Help with Refugee Services
There are many opportunities to volunteer with Catholic Charities' Refugee Services program. If you are interested, please contact John Miller at jmille@ccpgh.org.
Click on the titles below to see detailed descriptions of the opportunities.
Refugee Mentor / Companion
In conjunction with Catholic Charities caseworkers:
- Assist with the initial resettlement process
- Familiarize the family with the city, including bus routes, places to shop for food and clothing, laundromats, the post office, etc.
- Assist children with homework
- Find out answers to questions about confusing bills or letters
- Invite the family for a meal at your home
- Invite the family to meet your own family and friends
- Teach the refugees how to make minor household repairs
- Assist with school registration
- Encourage refugees to function independently
Cultural Sensitivity Mentor
In conjunction with Catholic Charities caseworkers:
- Help refugees assimilate into the culture while maintaining their cultural heritage and dignity
- Orient refugees to American culture and activities
- Communicate concerns and issues in service delivery
- Train clients in cross-cultural communication
- Assist with community involvement
- Assist with acculturation and socialization
Family / Household Mentor
In conjunction with Catholic Charities caseworkers:
- Access additional services for the family in the community
- Help the family work toward personal/family goals
- Initially assist with purchasing items such as clothes, shoes, food, calling cards
- Teach them how to keep house (sweeping, mopping, vacuuming, washing dishes, washing clothes)
- Communicate information regarding personal care such as bathing, showering, toiletries
- Teach them to prepare nutritious meals
- Assist with health care routines such as reminders related to diet, medication, and exercise
- Emergency intervention
- Provide emotional support and encouragement during periods of loneliness, depression and bereavement
- Assist with child care
- Provide financial literacy training, including U.S. monetary system, opening bank accounts, how to make change, budgeting, etc.
- Monitor progress and problems of family and report any concerns to program staff
Employment Assistant
In conjunction with Catholic Charities caseworkers:
- Empower refugees by assisting them to become work ready in the U.S.
- Assist with correctly filling out job applications
- Aid in job search
- Provide job readiness orientation
- Practice interviewing skills
- Inform refugees about cultural aspects of job search that may not be apparent to a newcomer
- Search job leads and contact potential employers
- Teach basic job search skills and job vocabulary
English Language Tutor
- Assist with ESL tutoring
- Help with issues related to literacy
- Assist with placement in English as a Second Language instruction
Transportation Assistant
- Assist clients in getting to medical and dental appointments
- Assist clients in getting to grocery stores, churches, Mosques, schools, or job interviews
- Assist clients in getting to government offices, including public assistance and social security
Furnishings Assistant
- Donate small household items (i.e., kitchen appliances, radio, TV) to a new refugee family
- Organize a collection of tangible goods at your work, church, or among your friends
- Make contacts in the community such as calling local businesses to solicit items
Office Assistant
- Perform general office clerical tasks
- Assist with organizing storage room and sorting tangible goods
- Assist caseworkers/employment specialists in scheduling client appointments and with paperwork
