Let us know if you’re interested in any of these roles!
If you’d like to have a chat about any of these roles, drop us an email. All positions are in support of our existing leads, so you won’t need to take on any major responsibilities. And most things can be done from home by phone and email. All roles will involve a 2-hour meeting (currently by Zoom) once every 8 weeks.
At this stage, feel free to just get in touch and ask questions without obligation. We’re looking for people who care about refugee issues (although you don’t have to be hugely knowledgeable) and who are hands-on and reasonably organised; the rest can be picked up as you go along, just as we’ve all had to do!
- Live vacancy: Schools work co-ordinator (see also below)
- Live vacancy: Volunteers co-ordinator (see below)
- Live vacancy: Families lead (see also below)
- Live vacancy: Arts sub-committee member (see below)
- Now filled (March 2021): Campaigning co-ordinator
- Now filled (Nov 20): Collection & distribution co-ordinator
- Now filled (Nov 20): Partnerships co-ordinator
We also have a separate project for Community Sponsorship, where we’re preparing to bring a refugee family to the UK, to live in Ripon. To find out or to volunteer, please visit our Community Sponsorship section.
Families lead
Here’s a rare opportunity to become closely involved in the resettlement and integration of two Syrian refugee families recently arrived in Ripon, brought here by the government. You’ll take a lead role, supported and assisted by existing committee colleagues and with other volunteers to help you (some of whom you might help to recruit). More about our families lead volunteer vacancy.
Schools work co-ordinator
Supporting our schools lead, you’d help us to:
- manage the relationship with 3 of the primary schools we work with
- support these schools in achieving School of Sanctuary status
- work with others to invite in speakers to the school (eg our team members, refugees) who can help deliver assemblies & workshops in schools
If you have a background in schools or refugee issues, that would be a plus but absolutely NOT essetial! (You’ll also need a DBS check, but we can sort if you don;t already have an online/portable one). More about our schools co-ordinator role.
Volunteers co-ordinator
We have 3 levels of volunteer (no one is paid, so we’re all volunteers!)
- Committee members – currently 7 people, and most things are already in place for these individuals
- Supporting co-ordinators – we have 5 people who aren’t committee members but have a named role and specific areas of work (eg campaigning, schools work). For the purposes of governance, these people are treated the same as committee members.
- Ad hoc volunteers – Occasionally, for certain events, we need to drum up people who can do things like help set up a room, make cakes or serve teas. We have lists of people we can call on, we just need someone to organise them!
For committee members and supporting co-ordinators
If you join us as our volunteer co-ordinator, you’ll help us stay on top of maintaining our volunteer numbers, onboarding new people, helping them to stay informed and engaged, and learning from them about what they’re doing and how we can better support them.
These volunteers need to do bits of training, which you wouldn’t need to deliver but you’d need to coordinate it and keep the records. You’d also need to make sure they’ve read our policies, and keep a record of that. Where necessary, one or two volunteers may need DBS checks, and organising this once every few years would be part of your role (we already have a company who does this for us, and we can show you what to do).
For ad hoc volunteers
Occasionally, for certain events, we need to drum up people who can do things like help set up a room, make cakes or serve teas. We have lists of people we can call on, we just need someone to organise them!
Arts sub-committee members
If you’d like to get involved in some big and exciting public arts projects led by Ripon Cathedral in 2022 and 2023, we’re already planning! More information here.
Collection & distribution co-ordinator (this position has now been filled)
Working alongside our collections lead, you would:
- Occasionally support the refugees in Ripon with their practical needs, eg sourcing good donated by supporters or to purchase from social websites (using our funds)
- Help to co-ordinate the occasional collection of clothing and other items
- Help to co-ordinate the distribution of those items to asylum centres, perhaps also making some trips yourself (especially to get to know the key contacts there, social distancing permitting)
Partnerships co-ordinator (this position has now been filled)
Working alongside our existing/experienced members, you’d help us to:
- Ensure we keep our key partners informed about our work and needs (other Yorkshire refugee groups, support agencies, key individuals etc)
- Exchange information with them
- Co-ordinate mutually beneficial activities
If you have a background in client care or account management, that would be a plus!