SCOPE OF VOLUNTEER WORK:
The family mentor will provide support to refugee families recently resettled into Salt Lake City. He/she acts as both a mentor and guide to refugees navigating a new community, and creates a safe space for the family to practice and build their English skills. Other activities that family mentors could do include: providing a neighborhood orientation, helping the children and parents learn walking or bus routes to school, reading mail, visiting museums and helping the family learn about low-cost community resources. Family mentors meet with their family once a week for two hours for at least six months.
REQUIREMENTS:
- Able to commit at least two hours a week for six months; schedule is otherwise flexible
- Communicate hours and activities on a monthly basis to the IRC in Salt Lake City
- Keep confidentiality agreements
- Reliable and flexible
- Willing to learn about IRC history, philosophy, global work, and local efforts
- Willing to learn about cross-cultural communication and ethnic backgrounds of clients
- Willing to adhere to IRC volunteer and workplace policies, including confidentiality policies and respect for family experiences
- Willingness to learn about the family and interact on a regular basis
- Ability to communicate clearly and effectively in English; additional fluency in a refugee language preferred
- Submit service hours monthly to Volunteer Coordinator
TRAINING:
All interested parties will be interviewed by the Family Resettlement AmeriCorps Member. After your interview, you are required to attend a two-hour training covering the following:
- Process of resettlement
- Role of the mentor
- Healthy mentorship and volunteer boundaries
- IRC expectations
- Cultural competency
NEXT STEPS:
- Attend an info session to learn more about the IRC, the refugees we serve and the volunteer opportunities we host. To sign up, email [email protected] with "Family Mentor" as the subject.
- Participate in the Family Mentor Interview.
- Attend a Family Mentor training, dates to be decided.
- All volunteers must clear a background check, for which we ask for a $45 donation to offset the cost. Steps for this will be provided closer to your training date.
Questions? Email us at [email protected].