Since BWR was founded in 2015 we have expanded considerably, especially over the last eighteen months or so, and we have now reached a stage where we are looking to recruit a part time Operations Officer to oversee the wide range of our work. It is an exciting stage of development and this is an opportunity to take on a new role within the organisation. 
Please see the attachments for more details of the post and forward to anyone you know within your own networks who you think might be interested. The closing date is 30th January.

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We have another fantastic Jumble next Friday 30th September in aid of BWR, which will exclusively feature women’s clothes and accessories. All details are below for the day – one you won’t want to miss!

The team are also still accepting donations for this event, please email amanda.stone@bathwelcomesrefugees.org.uk or call one of the team on the numbers below if you have anything you would like to donate. Thank you as always for your continued support!

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We need more volunteer support. We’d love for you to give the roles a read and pass them onto friends, family or colleagues who might be interested in supporting refugees and asylum seekers in Bath.

DIY and Donations Coordinators

Our House Prep, DIY and Donations Team is looking to expand! We are looking for volunteers to support with coordination for this growing team. You will be working collaboratively alongside our existing team, but we have called it a ‘coordinator’ because we will want you to get actively involved in organising and behind the scenes work.

We are looking to take on at least two new volunteers, one to be more involved in coordinating DIY work, and the other for Donations work.

Our ideal coordinator would:

-Be flexible to volunteer during traditional office hours
-Be strong and active (think carrying furniture upstairs)
-Have some basic DIY skills (DIY role only)
-Have access to a van for transporting furniture (not essential)
-Have basic IT skills to create an inventory (donations role only)

Even if this only partly sounds like you, we’d love to hear from you and see if you can get involved.

Befriending and Resettlement Volunteers

Our Befriending and Resettlement team do a huge range of volunteering work for us and the refugee community, from local orientation, to applying for benefits. At the moment, there is a particular need for befrienders who would be happy to support people through writing CVs and applying for work.

We are also looking for befrienders who are based in the Somer Valley or Chew Valley and who would be happy to give lifts.

Pashto Speakers

Finally, we’re looking for anyone who speaks Pashto to support us in our work with the Afghan community. You could use your language skills to act as a volunteer interpreter or a befriender with a Pashto speaking family.

If you are interested in volunteering with us, please email volunteering@bathwelcomesrefugees.org.uk to request a volunteer application form.

Host Family/Lodger Need

Is there anyone looking to take on a lodger or live-in tenant this year? We are supporting a refugee student who is moving to Bath in September and would prefer to stay with a family. Please note this is not an official BWR hosting scheme and would be a private rental arrangement between you and the student. Please contact issy.warren@bathwelcomesrefugees.org.uk if you are interested.

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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, IT or charity governance and management, we’d love to hear from you!

We are looking to recruit a Chair of Trustees and at least one other Trustee with the skills, experience, energy and time to commit to our vital work.

What will you be doing?

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

Please see the attached role descriptions for full details.

Specific activities will 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. Particularly in the last year, 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 continue to grow and develop to 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 and 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 thinking on our board.

Please see the attached role descriptions for full details.

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

·       Financial management, income generation and enterprise

·       Experience of the UK charity sector, especially management and/or governance

·       Fundraising

·       Communications, public relations and social media

·       IT and data security

·       Legal background

·       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 vi.jensen@bathwelcomesrefugees.org.uk by Wednesday 27 July 2022. We aim to hold interviews in the week commencing 8^th August.

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 one of our Trustees, Charlotte MacDiarmid,  charlotte.macdiarmid@bathwelcomesrefugees.org.uk.

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