Volunteering at SPIRASI

SPIRASI are always interested in having new volunteers work with us. There are a number of different programmes which are delivered directly to the clients by volunteers:

• Working as interpreters for clients attending counselling and other therapeutic services
• Working as outreach workers with survivors of torture and/or their families at home.
• Mentoring migrants who have received refugee status to help them integrate into their local communities
• Helping out with fund-raising.

Volunteers are needed for other activities from time to time. Some volunteers work in a research capacity and assist teachers in the class-room. Volunteering can be a very rewarding experience and beneficial to your community. If you feel you have useful skills and /or experience to offer one of the SPIRASI programmes, please contact Andreas Mokake, the Volunteer Coordinator. You can also download and submit the Volunteer Registration Form.

Mentoring Programme

The Centre for the Education and Integration of Migrants (CÉIM) is looking for local residents in the following areas to join our mentoring programme: Dublin 1, Dublin 3, Dublin 6, Dublin 7, Dublin 8, Dublin 9, Dublin 11, Dublin 13, Dublin 15, Tallaght, Lusk, Lucan, Dun Laoghaire, Leixlip

We are looking for people to give one-to-one support to an immigrant within the local community. This would entail practising English in order to help the individual improve his/her language ability; helping people to make contact with the local community; giving information about how to access local services and organisations etc. This will help promote the integration of migrants into Irish society.

A commitment of 2 hours a week for a 3 month period is required of the volunteer.

To get involved please contact: Andreas Mokake, Volunteers Administrator, SPIRASI, 213 North Circular Road, Dublin 7 or send an email to volunteer@spirasi.ie

Psychosocial Outreach Programme

This programme provides in-home support for the clients of the CCST who are unable to access external services. Volunteers help the survivors of torture — and their families — by helping them access health and social services, explaining how the Irish welfare system works, helping them find accommodation, education, training, employment, school places for their children, and any other tasks that they might be need help with. The programme is managed by the Psychosocial Co-ordinator and the participating volunteers regularly meet with her as a group to discuss their work and any issues that they come across in their work with the clients. The volunteers are also provided with regular clinical supervision.

Interpreting

The Centre for the Care of Survivors of Torture (CCST) are always grateful for volunteers who can work as translators for survivors of torture attending clinical and therapeutic sessions at SPIRASI. Most of the clients are from African, East European or Middle Eastern backgrounds but the most urgent need is for people who can speak Somali, Farsi, and Dari. Ongoing training and supervision is provided for the interpreters as working with people who have been tortured can potentially have a traumatising effect on the interpreters.

Some quotes from past volunteers

Micheal, English Teacher:

"I have been working at Spirasi as a volunteer English teacher since October 2002. I teach two morning classes a week - upper-intermediate and pre-intermediate. The working environment at Spirasi is an extremely relaxed and welcoming one. The canteen / recreation room is the site for many a cross-continental and cross-cultural exchange and its walls echo with healthy regularity to the sound of mirth and laughter. However it must be said such amiability goes out the window when it comes to mastery of the pool table!"

Imelda Layden, Outreach Volunteer:

"I was most involved in the Outreach programme, giving English classes in the home on a 'one-to-one' basis with the mother of the family, which in reality incorporated interaction with all the family. The work was challenging but interesting and one needed to be able to adapt with ease to changing circumstances so as to continue commitment to the work in hand. Through two and a half years with the programme, I accompanied just a few families from almost their arrival in the country until they eventually had a fair good knowledge of the language, culture, found a job and made friends here. Needless to say, that the joy on getting to this stage was mutually shared!"

Margaret Forrest, IT Tutor:

"I feel very lucky to have been part of Spirasi for 10 weeks as a volunteer in the Computer Room. The students that I worked with were so committed to developing and improving their computer skills. Many, with babies on their laps, were using the keyboarding program that will enable them to do "touch-typing", memorising the keys and improving their speed every day. It was an inspiration for me to see how hard they worked to develop skills that will make them more employable in the future."

Marguerite Quinlan, Volunteer with CCST:

"I have been involved in CCST for the past six months as an outreach worker to clients referred from the caseworkers. This work includes making contact with clients by phoning or in person, identifying their day to day needs or problems and helping them in solving them. I encourage and give advice on how they can help themselves by giving them relevant information and assistance but initially I do most of the problem solving work on their behalf. . . . I find the work an enjoyable and challenging experience, sometimes frustrating but it has opened my eyes to he difficulties people face every day and how difficult and time consuming accessing information can be."