new refugee arrivals in 2012. The UK hosts less than 3% of the world’s refugees, over 80% of refugees are living in developing countries, often in camps across the border from conflict areas e.g. Pakistan hosts millions of refugees from the conflict in Afghanistan and Lebanon hosts over 700,000 refugees from Syria.

Most people claiming asylum know very little about the UK system. They come because they have family connections, can speak the language, or because of the UK’s reputation as a safe country. Many others pay agents to get them out and to safety and therefore did not choose to come to the UK. What do asylum seekers get?

Asylum seekers are not allowed to work except in some cases where the UKBA takes more than a year to make an initial decision on a case and only in a very limited range of jobs. Depending on their financial situation, asylum seekers may be eligible for support from the Government while their case is being considered.

Cash — A single adult currently receives £36.62 per week for living expenses. Housing — If applicants cannot provide their own housing, UKBA will provide them with

accommodation. They do not choose where to live and will be sent wherever housing is available outside of London and the South East. Accommodation for asylum seekers is managed by large private companies.

1 Calculated from the Home Office Quarterly Immigration Statistics for 2012 – this number excludes dependants.

2 Taken from AIDA, UK National Country Report (includes dependants)

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Education — Children of asylum seekers have the same right to education as all other children in the UK and must be in full-time education between the ages of five and 16. For further and higher education, however, entitlements to financial support are restricted.

Healthcare — Asylum seekers and their dependents receive free primary and secondary healthcare from the NHS. However, it can be difficult to register with a GP due to confusion amongst healthcare staff over who is eligible. In England refused asylum seekers who are not receiving any support from UKBA are not eligible for free secondary healthcare and will be charged. A&E treatment is free to all. Access to healthcare for asylum seekers is currently under review

The Asylum Process

How does someone become a refugee in the UK? Here are the basics of the process an asylum seeker goes through when they seek protection.

Application process

All asylum claims are processed by the UK Border Agency, which is part of the Home Office. Asylum seekers have permission to stay in the UK while their claim is being decided. Each case is assigned a UKBA staff member who is known as the ‘case owner’ and who oversees the process.

Asylum claims can be made to an immigration officer as soon as an asylum-seeker arrives in the UK. Once a person has passed through immigration control and is inside the UK, they must claim asylum at the Asylum Screening Unit (ASU) in Croydon (in South London). If a person has been detained it can be made from a detention centre.

Asylum applicants should find a lawyer to represent them as soon as possible to help them during the asylum application process and they can apply for legal aid for this work. However, due to recent legal aid cuts this is becoming increasingly difficult.

Legal Support

Free legal assistance is available to asylum seekers as part of the legal aid system. It can be difficult to find a lawyer as there are a limited number who are registered to provide immigration advice and in England and Wales the legal aid amount paid to lawyers is fixed at a very low amount, particularly for advice given before the screening interview (see below).

In April 2013 cuts to legal aid were been enforced which mean that most non-asylum immigration related cases are no longer entitled to legal aid. This impact of this for asylum seekers is not yet clear but it is likely that it will become even more difficult to find a lawyer.

Interviews

Asylum seekers go through a two-step interview process and must report regularly to the UKBA while their claim is under consideration. The UKBA first conducts a screening interview to collect the applicant’s personal details, check whether he or she has claimed asylum in the EU before and to decide which route the application will follow. Fingerprints, a photograph and other physical identification information are collected and the applicant is given an application registration card. At this point some applicants are routed on to an “fast track” process (see below) The remainder of applicants attend a more in-depth screening interview within a few weeks where they are asked to describe in detail why they fear persecution in their home country. Although they are entitled to it applicants do not always have legal representation at this stage.

‘Fast Track’ procedures

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There are two kinds of speeded up processes. Firstly, where the claim is decided by UKBA to be ‘clearly unfounded’ and individuals who want to appeal have to do so once they have left the UK. The most common reason for this is the asylum seeker comes from a country deemed safe by UKBA. About 10% of claims fell under this category in 2012.

The second process is the Detained Fast Track and is used when UKBA officials think the claim can be decided quickly. In this system applicants are detained for the whole asylum process. The aim is that the whole process from application to appeal will be completed within 15 days. Nearly all asylum claims heard in the DFT are refused. (see Detention Actions report “Fast Track to Despair” to find out about the problems with DFT)

How the UKBA decides

The UKBA case owner considers the evidence submitted by the applicant, information on the political and human rights situation in the person’s country of origin, previous legal decisions on asylum and the applicant’s personal credibility. The aim is to make a decision within 6 months, however most cases take longer than this.

If the claim is successful

If refugee status is granted, the individual is give permission to stay in the UK for five years. After five years the person will be able to apply for ‘Indefinite Leave to Remain’ in the UK to stay permanently. Once someone is granted refugee protection, they have the right to work, receive benefits and be re-united with their spouse and children (under 18). However, a child who is recognised as a refugee does not have the right to be joined by his or her parents or siblings.

If the UKBA decides that an asylum seeker does not meet the criteria for refugee status, the person may still be allowed to remain in the UK under a different status.

‘Discretionary Leave’ (DL) can be granted if you meet certain limited criteria e.g. you cannot leave the UK medical grounds or you have been trafficked. It is granted for up to 2.5 years and individuals can reapply at the end of this period if they still meet the criteria. Those with DL are able to work and can access public funds. Many people granted Discretionary Leave are separated children (or unaccompanied asylum seeking children). They are given the status until they turn 17 ½ years old, at which point they need to apply for asylum.

‘Humanitarian Protection’ (HP) can be granted for five years if removing them would breach the rights outlined in the European Convention on Human Rights, for instance if they would be tortured upon returning to their home country. After five years under Humanitarian Protection, they can apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain. Those granted Humanitarian Protection have the right to work, be reunited with their immediate families and receive benefits.

In 2012, 36% of asylum applications received a positive decision, 84% of these were granted refugee status and 16% another form of protection.

Appealing a decision

Applicants whose cases are refused by UKBA (64% of claims were refused in 2012) may have the right to appeal to the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal, which is independent of the UKBA. Applicants are allowed to remain in the UK during the appeals process.

Asylum seekers have only 10 days to make an appeal and they should be heard within two months of the initial decision. In England and Wales asylum seekers are only entitled to legal aid to pursue their appeal if it is judged to have a 50% or higher chance of success (a merits test), in Scotland there is no merits test

It is also possible to make a second asylum claim (also known as a ‘fresh claim’) if new evidence comes to light, or if the UK’s asylum law has changed since the original case.

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What happens when asylum claims are refused? When all appeal rights have ended, refused asylum seekers are expected to leave the country and their support is cut off after 21 days. Many people remain in the UK because they are too scared to return or cannot return for reasons e.g. there is no safe route into the country or they are too sick to travel.

Asylum seekers whose applications have been refused and had their support cut off can apply for a basic support package known as “hard case” or “Section 4” support if their circumstances meet the narrow eligibility criteria. The support consists of accommodation and a subsistence allowance on a payment card (Azure Card) that can only be used in specific supermarkets. In order to receive this support most applicants must agree to return to their country of origin as soon as they are able. This means many people do not apply for it as they are too afraid to be returned.

Voluntary return

If a claim is unsuccessful the person will be expected to voluntarily leave the UK. If they do not, they may be forcibly removed.

Asylum seekers who agree to return to their home country may be eligible for assistance from Refugee Action. Assistance can include help setting up a business, obtaining education or training, or getting a job in their home country.

Detention and removal

The UKBA may detain an asylum seeker at any time during the asylum process. There are 14 detention (immigration removal) centres around the country. 13,161 asylum seekers were detained in 2012.

Women and children are detained separately from men, except if they are part of a family. There are special units for families at the Cedars, a special pre-departure centre, and at Tinsley house, which is a short term holding facility. In 2012, 226 children were detained.

If an asylum seeker’s application and appeals have been denied and they have not voluntarily left the UK, the Home Office will inform them in writing that they intend to remove them. Thereafter the Home Office may detain refused asylum seekers and their families without warning until their removal can be arranged.

Problems with the UK asylum system There are many problems with the UK asylum system, such as: The initial decision on whether to grant someone asylum is made very quickly and often without sufficient

evidence. As a result UKBA often get it wrong with many of their negative decisions being overturned on appeal (27% of appeals were successful in 2012)

Almost all asylum seekers are prohibited from working, they are not able to choose where they live and

struggle to access further and higher education. This makes it incredibly difficult for people to rebuild their lives and plan for the future

The speed of the asylum process, particularly for people in the “Detained Fast Track” means that there is

often not enough time to give or collect the evidence needed to support the claim. It very difficult for asylum seekers to find and keep a solicitor to assist with their claim The system of dispersing asylum seekers across the country means they can become cut off from the

communities and support they need to help rebuild their lives

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Most asylum seekers receive support of just over £5 per day, far below what is required to meet essential

living needs Refused asylum seekers, who do not qualify for Section 4 are left completely destitute. They are not able

to access any kind of government support, yet are still not allowed to work and have no access to free secondary healthcare. To find out more and to take action to end the destitution of refused asylum seekers go to http://stillhumanstillhere.wordpress.com/

For more information To find out more about all of these issues go to the STAR website (http://www.star-network.org.uk/index.php/refugees/who_is_a_refugee) where you can find lots of information and links to useful websites and reports. References The information in this document has been compiled from the following sources: United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Global Trends 2012 http://www.unhcr.org/cgi-bin/texis/vtx/home/opendocPDFViewer.html?docid=51bacb0f9&query=global%20trends%202012 United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Asylum Trends 2012 http://www.unhcr.org/5149b81e9.html National Country Report: The United Kingdom, Asylum Information Database (aida) http://www.ecre.org/component/content/article/63-projects/323-asylum-information-database.html Asylum Aid website http://www.asylumaid.org.uk/pages/the_asylum_process_made_simple.html#Types Quarterly Home Office Immigration Statistics January – March 2012 https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/immigration-statistics-january-to-march-2012--2/immigration-statistics-january-to-march-2012#asylum April to June 2012 https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/immigration-statistics-april-to-june-2012-third-edition July to September https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/immigration-statistics-july-to-september-2012 October to December https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/immigration-statistics-october-to-december-2012 UKBA website http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/documents/policyandlaw/asylumpolicyinstructions/apis/discretionaryleave.pdf?view=Binary

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Volunteering with STAR

You can make a real difference by volunteering and you will get loads out of it as well. You’ll learn new skills, have fun and meet really interesting people. Here’s how to make it work well. . DO Be reliable and turn up on time. If you can’t attend let the volunteering coordinator know in advance. Find out who is in charge and what you should be doing Although you are volunteering you should treat your role in the same way as you would a job, so be

professional and don’t forget you are representing STAR Think before you say ‘Yes’! Be aware that gender relations are often very different in different parts of the world so be sensible about

the way you interact with people to avoid misunderstandings and uncomfortable situations Think about what you wear – you are probably going to be volunteering with people from lots of different

cultures so make sure your clothes are appropriate e.g. low cut tops and short skirts may make people embarrassed

Tell other volunteers if you think their behaviour is not appropriate or if you are not comfortable doing this speak to a project worker or STAR volunteer in charge

Think about what your personal boundaries are and don’t take on too much – it’s not helpful for anyone if you get stressed out or promise to do things that you don’t have time to do ask for help if you need it

If you feel stressed, out of your depth, have been upset by something that you have heard or been made to feel uncomfortable, by something someone has done or said, speak to the project staff, other volunteers or STAR national.

Enjoy yourself! DON’T Give out personal information about yourself, other volunteers or the people you are working with Give out your personal phone number/make friends on Facebook Arrange to meet with the people you are supporting outside of the volunteering project unless this has

been agreed by your partner organisation or is an expected part of the volunteering opportunity Leave any confidential information where others can see it Accept offensive behaviour or language, if this happens speak to project staff or volunteering coordinator Use your volunteering as a way to do research/find research subjects for your dissertation or thesis, this

is completely inappropriate! If you think your research might be useful for the organisation, they may want to help you but you need to get their permission.

Accept personal gifts Lend to or borrow, buy or sell to/from those you are volunteering with Give people any advice related to immigration! It against the law for anyone to give immigration advice or

services in the UK unless they are registered to do so. As well as the legal implications, immigration law is incredibly complicated and each person’s situation is different. You might just want to help but if you give the wrong information it could have serious consequences, so please leave it to the experts!

A few more things to keep in mind…. Many refugees have experienced very traumatic things and may have lost friends or family. All will have

had to leave family and friends behind. Keep this in mind when planning activities and chatting as some topics may be difficult or upsetting for some people. This doesn’t mean you have to avoid certain topics completely, just use your common sense and if you think the person you are talking to is uncomfortable change the subject.

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Don’t expect people to want to talk about why they have come to the UK. If someone wants to tell you they will do this in their own time. Talking about immigration status can also be a sensitive topic.

Politics and religion can be thorny subjects, especially in mixed cultural groups. They might also be the

reasons people have had to seek asylum in the first place, so big discussions are best avoided. Always get permission when taking photographs. Remember, because of their situation some asylum

seekers and refugees may not want their photograph to be displayed publicly, especially on the internet, so make sure you ask and explain where the picture will be seen. Not everyone wants their photograph posted on Facebook!

Remember if you feel stressed, out of your depth, have been upset by something that you have heard, or been made to feel uncomfortable, by something someone has done or said, speak to the staff at the volunteering project, other volunteers or STAR national. Don’t keep it to yourself!

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[this section is for you to fill out]

STAR Volunteering Project Information

Project name: [?????] Volunteering Partner information

what does the organisation do – you might be able to copy this from their website or leaflet

Background information

e.g. how long has the volunteering project been going, what are the aims, why was it started

Project information What does the project do e.g. teaching English, helping children with their homework Volunteer roles

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Contact details STAR national

Name: Emily Crowley, Volunteering Project Coordinator Phone number: 0207 697 4132 / 07920 510755 E-mail address: volunteering@star-network.org.uk

STAR Group

Name: Phone number: E-mail address: Website/facebook:

Volunteering Partner

Name : Job Title: Phone number: E-mail address:

Contact details for useful local organisations:

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Example project evaluation questionnaire

STAR group:

Project name:

1. Why do you come to the project?

2. What do you like about the project?

3. Is there anything you would like to change about the project? Give details…

4. Put a mark on the scale below to show how you feel about the project

Thank-you!

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How to get everyone involved in planning and evaluating These are some simple, quick and fun ways to ask people what they think, you can use them in your volunteering projects or events you hold on campus. They can even be part of the activity e.g. if you run a kids club or an English conversation club. If English levels or literacy are an issue you can use pictures instead of words and get people to draw instead of write e.g. if you want to start a gardening project you could bring in pictures of different plants or fruit and veg and get people to pick what they want to grow. Remember – keep a record of the information you collect, take photos if you can and let us know what you find out! 1. Graffiti walls Hang large sheets of paper on the wall that people can write their opinions on. You could ask one question like “tell us what you thought of the party?” Or you could have a few sheets asking different questions…

2. Give people disposable cameras and get them to take photos of the things they like/don’t like about a project or event. Talking about the photos can be a good way to start a discussion. 3. Set up a ‘big brother’ style diary video camera that people can talk to about how they feel about a project or answer a specific question. 4. Get people to draw pictures of the things they want from a project or what they like about a project – this is particularly good for children because they love to talk about what they have drawn and it won’t feel like you are trying to quiz them. . You could also get them to make a big mural as a group e.g. “the best youth group ever”

WHAT DID YOU THINK OF THE PARTY??

Music was

too loud!

Food was

yummy

More games

next time

please

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5. Evaluation wheel – ask people to tick the things they would like to do or things they like about a project or event

Tell us what you liked about the party…

6. Give people beads or sticky coloured dots so that they can vote. Write the possible answers/or answers you have collected previously on a big sheet of paper- e.g. what topics to focus on in a conversation class, their favourite activity or what could be better about a project. 7. Musical tables – have a few small tables set out with questions or issues for people to respond to. Divide people into small groups and get them to go to a table and write down ideas and comments. When the music starts again they have to move tables. If people might need help writing you can have a facilitator at each table. 8. Card sorting – these can be words or pictures. People can sort them in order of things they like, things they thought were ok or things that they don’t like. 9. Quick and easy feedback for simple questions…. Continuum line – get people to put a mark on the line to demonstrate how they feel about

something Use a room as a continuum with one end positive and the other end negative/ I like and I don’t

like/ yes and no. Ask people questions and ask them to stand in the room depending on what

Drumming Food

Disco Games

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their answer is. Get someone to take photos or just count how many people are at each end of the room for each question.

Face cards/stickers – people can either hold them up in answer to questions or stick them on a

board or piece of paper 10. Suggestion box – the classic choice!

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STAR (Student Action for Refugees) Child Protection Policy for STAR groups ______________________________________________________________ Originated: July 2011 Next revision: July 2012 ______________________________________________________________ STAR is committed to a practice that protects children from harm. This policy sets out how we intend to do this in relation to the activities undertaken by STAR groups.

1. STAR Child Protection Officer details 2. Introduction 3. Definitions 4. Recognising Abuse 5. Concerns about a child 6. What information to record 7. STAR Child Protection Procedure 8. Working with other organisations

1. STAR Child Protection Officer details

Name:

Job Title Contact number:

1. Emma Williams

CEO 07920487955

2. Emily Crowley

Volunteering Project Coordinator 07920510755

2. Introduction

STAR is the national network of student groups working to improve the lives of refugees in the UK. Many STAR student groups support refugees in their local community through volunteering, This includes volunteering with refugee children in projects such as after-school activity and homework clubs, football clubs and mentoring. Responsibility for Child Protection in STAR group projects: STAR groups should only volunteer on projects which are managed by partner organisations. These partner organisations are responsible for safeguarding the children who attend. Partner organisations are responsible for making sure all volunteers are provided with, and comply with, their child safeguarding procedures.

3. Definitions

A child is legally considered to be anyone aged under 18 years old. For the purposes of this policy a child will also include asylum seekers subject to an age dispute. Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, is defined as: protecting children from abuse and neglect preventing impairment of their health and development ensuring they are growing up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and

effective care which is undertaken so as to enable children to have optimum life chances and enter adulthood successfully.

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(Source: HM Government (2006) Working Together to Safeguard Children) A Disclosure is the process of a child revealing information about abuse or neglect. This differs from a child requesting assistance with their asylum claim or any issue of pastoral support

4. Recognising abuse

What is child abuse? There are four recognised categories of abuse: Physical abuse – to cause harm to a child, this may take many forms for example hitting, shaking, throwing, poisoning, scalding, drowning or suffocating. Indicators include: A disclosure from a child about themselves or someone they are concerned about Changes in behaviour patterns, including increasingly aggressive behaviour An injury that has no satisfactory explanation Injuries that remain untreated Specific injuries such as cigarette burns, bite marks and bruises that reflect hand patterns Becoming aggressive or withdrawn.

Emotional abuse – the persistent emotional ill treatment of a child that affects the child’s emotional wellbeing e.g. conveying to a child that they are worthless or unloved, causing a child to feel frightened. Some level of emotional abuse is involved in most types of child abuse. Indicators include: A disclosure from a child about themselves or someone they are concerned about Changes in behaviour patterns, including compulsive or nervous behaviour Self-harming Delayed physical or emotional development Lack of confidence or need for approval or attention Running away or fear of going home. Sexual abuse – forcing or enticing a child to take part in sexual activities, whether or not the child is aware this is happening. This includes physical contact or non-physical contact activities such as pornography. Indicators include: A disclosure from a child about themselves or someone they are concerned about Physical injury to the anus, mouth or genitalia Becoming aggressive or withdrawn Changes in behaviour patterns, including age inappropriate sexual knowledge of behaviour Running away or fear of going home Depression and loss of self-esteem. Neglect – the persistent failure to meet the child’s physical and/or psychological needs, which may result in the serious impairment of the child’s health or development. This can include lack of shelter, food or medical care. Indicators include: A disclosure from a child about themselves or someone they are concerned about Changes in behaviour patterns Constantly hungry Extreme tiredness

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Inappropriate clothing e.g., not wearing warm clothes in cold weather A child feeling unloved or uncared for Persistent neglect can lead to the impairment of emotional and physical development. Child abuse may take the form of a single incident or an accumulation of incidents that form a pattern of mistreatment. Bullying and harassment are not recognised as formal types of abuse, but they do pose serious risk to children. All adults working with children have a duty of care to reduce the risks of bullying and discuss any incidents with their manager or supervisor. Fabricated or induced Illness occurs when the emotional or physical development of a child is impaired by parent or carer who is fabricating or inducing illness. For example a parent or carer may repeatedly report or present a child with an illness that doesn’t exist. Or, a child may not be permitted to take part in activities that are above and beyond the normal constraints of that illness Significant issues in the refugee sector: Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM) is the collective term used for procedures that

include the removal of part or all of the female genitalia for cultural or other non-medical purposes. The practice can be extremely painful and can lead to serious health consequences at the time and later in life. FGM was made a criminal offence in the UK in 1985 and since 2003 it has been illegal for UK nationals to aid the carrying out of FGM abroad. Indications of FGM occurring can include a disclosure from a child or discussion about a ‘special procedure’, bladder problems or any of the other indicators of child abuse outlined in this section.

Trafficking is the illegal movement of people, within national or across international borders, for the purposes of exploitation in the form of commercial sex, domestic service or manual labour. Individuals who are trafficked have not consented to the position they find themselves in. Indicators of trafficking include: receiving unexplained/unidentified phone calls whilst in placement/temporary accommodation, having a history with missing links and unexplained moves or begging for money or being required to earn a minimum amount of money every day

Forced marriages are marriages that are conducted without the full consent of both partners. No religion or culture sanctions forced marriages. This is different to arranged marriages where consent of both parties is present. Indicators may include children running away, incidents of forced marriage within families or any of the other indicators of child abuse outlined in this section.

5. Concerns about a child

What to do if a child informs you of possible abuse (disclosure) Do: Listen to the child Stay calm and reassure the child that they have done the right thing by talking to you Keep questions to a minimum, only find out what is needed to report the incident Record as much information as possible using the reporting form found at the end of this policy.

(Annexe 1)You don’t have to fill out the whole table, just include the information that is offered by the child

If any children are in immediate danger contact the emergency services by dialling 999. Do not: Promise to keep a secret Panic, this may scare or silence the child Probe or ask leading questions. You don’t need to find out everything as this is the job of social

services.

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What to do if you suspect abuse (through observations) Do: Record as much information as possible Ensure there is no immediate danger. If a child is in immediate danger contact the police on

999.

Don’t: Confront the child or anyone you suspect is involved in the abuse.

6. What information to record:

The child’s: Name Address Date of birth

The nature of the allegation:

A description of any visible signs:

The child’s account in their own words (if applicable):

What your knowledge of and relationship to the child is:

Any other observations

Try to include specific times, dates and places when a child has disclosed to you or you have made an observation

7. STAR Child Protection Procedure

If a STAR group volunteer has concerns about a child: If a STAR group volunteer has concerns about a child, they should follow the safeguarding procedures of the partner organisation. If the organisation is unavailable, or the volunteer is still concerned after speaking to the organisation, the volunteer may contact a named STAR national Child Protection Officer, who will record the concerns and the volunteer’s contact details. No other STAR staff member should act on a volunteer’s child protection issue. Once a concern has been raised to the CP Officer: If the STAR Child Protection Officer believes the concern to be an emergency, they will contact the police.

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If they do not think it is an emergency but believes the concern needs further investigation, they will pass it on to the STAR Child Protection Lead. The STAR Child Protection Lead will then decide whether or not to take the concern further. They will communicate progress to STAR Child Protection Officer, who will in turn inform the staff member or volunteer.

8. Working with other organisations

STAR groups must complete a volunteering partnership form with their potential volunteering partner. This will outline the Child Protection responsibilities of the partner organisation, how CRB checks will be processed and how Child Protection training will be provided for volunteers. A copy of the volunteering partnership form is to be given to STAR national. All STAR volunteers are responsible for familiarising themselves with the child protection procedures of the organisation they working partnership with. The STAR committee member in charge of recruiting volunteers must ensure that they know the name and contact details for the designated CP officer and make sure all volunteers have these details. Establishing new partnerships When establishing a new local partnership to volunteer with children, STAR groups should check whether the organisation they plan to work with has and uses a child protection policy. If a child protection policy is not in place volunteers should not work with the organisation until they have created and implemented a child protection policy. Organisations looking to develop a child protection policy can contact STAR national for guidance. If a STAR group requires advice on this they should contact the National Office for advice. Working with existing partnerships: If volunteers within a STAR group affiliated to the National Office are already working with children through a partner organisation it is their responsibility to check that the organisation has a child protection policy in place. If the organisation does not have a child protection policy volunteers should contact the National Office as soon as possible. The National Office will then contact the organisation to confirm whether the organisation has a child protection policy. If they do not, then the National Office will agree with them a reasonable timeframe within which they will develop and implement a child protection policy. If the National Office does not believe that appropriate measures are being taken to rectify the situation they will advise the STAR volunteers and the organisation that it is no longer appropriate for them to work in partnership. The National Office will work with STAR volunteers to identify suitable alternative volunteering opportunities.

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PHOTOGRAPHY/VIDEO CONSENT FORM

I give permission for STAR to take photographs or film of me for use in relation to STAR’s work including the right for STAR to use them in publicity materials, articles, websites and social media. Name:………………………………………………………………….……………………………. Contact number: ……………….………………………………………………………………… E-mail address:…………………………………………………………………………………… If the participant is under 16 years old, please give date of birth of individual and name and contact details for parent/guardian: Date of birth: ……………………………………………………………………………………… Name of parent/guardian:……………………………………………………………………….. Contact number: …………………………………………………………………………………. I permit STAR (Student Action for Volunteers) to use photographs of me/my relative in

STAR publications and publicity material.

Signed: …………………………………………………………. Date: ………………………… (must be signed by parent/guardian if individual is under 16 years old)

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Volunteering Handover Template 1. Your volunteering project/s

2. How do you organise the volunteering?

Volunteers: e.g. tips on recruiting, how many volunteers you need, contact details of any volunteers who will be around next year. Induction or training? Expenses? CRB checks?

Planning: e.g. do you need to plan activities or make a volunteer rota, how do you do it? Book venues/transport or contact participants? Tips on good activities/trips?

Finances: e.g. do you have any funding? What have you used money for? Any fundraising tips?

Student Union: e.g. what help can they give – CRB, expenses, advertising volunteer opportunities, training, storage? Who is the best contact? Can volunteers get accredited e.g. through V or Uni volunteering awards?

Other useful contact details: e.g. venues, taxis, trainers, student union volunteer support, people/organisations that run workshops

3. Any other useful advice/information?

What to do with this sheet

Fill in what is relevant to your group (and maybe add other sections) Send copies to the new Committee and to STAR National volunteering@star-network.org.uk

Description of project: - What do you do? - Day, time and venue – is it only term time or all year? - How did it start? How long has is been running? How many volunteers? How many refugees attend?

Organisation you volunteer with:

Contact name: Job Title:

Telephone: E-mail:

Notes: e.g. what is the organisation like? Do they provide training? What is the best way to contact them?