Types of Volunteer Opportunities

Available At
Refugee and Immigration Services

The English Tutor (ESL) Program

Without English, self-sufficiency in the United States would be impossible. A newcomer to our community must be able to communicate with his or her employer, landlord, physician, and children's teachers. Refugees plunge into work and often have difficulty obtaining English instruction. The night schools fill up quickly. Some are working second shift and cannot make it when classes are offered. RIS is dependent on volunteers to help refugees learn English. Hundreds with no prior training have learned how to engage refuges with virtually no English and have brought them to near fluency. Learn more about the RIS English for speakers of other languages (ESL) program by visiting the links below.

You could be an ESL Tutor

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The Mentor Program Help a family learn to "navigate" in American society. For example, they might need assistance in shopping for food, setting up bank accounts, using the bus, and they might just enjoy going for a picnic and having a new friend in the U.S. Resources:        www.mentoring.org                        www.unhcr.ch Top

You could distribute donated items or make a donation:
If you are worried about not having enough time to commit to being a mentor or an ESL tutor, there are other possibilities. RIS is always looking for people who can pick up donated items and bring them to the office, a storage unit, or a refugee apartment. The type of items that are needed include household items, linens, blankets, tables and chairs, beds, mattresses, sofas, kitchen utensils, baby items, etc. Perhaps you could help us locate some of these items by asking friends and neighbors on our behalf.

Financial contributions, as always, are gratefully accepted. Frequently refugees arrive with little or no possessions beyond what they are wearing. RIS accepts the responsibility of meeting basic needs until a job is found. You may read about these responsibilities on our Contributions page.

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You could help set up apartments:
People are needed to help set up apartments for newly arriving families. Furniture and food are provided by our office. You provide the muscle and heart.

"It was so wonderful when we arrived. I will never forget when we first walked into our new apartment…after four and a half years of flight, living in camps…here was an apartment with furniture, a refrigerator filled with food. I can't tell you how wonderful that was, how happy we were." (Cambodian refugee)

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You could be an Office Assistant or Intern:
As an office assistant, duties would include answering phones, helping write the volunteer newsletter, working on the web page, photocopying, etc. The internships are full or part-time. You will assist the Volunteer/Education coordinator in a variety of duties. This can include teaching, making presentations, helping with training workshops, recruiting volunteers, writing a newsletter, working on the web page, etc. Tell us what you need and we will try to accommodate you. There are many opportunities to gain skills and work in a cross-cultural environment.

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Peer Tutor Young people yearn to belong and refugee kids are no different. They have a difficult time fitting in because of language limitations and a sense of social awkwardness. No one can bridge the gap better than a school mate willing to befriend a new arrival. Sign up as a peer tutor to buddy with a new arrival as s/he begins his/her new school career. Give time to tutor this newcomer in English and help with academics. Its easy to relate over homework. This will give the newcomer practice with English and will help quell some of the anxieties of the new American school experience. Whether one volunteers as a group or an individual, peer tutoring is rewarding and fun and makes a invaluable difference for the new arrival.

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School Tutor Program

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How to Become a RIS Volunteer