Many services for people who are in need or vulnerable rely on volunteers. Scottish Refugee Council is no exception. Shabana Basheer volunteered with us in 2010 and this is her account of her time with us.
I volunteered with the Policy and Communications team at Scottish Refugee Council between May and November 2010, and found it to be a really valuable and inspiring experience.
Breaking down barriers for refugees
I wanted to volunteer because I’m very aware of the kind of barriers and misconceptions refugees and asylum seekers can face in Britain and wanted to help make a positive difference.
I started in the run-up to Refugee Week 2010 when everyone in the office was madly busy getting the word out about all the events that were coming up and trying to get as many people involved s possible.
With everyone so busy I soon got lots of different tasks to do, from finding people to participate in interviews, blogging and helping to manage our social media presence, drafting press releases, contacting news-desks and , of course, attending some great events and getting feedback from the audience… so no chance of getting bored!
Learning about asylum
The whole experience of volunteering with Scottish Refugee Council taught me a lot about working in a fast-paced charity environment, and about how to communicate with the media and general public. My knowledge of the asylum system and the issues faced by refugees and asylum seekers in the UK has also increased vastly, and I’m determined to keep working in some capacity to change public attitudes on this issue for the better.
Get involved – volunteer
We recruit for new volunteers two or three times a year. Learn more about volunteering with us
You could also visit your nearest volunteer centre. Learn more on the Volunteer Centre website.
