Darlington Assistance for Refugees (DAR) started to work with Syrian refugees in 2016 and became a registered charity in January 2017. We welcome refugees and asylum seekers in the Darlington area, providing a range of support, including drop-in sessions, English language tuition, mentoring and befriending, help with reading and homework for children and help and advice regarding employment for adults.We would like more volunteers to join us in our important work. If you have two or three hours a week to spare, we would love to hear from you.
Our work makes an enormous difference in many lives. Families feel supported as they rebuild their lives in their new communities. It is impossible to overestimate the importance of being recognised and feeling valued when starting again in a new place. We do not step in and do everything for new arrivals but provide the tools they need to become autonomous and develop a sense of agency.Drop-ins are a vital source of practical help and advice as well as emotional support; there are lots of opportunities to get involved from making the tea to English language practice in small groups. Once a month, there is a shared lunch. Language skills are the key to social integration. If you have the relevant qualifications, you might consider joining the English Language Team which provides more formal language support. We are keen to reduce the attainment gap between migrant children and other learners and one of the newer projects we would like your help to develop is promoting literacy skills through reading with younger children and helping older children with their homework. There are lots of other roles in DAR that we would like to discuss with you too, including campaigning, fundraising and media support.
DAR volunteers come in many different guises! Everyone brings their own unique set of skills and qualities to the team. What we share is a strong commitment to promoting social inclusion and empowerment based in compassion and the recognition that we are all equal. Safeguarding is an important aspect of what we do. Because we are working with vulnerable adults and children, all DAR volunteers must undergo an enhanced DBS check. (This is free to charities.)
DAR gives volunteers the opportunity to exchange ideas and share experiences with delightful, admirable people whose lives would not normally intersect with our own. It is a privilege to meet and work with them.