Migrant Helpline Volunteer FAQ

I'm an asylum seeker - can I volunteer with MHL?

The Volunteering England website states: "Since April 2000, asylum seekers (people in the process of applying for refugee status) have been allowed to volunteer. This includes whilst they are appealing against a decision to refuse them asylum, and those whose application has been turned down, but are registered with the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) for return to their home country when practical. Asylum seekers do receive a document saying that they must not engage in paid or unpaid work but this does not include genuine voluntary work. Home Office guidance states that care should be taken to ensure that activity undertaken by an Asylum Seeker is for a not-for-profit organisation, and does not amount to either employment or job substitution. It confirms that Asylum Seekers are entitled to receive out of pocket expenses just like other volunteers." See here how to get involved.

Will volunteering affect my benefits?

The Volunteering England website states:

If you are on JSA, then you can do as much voluntary work as you want as long as you continue to actively seek work. This will mean that you will have to show that you are looking for work and applying for jobs where appropriate. Organisations should be flexible about arranging the times that you volunteer so you can sign on and go to interviews.
Volunteering will not affect your Income Support as long as you are not receiving any money other than reimbursement of expenses.
If you are receiving Incapacity Benefit then you can volunteer for as long as you want.

People often worry that starting to volunteer will automatically trigger an investigation into their need to claim Incapacity Benefit, but in fact this very rarely happens. Volunteering is very different to paid work because you can decide what hours you work, when you go in and what sort of work you want to do.

Do you reimburse expenses?

We reimburse volunteers for all expenses arising directly from volunteering with us.

How long do you want me to volunteer for?

This will depend on the role. The minimum is 2 hours per week. Some volunteers spend up to 3 days per week with MHL. We aim to accommodate volunteers' requirements and other commitments.

Can I volunteer in the evening or on weekends?

A limited range of evening and weekend volunteering roles is available.

I have a specific skill - can I use it for my volunteering?

We are keen to know what our volunteers are good at as this may inspire new volunteering roles. Please contact us and tell us about your skills.

Do you provide references for your volunteers?

We're happy to issue reference letters and certificates for our volunteers - let us know what your needs are and we'll do our best to accommodate you. We do not currently run any formal volunteering accreditation schemes.

How will I be trained for my volunteering?

Volunteers attend an induction session and receive any relevant training their role requires, either as a training session or "on the job". We encourage volunteers to "shadow" someone experienced until they feel confident enough to carry out their role independently. MHL regularly organises training in asylum and human rights issues and volunteers are welcome to attend most of these courses.

Other courses available on a regular basis:

Cultural Aspects of Working with Refugees and Asylum Seekers
Refugee Mental Wellbeing Awareness
Delivering ESOL-courses to Refugees and Asylum Seekers
The Asylum Process

Do you have any age restrictions for volunteers?

As long as you are 16 years of age or over, you are welcome to volunteer with MHL. We have no upper age limit.

How accessible are your volunteering opportunities?

We endeavour to make as many of our volunteering opportunities as possible fully accessible. See here [new window: area router] for a list of our accessible volunteering opportunities. Contact us to discuss your access requirements and we'll do our best to accommodate you.