We set up on Milsom Street for the Bath Christmas Market on 28 November and had a brilliant day of raising funds, awareness and meeting people who were interested in the work we do 

As well as our legendary pompoms, we were selling
1. Beautiful and tasty hand decorated biscuits from a Ukrainian friend
2. Hand knitted festive decorations 
3. Glittering handmade glass stars
4. Ludmilla’s children designs for edible decorations that they can paint themselves! 
5. Card designs by @ritalazaroart and Kurda Yar

BWR is looking to recruit a part time Volunteer Coordinator on an initial one-year contract (this is a paid role). Reporting to the Operations Officer you will be responsible for recruiting, overseeing induction, training as well as the day-to-day coordination and supervision of our volunteers.

See the full advert below:

Bath Welcomes Refugees (BWR) is a small charity established in 2016 by volunteers with
the initial intention of supporting Syrian Refugees. Since then, there have been growing
crises across in the world, Afghanistan and Ukraine being the most significant recently.
We provide a wide range of support to those seeking refuge and to make a new life in Bath
and the surrounding area. Our services include providing language tuition , arranging for
their education, help setting up homes and providing other support services to enable
them to live independently and settle into the local community.

Whilst we work with other local charities and agencies to provide the support needed by
an ever-growing number of refugees and asylum seekers BWR depends on its 250
volunteers and their enthusiasm, invaluable expertise, experience and dedication to
provide a range of support to those seeking refuge and to make a new life in Bath.
BWR is looking to recruit a part time Volunteer Coordinator on an initial one-year
contract. Reporting to the Operations Officer you will be responsible for recruiting,
overseeing induction, training as well as the day-to-day coordination and supervision of
our volunteers.

To be successful in this position, you will need to be

Empathetic with BWR’s aims, non-judgemental and flexible around working times.

Have the ability to develop relationships with volunteers, clients and other stakeholders,
be resourceful, collaborative and enjoy working with others with diverse experiences and
backgrounds.

You should be able to work remotely on your own initiative as well as being a team player
working in a potentially high-pressure environment. You will be highly organised, able to
manage and prioritise your own workload, be a good communicator and IT literate.

Ideally your experience will include

• Working with volunteers in the charity, not-for-profit sectors.
• Recruiting, training and managing volunteers.
• Supporting and developing volunteers in their roles.
• Good communication and listening skills.
• Working with CRM databases.
• An understanding of the data protection requirements in respect of volunteers and the organisation as a whole.

Outline of the Role

You will be the key volunteer contact, recruiting, co-ordinating training, carrying out
background and DBS checks and supporting volunteers in their various roles across the
organisation to enable BWR to meet its aims.

You will work with and provide support to the Operations Officer, Team Leaders, the
Refugee and Asylum Seeker Support Coordinator and to ensure we provide appropriate
resources to support our families and individuals to meet their individual specific needs.

• Assess the suitability of volunteers in their allotted volunteer role, in conjunction with the Team leader, prior to the end of their probationary period and identify the need for additional training or other support required for the volunteer to be successful in their role.
• Provide information about the work of BWR to potential volunteers and promote volunteering in the wider community to identify potential volunteers.
• Maintaining our Case Management System.
• Liaising with the Communications Team in relation to the website and other digital communications in respect of volunteer activity.

This is an initial one-year contract, with hybrid working (office and home). The role will
require flexibility to attend meetings, liaising with refugee families and asylum seekers
either during the day, evening or at weekends within the Bath and surrounding area.

The role is based on 29 hours per week with a pro rata salary of £25-27k full time
equivalent (commensurate with experience).

The role will require an enhanced DBS check.

To apply for this role please provide an up-to-date CV with a covering letter explaining in
why you would be ideal for the role.

Applications to be emailed to [email protected] by 8 July 2024. Or Apply at Charity Job

Applications will be reviewed as received.

Interviews will be held – Week commencing 15 July 2024.

For more information, please see Detailed Job Description and Chart of BWR Activities.

BWR is proud to be an inclusive employer that considers applicants regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, ethnicity, disability, religion , political views, marital status or philosophy of life.

If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation or assistance, we will support you during the selection process.

Volunteer Week is our opportunity to thank you for all that you do to support refugees and those displaced from their home country by reason of war, persecution, oppression, discrimination, or natural disaster. You demonstrate that there are people ready to help. It is a gift beyond price.

Since we began in 2015, Bath Welcomes Refugees has supported over 800 people from Syria, Afghanistan, Ukraine, and now Hong Kong and a number of other places. It involves 243 active volunteers like you who provide English language support across four centres in Bath and North East Somerset, resettlement help for the refugee families we support directly with everything from medical appointments to driving tests or routes to employment, or social events so that the different groups can meet and share their stories and feel less isolated.

What you all do is much appreciated whether you’re a teacher, a resettlement volunteer, a gardener, or decorator or team leader. It does not go unnoticed by those you work with. As one refugee put it: 

“Our teachers have big hearts and patience to spend a lot of hours with us and our children.” While another wrote: “The dedication of the team and the welcoming atmosphere they create have truly made a profound impact on my journey towards integration. Thank you for being a lifeline and for making us feel valued and supported every step of the way.”

So, thank you, on behalf of the Trustee Board and the Management Committee (all volunteers, too!), we are so grateful for your support.

With warmest wishes and thanks,

Stephen Whittle

Chair of the Board of Trustees

This is a wonderful opportunity to make a difference in the lives of refugees and asylum seekers living in Bath. The charity is at an exciting stage of its development. If you are passionate about welcoming people seeking safety in the UK and have lived experience as a refugee or asylum seeker or experience in fundraising, comms, legal or charity governance and management, we’d love to hear from you!

We are looking to recruit two Trustees with the skills, experience, energy, and time to commit to our vital work. 

We welcome applications from people with characteristics that are often underrepresented on charity boards, including disabled people, women, people of colour, those who identify as LGBTQ+, and young people.

What will you be doing?

Our Trustee Board is responsible for the governance of Bath Welcomes Refugees. The Board does not directly manage the day-to-day work, but provides oversight, shapes organisational strategy and supports our staff and volunteers. We are more hands-on than most charity boards. 

Please see the attached role descriptions for full details. 

Specific activities include monthly trustee meetings, biannual meetings with the Management Committee, the Annual General Meeting, and ad hoc attendance at fundraising/promotional events. As a small charity, there will be times when the trustees will need to be actively involved beyond Board meetings. 

What difference will you make?

Bath Welcomes Refugees is a small, dynamic local organisation that continues to grow and develop. In the past two years, the scope and volume of our work has expanded considerably, and we have taken on our first paid staff members. The new trustee(s) will support us to ensure we have a strong strategy and robust governance to consolidate our growth and meet our mission. 

Trustees will bring crucial insights and guidance from their own backgrounds, as we continue to refine our strategy, strengthen our structure and fundraising, and manage risk. This is your opportunity to be part of a respectful, inclusive, friendly team and make a difference in the lives of people living in your local area.

What are we looking for?

We are looking for people willing to bring energy, enthusiasm, and commitment to the role, and who will broaden the diversity of experience and thinking on our board. 

Please see the attached role descriptions for full details.

We are particularly looking for people with experience in the following:

• Legal background within non-profit sector
• Experience of the UK charity sector, especially management and/or governance
• Fundraising
• Communications, public relations, and social media
• IT and data security
• Experience or knowledge of refugee resettlement and issues facing refugees and asylum seekers
• Lived experience as a refugee or asylum seeker

What we can offer you

• Experience of strategy and leadership in the charity sector, supporting your professional development and boosting your CV
• The opportunity to be part of a friendly passionate team, applying your unique skills and experience while learning from others
• Access to training on charity governance, safeguarding, refugee welfare and rights, and other relevant topics
• Reimbursement of reasonable expenses

How to apply

Please send your CV with a one-page covering letter to [email protected] by Friday November 24^th, 2023. We aim to hold interviews in the week commencing 4^th December.

We welcome applications from people with characteristics that are often underrepresented on charity boards, including disabled people, women, people of colour, those who identify as LGBTQ+, and young people.

If you are passionate about welcoming refugees and asylum seekers and want to be involved in growing a small charity, we welcome your application. If you don’t meet the above criteria, but still want to be a trustee or get involved in another capacity, we would still love to hear from you. 

For an informal chat about the roles, please get in touch with our Chair of Trustees, Charlotte MacDiarmid,  [email protected].

Click here to find out more about the role

On the occasion of Volunteer Week, everyone at BWR would like to take a moment to express our appreciation for your commitment to volunteering with us.

We are grateful to have over 200 active volunteers, doing everything from teaching English, organising social events, and befriending, to preparing houses for new arrivals, helping people navigate the welfare system, and employment support… not to mention managing our social media, raising funds, and making decisions on our Management Committee and Trustee Board, among other things. Without volunteers, BWR simply wouldn’t exist!

The past year has been particularly busy as we have welcomed Ukrainians fleeing war in their home country. We’ve been amazed at how the local community has stepped up to offer support. Many new volunteers have come on board, and its thanks to you that we have been able to start up new English classes in the areas surrounding Bath, offer a variety of social events including monthly social gatherings to connect people and reduce social isolation, and provide more support to people to help them
navigate life in the UK.

Without the time, energy and dedication of our volunteers, we wouldn’t be able to offer all the services to refugees that we currently do.

With warmest thanks,

Charlotte MacDiarmid
Chair of the Board of Trustees