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Opening Doors

Why Do We Need You?

The Opening Doors Program provides social, educational and employment assistance to people from asylum seeker and refugee backgrounds. By providing this support to clients you will be ‘opening doors’ to new opportunities for clients to develop personal independence within the community.

What Will You Be Doing?

Key areas of volunteering within this program are:

  • Adult ESL and social support

  • Student homework and social support

  • Vocational classes

  • Employment assistance

  • Higher Education Working Party (assisting students to access higher education)

Who Will You Be Working With?

You will be supported in your role by the Volunteer Coordinator.

You will generally be matched with individuals or small groups from an asylum seeker or refugee background who are either adult or school aged. You may meet with your matched client(s) in the CARAD office, public area or home where appropriate to provide the necessary support.

What Skills, Experience and Personal Qualities Will You Need?

  • Cross-cultural social skills

  • Ability to work independently and maintain appropriate boundaries

  • Access to transport

  • Background or experience in education is beneficial

How Much Time Will It Take?

  • 1-2 hours per week (plus travel time)

  • Minimum 6 month commitment

Why Join Our Team?

You will be working one-one on (in most cases) with asylum seekers and refugees and will have the opportunity to have mutual learning and development while making a positive impact.

To be considered for this role you will need the following:

  • Current 2020-21 CARAD Membership

  • Attended an Information Session (if new volunteer)

  • Completed the Building Bridges Training

  • Submitted a CARAD Volunteer Application

  • Valid Working with Children’s Check

  • Completed a National Police Check

Community Engagement

Why Do We Need You?

An important aspect of our work at CARAD is engaging with the wider community to connect people with the issues affecting asylum seekers, refugees and detainees. Our community engagement team aims to provide community education, as well as participation in order to garner support and resources for our clients, promote the work of CARAD and foster a compassionate community attitude towards asylum seekers, refugees and detainees.

What Will You Be Doing?

Volunteer activities included in this program are:

  • Community Education Team: providing CARAD speakers for schools and community groups or events
  • Material Aid: coordinating the collection, storage and distribution of donated goods for CARAD clients
  • Food Giving: assisting with the distribution of food at CARAD office weekly
  • Events: providing support and assistance at events CARAD is participating in
  • Ad Hoc: providing assistance for ad hoc needs as required

Who Will You Be Working With?

You will be supported in your role by the Volunteer Coordinator.

You will be working together with other volunteers and may be interacting with asylum seekers, refugees and members of the public

What Skills, Experience and Personal Qualities Will You Need?

  • Confident speaking to members of the public
  • Good cross-cultural social skills
  • Reliable and able to work independently

How Much Time Will It Take?

Time commitments vary depending on specific role.

Why Join Our Team?

Through our community engagement team you will have the opportunity to meet many new and interesting people while meaningfully contributing to the welfare of our clients and broader societal change.

To be considered for this role you will need the following:

  • Current 2017-18 CARAD Membership
  • Submitted a CARAD Volunteer Application
  • Completed a National Police Check
  • Completed the Building Bridges Training
  • Have a valid Working with Children Check

Detention Visiting

Why Do We Need You?

As a result of Australia’s Mandatory Detention Policy all asylum seekers entering Australia experience a non-time limited period in an Immigration Detention facility. Some asylum seeker may also be re-detained after being released into the community on Character Grounds or if they have a negative visa outcome. CARAD volunteers visit detainees in order to provide an important link to the outside community through social support and advocacy.

What Will You Be Doing?

  • Providing emotional support to detainees through social visits
  • Providing advocacy support to detainees by providing information, referral and appropriate assistance to access legal and other relevant supports
  • Providing limited “reading and writing” assistance to detainees who need to submit Temporary Protection Visa (TPV) and Safe Haven Enterprise Visa (SHEV) applications (*note: CARAD volunteers are not permitted to provide any legal or migration advice to detainees)

Who Will You Be Working With?

You will be supported by the Volunteer Coordinator and our Volunteer Detention Team Leader who will provide you with an initial induction visit, advice and resources that will assist you in your role.

You will be joining our team of more than 30 visitors and are encouraged to ‘buddy up’ and carpool with other visitors when going to the detention centre so that you can conduct visits as a group.

Each Visitor is able to visit two detainees at a time. You will be allocated detainees who have requested a visit. Detainees are all adult males from a wide variety of cultural backgrounds.

What Skills, Experience and Personal Qualities Will You Need?

  • Cross-cultural social skills and a friendly, approachable nature
  • Ability to provide information and “reading and writing assistance” to detainees as required
  • Willingness independently submit visitor application forms, organise visits and transportation (with other visitors)
  • Willingness to log volunteer hours and provide progress reports
  • Good self-care techniques and support network

How Much Time Will It Take?

The visits are at Yongah Hill Immigration Detention Centre, located 96kms (1.5 hours) from Perth CBD, in Northam WA. Each visit lasts 2-3 hours, so in total you will spend around 6-7 hours completing the visit (volunteer are eligible for fuel reimbursement).

Visits can be booked Monday – Sunday, beginning at 1pm, 2:30pm or 5pm. However, as you will be visiting with others, it is subject to the group’s availability. Please be aware that organising visits can be logistically challenging (particularly for new visitors) and visits can be cancelled by the Detention Centre at the last minute.

Volunteer should be able to visit no less than once every 6 weeks, ideally once per month.

We ask for a minimum commitment of 6 months and as detainees are particularly vulnerable, any periods of absence must be communicated ahead of time to detainees and the Detention Team Leader.

Why Join Our Team?

You will be providing valuable emotional and advocacy support to asylum seekers who may have experienced prolonged detention, while learning new skills and gaining valuable ‘firsthand’ experience of the Immigration Detention system. You will also have the change to meet new people and offer support to some of the most vulnerable people seeking asylum in Australia.

To be considered for this role you will need the following:

  • Current 2017-18 CARAD Membership
  • Submitted a CARAD Volunteer Application
  • Completed a National Police Check
  • Completed the Building Bridges Training

CARAD, 245 Stirling Street, Perth, WA, 6000, Australia08 9227 7322office@carad.org.au

ABN: 97481185842

CARAD acknowledges that we are located on the land of the Whadjuk Noongar people and pay our respect to their Elders, past and present. Sovereignty was never ceded, and this always was and always will be Aboriginal land.  We acknowledge the First Nations people of the Stolen Generations and their families. We stand in solidarity with the ongoing struggles of First Nations Peoples for justice.

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